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 Rare Beanie bear bound to be big hit
Posted: Thursday July 02, 1998 07:58 PM
By Cindy Brovsky, Denver Post Baseball fans who have tickets to the All-Star Game have area Beanie Baby collectors salivating. Collectors don't want the coveted ticket to the game Tuesday at Coors Field. They want what comes with the ticket. More than 50,000 All-Star ticket-holders will each get a rare "Glory'' red, white and blue Beanie Baby when they enter the game. And when those fans leave Coors Field on Tuesday night, they shouldn't be surprised if they hear: "How much for the Beanie Baby, fella?'' "I'd love to be going to the game just to get one of the Beanie Babies,'' said collector Jeanne Main, who works for an insurance company in the Denver Tech Center. "You can be sure that there will be people out there after the game trying to buy them from the baseball fans.'' Colorado Rockies officials are expecting such a demand for the little critters that they're treating the cargo "like cash.'' When toy manufacturer Ty Inc. ships the small stuffed animals to Denver International Airport on Sunday, there will be "strong security,'' said Keli McGregor, senior vice president of business operations for the Rockies. Glory will be a bear dressed in red, white and blue with an American flag. "Some people don't understand the craze about Beanie Babies, but I have kids and have seen it first-hand,'' McGregor said. "The Rockies have been talking about having a Beanie Baby day for a while, and it fit perfect with the All-Star Game.'' The Beanies are a gift to the fans from Major League Baseball and the players association. Fans who get a Beanie Baby are warned not to remove the special commemorative tag - the bear's value decreases if the tag is detached. "Ty is making just 100,000 of these Beanie Babies, and half of them will be given out right here,'' McGregor said. "It's a nice connection for baseball to have with a hot marketing craze.'' Other major-league teams have had Beanie Baby days at their ballparks this season. "Batty'' Beanie Baby, given to 10,000 children at a Milwaukee Brewers game in May, is now worth $135, according to one Beanie Baby auction Web site. "Those Beanie Babies (from baseball games) definitely become collectibles because it's for a special event,'' said collector Karen Richman, office administrator for the Arapahoe County commissioners. "Beanie Babies on the Internet have sold for up to $3,000.'' Richman got hooked on the small critters after a friend sent her three for her birthday. "It's a fun hobby, but some of the prices really are crazy,'' she said. "I figure they'll go to my grandkids someday.'' Marie Osborne, an investment buyer for Cub Foods, doesn't have a ticket to the All-Star Game, but she'll be checking with friends who may want to sell her their Beanie Babies. Osborne uses her lunch hours to visit department stores and look for the newest Beanies. "They're cute, cuddly little things,'' she said. "There's the thrill of the hunt of finding the new ones.'' Major League Baseball will include a card with the Beanie Baby, encouraging families to learn more about amateur baseball. "We know that if we get can get kids to love baseball when they're young, they will be a fan for a lifetime,'' said Mark Gorris, vice president of team services for Major League Baseball. "We know that baseball and Beanie Babies are close to the hearts of families.'' McGregor expects some collectors to show up after the game. But the first task will be distributing all of the Beanie Babies to the 50,000-plus crowd. The promotion represents the first time the Rockies have given out such a large number of freebies at a single game. Throughout the season, there are certain promotions - such as free batting gloves for children, or visors - but usually the Rockies give out about 10,000 of those items. "We do see it as a challenge, but we're ready,'' McGregor said. Copyright 1998 The Denver Post
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