Rare Unopened 49ers 1977 Action Team Mate

1977 Unopened Action Team Mate

Ok, I'm a grown man, yet I'm as giddy as a kid at Christmas right now because I finally acquired an extremely rare 1977 Pro Sports Marketing NFL Action Team Mate figure yesterday.  I've been waiting for some time to see one of these bad boys for sale for the right price and complete in the blister, on the card, untouched...Finally, I found one.

These things are much larger in both packaging and the figure than I thought it would be.  I have the Starting Line Ups & McFarlane well over 75 or more, all 49ers and much smaller than this Action Team Mate figure.  The blister has yellowed over age and a slight blemish to the bottom left of the card, but I'm fine with that, at least it's untouched.  It's got the SF logo on the sides of the helmet and a small sticker on the front of the package "SAN FRANCISCO 49'ERS", in case someone wasn't familiar with the team...Oh come on it's the Forty Niners Folks!

Years ago when I first saw one of these,  I thought "I've got to get one of these"

because of the Jersey Number "12".  My childhood hero, John Brodie.   That may be stupid to some, but I always saw that bright red jersey with the solid white 12 numbering on his chest and thought it was sooo cool. When I finally met him in 2014 at the private consignees party at the 49er Museum in the new stadium, I was beaming from ear to ear.  Looking over his personal memorbilia at the museum, I couldn't believe I was hanging out, talking with Mr. John Brodie...It was awesome. He was fun to watch as he threw to Gene Washington, instilling dreams for a kid from Oregon to watch on Sundays.

Good Ol' Number "12", John Brodie

Meeting my Hero back in Sept. 2014

So, that's why I wanted this Action Team Mate figure mostly.

I love the packaging for this. The back shows kids who have pulled them out and start playing football plays with them, encouraging them to play with their new "Team Mates"...ah no!!!  Don't do that kids.  I would have never done that. I collect and immediately they go into some protective sleeve, package, ziplock or whatever...protect and don't play with.  Just admire. 

Back of Package

Over the years I've collected every Starting Lineup of the 49ers and have them all safely tucked away in bins that are inventoried and numbered.  Thus when the 49ers museum needs anything like say "Joe Montana", I give them my list and they pick from the list of Joe items and another shipment to the museum. Thus, I've done this for them, but for me too.  Happy to see this one finally make it into my collection, who knows, maybe it'll be at the museum as well.  Go Niners !