The Surprising History of Starting Lineup Action Figures: A Sports Collectible History

Join us as we take a trip down memory lane and explore the history of one of the most iconic sports collectibles of all time - the Starting Lineup action figures. From Kenner's first MLB figures in 1988 to the beloved NFL, NBA, and NHL figures of the 90s, we'll cover it all.
Starting Lineup figures have been a staple in the world of sports memorabilia for decades, and we'll take a closer look at the evolution of these retro toys. From the design to the packaging, we'll show you what made these action figures so special.
We'll also be discussing the impact that Starting Lineup figures had on the toy industry and the nostalgia they continue to evoke among collectors. So whether you're a long-time collector or a new fan, this video is sure to be a hit! Don't miss it!
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[@burntmarshwigglestudio597]

Being someone who works at a toy museum, I really appreciate that you covered Starting Lineup. As a person who could care less about sports, I can't comprehend why kids loved these - but I think it's really cool that people did like them. I love that there is such extreme variety of taste and products in toy collecting. Speaking of which, your invitation to visit the Troll Hole Museum home of the Guinness World Record troll doll collection still stands. I promise, it will not disappoint and will surprise you! When the time is right, we'll be ready for you. Love your show.

[@davyjones2994]

My uncle has, no exaggeration, 25k worth of these in his basement. He recently had me try and sell them. Cases and cases from the 90s, it was sad seeing how much he spent back then and how little they are worth now

[@redwingscuj031]

You can’t comprehend what kids would want figures of their sports heroes?? You probably play dungeons and dragons in your moms basement.

[@kimstolz8880]

@@redwingscuj031 it would make sense if no other toys existed, but you’re telling me that you want a baseball player over optimus prime or the ninja turtles?! If one of my friends would have asked me which oiler I wanted for my birthday, their invitation would have been “lost in the mail”.

[@sdevine182]

I had and still have at least 100 or more of these, I loved sports and toys and they were fun to collect.

[@walterlivingston4596]

I still collect starting line up figures!

[@bootlegtoysvietnam5516]

Absolutely love these. Started collecting in 1988 and still cultivate a stash. Really loving this line to this day. Never knew Pat's story. What a great outlier right place/right time situation, man. Always lost the football helmets, HATED when bats went floppy, and always wished for more articulation.When they first dropped, I remember a long weekend series at the Astrodome ('88) where they gave out free figures upon entry. Was good to see this again.

[@jasonknight8581]

I remember working in the toy aisles at Bradlees in 1998. Every day, without fail: adult collectors would either ask: 1. "Do you got any Hot Wheels?" 2. "Do you got any Starting Line Ups?"

[@cinematographybycss]

Bradlees. Now that takes me back. When they went under there was one across the street from my high school. A bunch of my friends worked there. It was a sad time.

[@snukastyle]

That's when you hope for a Dale Earnhardt figure and car set to exist.

[@jasonknight8581]

@@cinematographybycss It was the first job I ever had, and in some respects? The best job I ever had. Yeah, it was retail, but I had the best managers and co-workers, and every day was something to look forward to.

[@christinecrawford]

Lots of adult Hot Wheels collectors ~still~ bugging retail employees about new product coming in! lol. I collect Funko Pops and Hot Wheels but would never think to bug employees like that.

[@RobCamp-rmc_0]

I could totally get behind the not-human-but-maybe-dinosaur baseball players. That would’ve been rad as hell. Also, love the shout-out to Jon Bois. His recent Dorktown miniseries on the Seattle Mariners is incredible.

[@RetroCynical]

I remember thinking these were so cool. In the late 80s-early 90s I was really into collecting sports cards, these came out at the perfect time. I never had a lot of them but I do remember having a Ryne Sanberg and Bo Jackson.

[@nbarealtalker]

I still collect these. The market was hot for them in the 90s and some of them cost a pretty penny back in the day.

[@40ozAk]

These were huge in grade school for a couple years. Definitely birthday gifts in 89-90. Still have Trammel/Conseco action scene on my shelf. Happened to find a bait shop in northern Michigan with a ton of them still mint in package (though a bit dusty) in a bin 2-3 years ago and snagged a MOC Pavel Bure that looked brand new some 20 years after release for like $6.

