More Cherished Teddy Cubs

While digging around Ebay to find listings for the Cherished Teddy Ron Santo, I discovered his wasn't the only Cub out there.  It turns out that there are four different Cherished Teddy Cub player figurines.

The team gave away one per season from 2000 - 2003.  Each time they were given to the first 10,000 females ages 14 and older.

The first of these was given away on June 7, 2000, and the featured player was...

...Mr. Cub Ernie Banks.  This one doesn't look so good....look at the Cubs logo on the wrong side of the uniform.  It seems as if the designer went for cute instead of accurate.  I'm guessing the Cubs wanted something more authentic to the players, because the other three figurines looked more like ballplayers.

The 2001 giveaway was the...

....Ron Santo, shown yesterday, which was given away on August 8, 2001.

In 2002, the Cubs waited until the last game of the season, September 29, to give away a figurine.  They saved the best for last, as it was...

....Billy Williams.  Of the remaining three, this would be the only one I'd have any interest in acquiring, though I'm going to have to wait for a better price than what they're listed at right now.

The final Cherished Teddy giveaway was on the last day of the 2003 season, September 28.  The ballpark was jammed that day, not for the figurine, but because the Cubs were retiring Ron Santo's number before the game.  It was also the day after the Cubs had clinched the NL Central crown, so there was quite a buzz in the park that day.

And the player with the 2003 figurine was...

....Ryne Sandberg.  This one has the fewest listings.  Even though  there were 39.940 fans at the game, most were there for Santo...I think the Sandberg figurine got lost in the shuffle.

Finally, here is a look at all four