Just Nod Yes: Hall-of-Fame Sparty Bobblehead on Sale
He’s a quiet guy, yet you can’t exactly call him timid; he seems to be the life of the party wherever he goes.
In full uniform, he stands at a towering 7 feet; but when it comes to sports, you’ll likely find him enthusiastically cheering from the sidelines.
His burly physique was put on a pedestal by Muscle and Fitness Magazine; however, it can be said that his biggest strength is in his heart, given all the community service and outreach he performs each year.
If there is one person who sums up the integrity and character of Michigan State University, it’s that soft-spoken, chin-forward, beloved-everyman mascot Sparty — and now Sparty has been enshrined with the most prestigious 21st century distinction.
Heads up: He’s now a hall-of-fame bobblehead.
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum (yes, it’s a real thing) has produced an officially licensed, limited-edition Michigan State University bobblehead in conjunction with the start of the 2023-2024 school year and the Michigan State Spartans first football game of the season against Central Michigan University. The bobblehead features MSU’s esteemed mascot, Sparty; and each bobblehead is individually numbered to a limited amount of 2,023.
“We’re excited to be releasing this special-edition bobblehead featuring Sparty,” said Phil Sklar, National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO. “We know how passionate the Michigan State community is, so we expect this bobblehead to be extremely popular with Michigan State alumni, students, faculty, staff and fans.”
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s mission is to provide access to the world’s largest collection of bobbleheads, to advance an understanding of the historical role bobbleheads play in American culture, and to celebrate the fun and quirky side of collecting. The hall of fame, 170 S. First. St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, opened to the public Feb. 1, 2019, and produces customized bobbleheads for retail sale as well as for organizations, individuals and teams across the country.
Sparty, on the other hand, has a much deeper and storied history.
The first mascot appeared in 1955 at a Jenison Field House pep rally before the Notre Dame football game. It initially was simply a papier-mâché Spartan head crafted by three fraternity brothers. The head was 6 feet tall and weighed more than 60 pounds. By the 1956 Rose Bowl Game, the papier-mâché head had been replaced by a fiberglass version that was 30 pounds lighter — likely much to the delight of the unfortunate person underneath the beast.
The modern-day “approachable, fierce yet kind man-for-all-seasons” mascot reflecting the university’s strength and character made his debut through an East Lansing marketing campaign Sept. 16, 1989. The current Sparty’s helmet size is 10XL. His shoe size is 22.
If you want to get a closer look at Sparty for yourself, you can purchase your own bobblehead from the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. Each bobblehead is $35 plus an $8 flat-rate shipping charge per order. The bobbleheads can be purchased here.
However, these items are limited to a production run of 2,023, so time may be running out. In the famous words of the 24th ruler of Sparta, King Agis IV, “Stay calm and Sparty on.”
But don’t quote us on that.
