Wally Backman Had His Own Starting Lineup Figure?

I received this awesome Starting Lineup figure of Bo Jackson as part of Secret Satan Santa package from Play at the Plate...I bought a couple of these figures back in the day including an awesome Mike Schmidt diving to the ball at 3rd. I haven't seen an unopened one in a long long time and when I flipped it over to the back I was shocked by how many players you would never had thought would have a Starting Lineup figure actually do...

Here's a list of players that make me ask "what were they thinking?":

Giants
Rick Reuschel

Reds
Todd Benzinger

Padres
Bruce Hurst

Astros
Rafael Ramirez

Braves
Andres Thomas
Lonnie Smith

Phillies
Ron Jones

Cardinals
Jose Oquendo

Cubs
Damon Berryhill
Jerome Walton
Vance Law

Mets
Gregg Jefferies
Juan Samuel

Pirates
Glenn wilson
John Smiley

A's
Terry Steinbach

Mariners
Jeffrey Leonard

Twins
Allan Anderson
Wally Backman


With the teams that have four or more players, I would say that only the Dodgers [with the line of Orel Hershiser, Kirk Gibson, Eddie Murray, and Willie Randolph] actually have a lineup that deserves their own figures.

Comments

Anonymous said…
From 1988-1990, Starting Lineups were sold in regional assortments, so most of the figures were only available in their local markets. (You did also have All-Star assortments, which featured the bigger stars.)

Nearly everyone you're puzzled by would have been a reasonable choice for a local assortment in 1989. Gregg Jefferies and Jerome Walton would both have had some national appeal as the hot rookies of the day.
January 18, 2010 at 5:44 PM
RWH said…
I had the Jerome Walton. Actually, I still have the Jerome Walton.
January 18, 2010 at 7:34 PM
SpastikMooss said…
Damon Berryhill and John Smiley were two of my favorite players in the early 90's. Berryhill because of his Braves/Red Sox years, Smiley because his name was Smiley (and I had a friend nicknamed Smiley). I would've been all over those SLU's had I seen them.
January 18, 2010 at 8:29 PM
TheRealDFG said…
I still have the 1988 Juan Samuel. I think I have a Dickie Thon one too.
January 19, 2010 at 8:58 AM
Anonymous said…
I have a few of these in a box in the basement (opened and unopened); the regional comments are right, and also Starting Lineup seemed to be wanting to feature some players they hadn't done before. Whether that's a good idea or not...
January 19, 2010 at 12:16 PM
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