Marlins Park envy: San Franciscoβs BobbleheadΒ Kingpin ByΒ Joe Capozzi
The Bobblehead Museum at Marlins Park has been getting rave reviews, but I have to admit that it canβt shake a head to the enviable collection at AT&T Park.
Harvey Hodgerney, the visiting clubhouse manager for the San Francisco Giants, said he has at least 700 bobblehead dolls β many of them autographed β crammed into his tiny office at AT&T Park.
Hodgerney, who has worked for the Giants since 1980, said a representative for Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria contacted him last year with an offer to purchase his collection β for $50,000.
βI told him, βNo way,ββ Harvey said.
Jus as the visitors to Marlins Park can see its impressive collection of 604 bobblehead dolls, Harveyβs collection is viewable, too, to fans in San Francisco.
Itβs a popular stop on public tours of AT&T Park, which is why his collection includes a bobblehead doll in his own likeness.
βIβve gotten so many compliments on (the dolls) that (visitors) wanted to make one up of me. And they surprised me with it,β he said.
βThe one behind it is a Barry Bonds. He signed that one and he told me, βI never better see that on eBay because Iβll know where it came from because this is the only one Iβm signing, I donβt like to sign bobbleheads.ββ
Harvey said he started his collection in 2000 when AT&T Park first opened.
βSome of the first ones I had were Willie Mays, Barry Bonds and (Willie) McCovey. Probably the oldest one I have is this one right here,β he said, holding one of an old Giants mascot boy.
βThat goes back to 1960. This was the original.β
Marlins bobbleheads include Josh Beckett holding the 2003 World Series trophy and Hanley Ramirez swinging a bat.
Harvey said his favorite is a little silver baseball βgiven to me by a little kid who came in here on a tour. He told the tour guy, βI want to bring him one that he doesnβt haveβ and this kid got that one as a trophy.β
Harvey said no one has ever walked into his office in a rage and wrecked his bobblehead doll displays, which cover all four walls and most of his desk.
βOne of my guys busted one one time,β he said. βThey didnβt think Iβd notice.β
Meanwhile, Harvey said heβs getting ready to add more space for his growing collection.
He turned around behind his desk and pointed to a rare bare spot on the wall: βIβm going to add a shelf right here.β