[@4HoopsAndHomers]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU..Starting Line Ups were an obsession of mine during the late 80 and early 90...looking back, I wish I would have invested more into cards which I collect now...but it was a hell of ride

[@curch8042]

Great video Dan! I have been collecting Starting Lineup since 1990, never stopped and today, I own a nice little collection of them! Great video!

[@rodrickadamginsburg8960]

Whenever I see a new video has posted, it always makes me happy before I’ve even watched it and even happier after watching it thank you!!!!!!

[@tobiasvosh3878]

Thank you so much for this episode!!!! Collecting SLU was an incredible 4 years of my childhood. As always, you guys are informative, educational, and absolutely entertaining. Fan for life.

[@citiesofthedead8653]

Awesome story! I had no idea how it all got started, just knew I needed my Pavel Bure in Home and Away uniforms.

[@ThriftShopHustler]

Thanks for the video, been researching these because I came across a large collection of these. So much great information here.

[@FuzzyDan]

Love this. I wasn’t a sports fan and I didn’t collect these but my best friend in school did and this brings back great memories.

[@jesseperry9602]

Kid me always wondered why I could only find the Falcons and Cowboys figures instead of the 49ers I was a fan of. I had no idea the releases were region locked! That makes so much sense in retrospect!

[@bles05]

Right...ironically i got my hands on a Joe Montana & a Jerry Rice S.L. while living in Cincinnati, it was a blessing lol

[@joshblack4291]

Had a collection of about 100 of these growing up with my dad and brother. Sold most over the years except a few of my favorites

[@BaseballCardIllustrated]

Great video! I still remember the first time I saw a Starting Lineup. It was at a Toys R Us and I bought three of them. I could not stop playing with them at dinner that night. I thought it was the coolest toy ever made - either that or the LJN WWF wrestling figures. My friend and I made a plan to collect the first baseball series ... and came up way, way short of that goal. What great memories!

[@mikeyjhilli]

Interesting video. I collected NBA. I keep on forgetting I have then until things like this and seeing them on the shelves of a local comic store

[@lukeelsbrock3997]

Being a Cincinnati native, I remember I could find EVERY team, on the pegs, EXCEPT, Reds and Bengals. Lucky my neighbor worked for Kenner, who got me every Reds figure, produced that first year. Most importantly my favorite, Pete Rose.

[@JRSanchez93]

Just found a Juan Guzman figure still sealed in the blister for 3 bucks. Gonna open this sucker up to see how good they can be posed and had to come back to this video.

[@wesleymcneese8554]

I wanted some of these so bad when I was like 5. My mom came home from the mall one day and said that she got me some of those baseball player toys. I was super excitesld, it turns out it was a bag of little red and blue ball players, kinda like army men. I was crestfallen.

[@chrissawyer1484]

I had the three Ozzie Smith figures, Eric Davis, and the Pete Rose/Johnny Bench two pack. My brother got me the Herschel Walker Heisman Trophy figure a couple of years ago because I'm a Dawgs fan. I get why people love these figures.

[@fliplife67]

I miss these things.

[@aldeshsa]

Thanks for the vid. Was a big SLU collector back in the day.

[@TwitchWasHere]

Yass! Loved this line, though I mostly just had several very early-'90s Cubs that I got for Christmas one year. I know Damon Berryhill was on the team at the time, but I don't know if he was amongst my lot, lol.

[@guyhill3528]

This was my joint back in the day. I had two Warren Moons and my cousin had John Elway. We looked everywhere for the Starting Lineup football field, but could never find it. :(

[@citizengar]

That's how I got started with action figures.

[@joewojtecki9991]

Growing up in the Chicagoland area I knew Damon Berryhill from the Cubs. And just as I was about to answer, the magical voice at the end of the video, said it.

[@JoeSelf1982]

Children’s Palace. The stuff of dreams. ❤️

[@ludwigvanbubthoven5692]

Yes. That place was like going to Disneyland once a week.

[@Williestyle-RobotechxMacross-x]

Dan did a recent video about Children's Palace. (:

[@joshua2814]

I was never into sports, but you do these histories so well I watched anyway and it was still interesting.

[@benfromthebunker9621]

I collected starting lineup figures, just Chicago players. There were one of the few action figures that my mother didn't think were the devil.

[@miguelschoedel7691]

I own every Cincinnati Reds Staring Lineup Figure. Proudly displayed in my office.

[@bles05]

Cool. I had some of the Bengals, Esaison, Icky, James Brooks, etc..

