2003 Steve Carlton Bobble Heads
As part of the final season at Veterans Stadium the Phillies hosted several bobble head giveaway games, including June 22, 2003 - when a Steve Carlton figurine was handed out. At this point most of us have either seen, or acquired one of the standard issued SGAs...but, would you be surprised if I told you it is not the only version that was produced?
Steve Carlton Bobble Head - signed variation
Though not as widely available as the SGA, a second version has popped up here and there on the secondary market over the years. This variation looks much like the original, with the exception of a white pitching rubber - and a Steve Carlton autograph. Speculation has been that this was either a random variant inserted into the standard SGAs at the gates, or sold in the Stadium team store - but, as far as I can tell, we've never received solid confirmation of either.
Steve Carlton Bobble Head - unsigned variation
In addition to these two known bobble heads, I recently uncovered the existence of a third variant! The third version is a hybrid of the two earlier ones - same figurine, with an unsigned, white pitching rubber.
After exchanging emails with Lefty's merchandising company, Game Winner Sports, I came to find out that 3,000 of the two non-SGA variations were ordered by the Phillies specifically for Carlton. They have presumabley been selling this inventory on the Hall of Famer's official site: stevecarlton.com, for $39 (unsigned) and $79 (signed), ever since...
