Collectible of the Week: Chase Utley, 2006 SGA Bobble Head
Second baseman Chase Utley has been honored with a bobble head giveaway three times during his career - including this, the first handed out on May 26, 2006. Sponsored by Chrysler/Jeep, the bobble was a statement about the marketability of the yet-to-be All-Star when announced in the Spring of 2006. It's hard to remember now, but at this point in his career had yet to make a mark nationally - and in many ways the promos this season demonstrated the changing of the guard for the Phillies.
As with other bobbles issued by the Phillies in 2006, this one was produced by BDA. The standard version depicts a 7.5" version of Utley standing at the plate wearing his home, white uniform with a red undershirt. The base is oval, with a gold, "Chase Utley" name plate on the front. The sponsor name plate also sits on top of the base. Per Phillies SGA the variant, which shows wearing a red batting practice jersey, with red undershirt and white home pants was randomly distributed to 2,500 lucky fans. All other features of the variant match the standard version.
This was one of the more popular dates on the schedule that Summer, as nearly 44,000 people attended (43,852) the game against the Milwaukee Brewers. As a result, the standard version of the bobble head is fairly easy to acquire at a good price ($10-15). The variant, however, is one of the more sought-after targets of serious bobble head collectors. Prices for this rarity surpass the $100 mark - when available.