[@chrisdaugherty8265]

You got good taste in baseball teams. I just wish the Reds could regain their former glory.

[@BackCave5]

Pictures?

[@scottcampbell9515]

As a Reds fan growing up, and a Star Wars fan, these figures were a Home Run for me. I had the 5 player display where I could put my favorite Reds, and their SL cards, and had that on top of my dresser until I moved out on my own. I wish I would have kept them. Kenner was my favorite toy line.

[@ghostface3655]

Loved these growing up, thanks for the video!

[@miguelschoedel7691]

I've been waiting for this video!

[@thefont9]

Finally, something for which I can add some additional info. Great job as usual. Starting Lineup only did the regional thing for 1988 and 1989, and sales were not very good in 1989. They distributed regional sets but also all-star cases of the best players in the league. Those sold really well, so in 1990 they made the decision to go exclusively with different all-star assortments and things really took off. The most valuable Starting Lineup Stuff is actually the regional stuff from 88/89. The rest is spot on: they began to over-produce figures and the internet pretty much murdered the hobby, but it was a good run for sure.

[@KeithHB79]

I remember getting a figure for a birthday gift from a school mate. Can’t remember exactly which football player it was but, I do remember cutting the football off of the one hand for my G. I. Joes to use.

[@phoule76]

Go long, Joe!

[@thekenner]

@@phoule76 The other Joes were getting PTSD from Captain Grid Iron perfectly spiraling grenades at them.

[@Williestyle-RobotechxMacross-x]

Wow, can not believe that I had not seen this before! I got my first Starting LineUp figure not long after I got my first job, good times in the 90's. Always wondered why there were fewer players over ther years. Thank you Dan and Producer Greg. (:

[@joep84]

I loved these as a kid in the 90’s. I got back into them a few months ago. They’ve not gone up in value much and I picked up a ton when I saw how cheap they were.

[@curch8042]

Glad you are collecting again!

[@mrdorf2784]

It was called sportstars in the UK and were models of famous soccer players. They were great and another ‘toy’ I missed out on.

[@Spenceley]

I think I just had a Mandala effect that Dan covered the Pro Stars series with Jordan, Gretzky and Bo Jackson. Must've been thinking of this. DAN! You have an assignment!!!

[@Scottydawg777]

What a great new intro, I m very impressed nice job.

[@manuelramos3588]

I use to collect Starting Lineup religiously then stopped for a while but the the Sportspix figures from McFarlane came out & changed the game. My favorites are the HOF lines for the 4 major sports..

[@BubblesTheBard]

My mom had the entire Detroit Red Wings lineup.

[@dominiquebannister8349]

Lol

[@jdtroup198683]

So did my cousin and the Lakers he wouldn't let me touch them

[@MSGSlayer1]

I still have a Dwight Gooden (Mets) figure that was a Christmas present from school.

[@UrMomsChauffer]

Doc K

[@derekmccord3798]

I had no idea there was such a huge Cincinnati connection here!

[@Steezyben777]

I’ve been waiting for this

[@SkottiKimble]

Oh man... Children's Palace. I remember going to the Hamilton Rd one in Columbus Ohio as a kid, and wound up working in another dead store (MediaPlay) in the same location, in college.

[@Ultrazilla]

Definitely had a fair share of Starting Lineup figures as well as some of McFarlane's line.

[@cancelme4200]

I remember when the A’s used to have giveaways with starting lineup toys. They even gave away Cooperstown collection two packs one year.

[@everything80spodcast68]

Holy crap, how did I forget about Starting Lineup for so long.

[@TrueAmericanReject]

This video got me on a google research spree, I believe my dad had gotten starting lineup for his favorite baseball players from his team Kansas Royals & I had a few Macfarlane sports figures in the early 2000s of my favorites like Randy Johnson & Jeff Bagwell , I bought those two while on a family vacation in Ohio as I wanted my at the time favorite pitcher & one of my favorite batters to oppose the other.

[@BigRichfrank]

Man I loved SL!!! We had every good player on card! My Gramma have them away 😭

[@25toys3]

These marked the moment my toys became collectibles. I didn’t open Barry Sanders. First time I left a toy in the package.

[@jordachejordan90]

Really good video and idea. I had just randomly been thinking abt collecting these.

[@curch8042]

Go for it!

