Kind Of Blue: Brian Roberts Bobblehead Sent Back Over Color

Men In Blue: Brian Roberts Bobbleheads Feature Wrong Skin Tone

The Orioles planned to distribute bobblehead dolls of 2B Brian Roberts to the first 20,000 fans before Saturday’s game against the Rangers, but the dolls were sent back because they had a “dark skin tone with a bluish tint,” according to Katie Carrera of the Baltimore SUN. Due to the mistake, all fans received a voucher they can “redeem for a corrected Roberts doll” after September 1. Orioles Dir of Media Relations Bill Stetka said, “The biggest objection we had with this doll was the coloring. ... I had it described to me as looking like a Smurf.” Stetka added that “minor adjustments to prototypes of the Roberts bobblehead, including one in which the doll’s skin tone was too pale, were made along the way but that the final approval of the doll was based on a computer image” (Baltimore SUN, 7/15).

IN GOOD TASTE? In Toronto, Garth Woolsey reported a “bizarre figurine” was being sold on eBay that depicted the scene from a March ’89 game when former NHL G Clint Malarchuk’s throat was cut by a skate blade. Pennsylvania resident Bill Herold, who customized a McFarlane Sports figurine to include the blood, said, “I have NO intention of disrespecting Mr. Malarchuk. ... It was simply done to show his courage and bravery.” Herold added that he “cut off the sale early, taking [US$40] from an anonymous bidder” (TORONTO STAR, 7/17).