Chemtoy Hi-Bounce Balls

[laughlinfan]

Hey Mark! Don't remember who I have in my blister packs - sounds like a good rainy day project to dig them out and take a look! I remember I had some HOFers so entombed, but haven't looked close in 25-30 years or so! Not sure about Tovar, Larry, but I will keep my eyes peeled for him too!

I am guessing that the team boxes were probably distributed to cities/towns close to the teams, and maybe the AL/NL boxes to cities without teams close by(?) Have seen full boxes of different teams from time to time on eBay, but never a blister pack - probably not too many people bought them in 1970 without freeing them; hi-bounce balls aren't too much fun all sealed up! I am guessing some of the loose ones did end up in gumball machines - I remember Hi-bounce balls were pretty common in those, but I don't remember ever seeing these baseball ones sold that way. Perfect (large) gumball sized, so would make sense to sell them that way.

[Stampsfan]

I have 3-4 Montreal Expos balls I bought from when I was a kid, in Montreal. I recall them being sold loose in a box at the local corner stores. After reading these posts, I now would believe these were likely team boxes that were sold one at a time by the store owner.

I never saw a blister pack... although now you've set me on a chase on a new trek... to find some Expos in blister packs.

[Griffins]

Originally Posted by laughlinfan

I am guessing that the team boxes were probably distributed to cities/towns close to the teams, and maybe the AL/NL boxes to cities without teams close by(?)

Sorry to blow your theory, but AL/NL boxes were at most toy stores when I was a kid in Santa Monica, about 8 miles from Dodger Stadium and about 45 from Anaheim.

[laughlinfan]

Duplicate - removed.

[laughlinfan]

That's OK, Anthony - theories are meant to be blown! I am guessing the Montreal Expos box wouldn't have gone to your area (or many areas outside of Quebec!), so maybe AL/NL nationally, and individual team boxes near the home town team as well would seem logical, then. I will have to check my blister packs to see if all (or many) teams were included, or if they were limited to a small set of teams. I do know that there were mixed teams in each pack.

[toppcat]

I wonder if the team boxes were simply a way to sell returns the next year?

[4reals]

AL Auction:http://www.legendaryauctions.com/197...lot166397.aspx

NL Auction:http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/...ring/1060.html

[laughlinfan]

Hey Dave - interesting thought. I am guessing if the team boxes were made up of returns, it would have required someone to sort them back at the factory(?) I would think, from a marketing/sales perspective, it would probably make sense to put popular players in the AL/NL boxes. The two auction links (thanks, Joe!) probably reinforce that they tried to put some of the better players in the league boxes. Makes me wonder if lesser known players would have been produced in smaller numbers - seems reasonable.

I did enjoy REA's writeup - I am guessing, though, that kids did like these; I know THIS kid bounced a few of them off the walls, but I would have reserved that fate for players I didn't really like!

And not for nothing, I am wondering, 45 years later, who came up with the great company name?

[Griffins]

we used to use them for batting practice. Tougher to hit since they were so small, but if you connected they'd clear the fence easily.
IIRC they tended to fracture and chip pretty easily too.

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by laughlinfan

Hey Dave - interesting thought. I am guessing if the team boxes were made up of returns, it would have required someone to sort them back at the factory(?) I would think, from a marketing/sales perspective, it would probably make sense to put popular players in the AL/NL boxes. The two auction links (thanks, Joe!) probably reinforce that they tried to put some of the better players in the league boxes. Makes me wonder if lesser known players would have been produced in smaller numbers - seems reasonable.

An educated guess on my part as Topps and a few other companies would repurpose and resell their returns back in the same time frame.

I don't remember these on Long Island as a kid.