[@nuggythebear]

Remember at playschool (kindergarten) some of my friends had some of the England football team from Italia 90. I was always jealous

[@alexanderrojas304]

Hell yeah! Hawk and Ryno!

[@pikapal91]

I had all of the New York Mets. Damn I wish I could find them.. now all I have is the stadium giveaway David Wright.

[@mahler151]

My older brothers had a handful of these. Never cared about them myself. I recall one time when I was very young being with my mother in a Kmart or Wal-Mart and seeing one of these of a player I recognized from a commercial (don't remember the name). I asked my mom if his name was whichever player it was, and she thought I had read the name. She got so excited thinking I was some precocious reader when really the figure just looked enough like the guy from the commercial. Miss those days.

[@YodaPagoda]

I remember these, and didn't really like the concept? I was more interested in GI Joes, as I had a ton of them by this point. As an adult, I'm a lot bigger sports fan, and realize this probably resulted in huge boxes of these gathering dust in someone's closet, unopened and forgotten. Toys are supposed to be played with, not left unopened and unplayed with!

[@RealGoggs]

ah the good ole 1908's... good times

[@StratumPress]

Good timey fun times! Taking the ol' horse and carriage down to the dance hall and having some sarsaparilla!

[@josep9564]

Ah racism too...

[@Sevenigma777]

Ah yes even though I love this goop he really thinks he's a wisenheimer. Probably needs to out down that giggle water before he becomes an arfarfanfarf.

[@freddyvidz]

I liked these as a kid.

[@happiaxxident]

I wonder if the dislike is for the toy line, the amazing video, or a simply an accident click left uncorrected?

[@andreworillion5970]

My brother collected starting lineup figures for a while. He had almost the entire set of the first NBA and NFL players issued. One problem with the toys is that the plastic cases tended to yellow over time

[@jordachejordan90]

I used to be a big Greg Maddux fan. One of those signatures on the baseball looks like Mike Scott.

[@Rossturnerphoto]

Looking back I'm somewhat surprised that I never got into starting lineup since I had both action figures and baseball and football cards during that time. Even today I probably would collect something like that if I had any space for it.

[@Cobralalalala]

Great video! I'm pretty sure I only had one as a kid, maybe two or three. The one I can remember for sure was Mike Shmidt, and it was one of my favorite toys when I was 5-6. I'm thought about going back and getting a few recently. While I'm not a sports fan anymore, I was as a kid and kind of want the nostalgia picks. At very least I want the three guys that were on Pro Stars. :)

[@MMmmmVarley]

I remember getting a Don Mattingly figure featuring his glorious mullet back in '89... wish I knew where it was. The figure, not the mullet.

[@alexwimberly1268]

I remember a few years back I found a couple of Miami Dolphins Starting Lineup figures at a small collectibles shop for my dad's birthday. He still has them posted top shelf on his Dolphins memorabilia mantle

[@billpagan3070]

To this day I cannot go a single time to an old school flea market without finding tons of these!😂 They were very cool but they never really got their hook into to me for collecting them. Dan and Greg, love the History Of videos 👍😁

[@Daigohji99]

If you live anywhere except the US, this video belongs in Oddities. I had no idea this toy line existed, so this was an interesting video.

[@Sevenigma777]

I remember being like 8 years old in 1990 and getting a Mickey Mantle Starting Lineup toy and being told it was real expensive and super rare like it was real authentic Mickey Mantle memorabilia. Ten years later or so at a Flea Market I seen someone selling exact one for like $5. Thinking I was getting a steal on a treasure I bought it and smugly told the guy how he just lost out on so much money because this thing is rare. I can still hear this guy laughing 20 years later as he puts a big box on a table filled with like 100 Mickey Mantle Starting Lineup toys as well as hundreds of others lol.

[@jonathanwright8025]

Yep, when I needed money and remembered my "comic books are an investment" phase in the 90s I got out all my old books and couldn't sell a damn one. I feel like Marvel and DC gyped me.

[@impossiblepie]

Great video Dan! Never got any starting lineup but have mcfarlane sports figures of my favourite teams, Bruins, Bears, Whie Sox!

[@jonathansullivan8651]

Great episode !!!

[@nps1016]

I loved the Starting Lineup figures, I collected the MLB figures from the Oakland A’s, SF Giants, Seattle Mariners, L.A. Dodgers, Anaheim Angels and the San Diego Padres plus a mix of basketball, football and hockey figures. They were cheap so I didn’t mind spending money on them. When McFarland toys picked up the MLB licenses then I had to be more frugal.

