Phillies 2000 SGA
Mike Lieberthal Lunchbox

The 2000 Phillies lost 97 games, traded Curt Schilling to Arizona and generally failed to energize the fan base. Though there were several promising players like Bobby Abreu, Scott Rolen and Mike Lieberthal, the team lacked pitching depth, relying on Randy Wolf and Robert Person to anchor the starting staff and finished fifth in the division. During these late-90's, early-00's seasons the promotional staff earned their money, creating a number of memorable giveaways to lure in the fans. One of my all-time favorites from this era is the Phillie Phanatic/Mike Lieberthal metal lunch box.

The lunch box is heavy duty - a throwback to the 1970-80s style containers many of us used to bring our lunches to school (Note: I had Return of the Jedi). It is square with rounded edges, metal and contains pictures of catcher Mike Lieberthal on one side and the Phillie Phanatic on the other. Side panels contain the 2000 Phillies logo ("Bring It On") and sponsor (Oreos) images. Intended for children, as a 14-under Sunday giveaway, this piece was the first of several "back-to-school" promotions to feature metal lunch boxes. Value for this item has seemed to stay consistent over the years. While I have not seen many on the secondary market, I would expect to spend about $10 to buy one today.