[@NotFadeAway522]

As a Braves fan, who was 10 when he was traded to Atlanta, I love the Damon Berryhill reference!

[@OfficialEricElemen]

This was so dope, when they started this...I was like 8. I definitely got some. Boxing, baseball, football, basketball...so dope. Wonder where they are now?

[@wstine79]

Starting Lineup was popular at Toys R Us. I remember a box of those getting sold quickly. Too bad McFarland stepped up with their realistic sports line.

[@darthpaul99]

I only ever had the figure of Lary Bird, as he was my favorite basketball player.

[@thefonzkiss]

Don’t give a crap about sports but remember these from the Kenner booklets that came with the larger toys and vehicles. Had the Beetlejuice, Batman, Ghostbusters stuff all in it with these.

[@jamesbrooks5391]

“...or standing near a car.” 🤣🤣🤣 Brilliant

[@wildsmiley]

As a baseball fan, I kinda want to collect the MLB figures. I think my older brother had a few.

[@curch8042]

They are a must have!

[@Wis_Dom]

Before the baseball strike, I use to love these! I also remember when the name, "Todd Mcfarlane" was only known to us underground comic artist nerds.

[@stephens4175]

I still have my 1998 Hockey Dominik Hassek And Joe Thornton figures.

[@jordachejordan90]

That's our NOMAAAAHR!!!!!!

[@jasoncoleman6143]

I still have my Orel Hershiser :)

[@The_Doug__Side]

I grew up in a small town in-between Cincinnati-based Kenner and GM-based Dayton and Children's Palace was an amazing toy store complete with faux castle battlements and stone exterior. Once a year our parents would take us there to make our "Christmas Wish List", walking up and down each aisle, imagining what adventures we could have if only our parents would spring for the USS Flagg, Optimus Prime, and Castle Grayskull; then it would indeed be a Christmas.

[@doro626]

I like the intro, but I really miss that old music.

[@Onemangang76]

My first Starting Lineup figure was was the 88 Kareem Abdul Jabbar from Service Merchandise,and then I was in shock when i found MJ 😯

[@kielkinslow6384]

I still own a good amount of these figures

[@brixico1404]

Great job on this video

[@madcaptoys]

Good video. I remember these-sale them but they have never been my favorite. Guess it's cause I don't like sports that much but again Very good Video as always.

[@OptimusShr]

"The big three sports liscenses. MLB, NFL, and the NBA" *Cries in NHL*

[@greenlanternhg5141]

$3.99 🤔 how much are they now?...$15.99? That’s one line I avoided on purpose cause I knew if I started I wouldn’t have stopped till I was broke 😂 Great video Mr Larson, Producer Greg 👍🏽✌🏽

[@gabrielanthony1856]

Some are in the hundreds. Most are not. I sell most on ebay for around $8-12.

[@702SinSuper]

@@gabrielanthony1856 yea I collected during cards during the late 80s 90s boom and just like the cards from the junkwax era 90% of them are worthless. Cool for a memory tho.

[@702SinSuper]

@@gabrielanthony1856 do you have any of the boxing ones?

[@brotherfugue]

@@702SinSuper I THINK I have Rocky Marciano, but Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali for sure.

[@702SinSuper]

@@brotherfugue thats dope there still pretty cool 😎

[@sixtiviris]

I worked in a comic book shop in the 90's nad all I remember thinking back then was " MAN THESE REALLY LOOK LIKE THE REAL PERSON!" sigh...

[@KEVMAN7987]

Hmm. I like that idea about sports dinosaurs...

[@planetschlock]

I can almost picture it in my head and it's...just terrible.

[@KEVMAN7987]

@@planetschlock It wouldn't sound so terrible to child me.

[@onjohns1]

I recently lost all my childhood Starting Lineup figs in a fire. I’ve managed to replace most of them, including the super rare first series Jazz players.

[@curch8042]

Awesome, keep collecting!

[@leebush4053]

In the UK and Europe Tonka/Kenner ran a line of football (soccer) players. Never really took off.

[@Aaron_Scissorhands]

It's fun to collect SLU figures from 1988-1990 (regional), mostly football for me. Some of them are extremely difficult to find and even harder to find in good condition.