SAN DIEGO — A limited edition bobblehead of former San Diego Padres shortstop Ozzie Smith was unveiled on Friday by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.
The collectible action figure depicts the Hall of Famer making his famous barehanded catch that some have called his best play ever.
Let’s travel back to April 20, 1978 — it was the top of fourth in a competition between the Padres and the Atlanta Braves. Atlanta left fielder Jeff Burroughs swatted down a grounder just to the shortstop side of second base.
Smith, who was a a rookie shortstop at the time, broke to his left with his momentum set to dive when the ball took a staggering jump to his right, which was the opposite side of his glove. In an instantaneous yet seemingly effortless reaction, Smith caught the ball with his barehand and slung it to first for the out.
In describing the play previously, Smith said, “Everybody thought the ball was going into center field. I instinctively broke to my left and dove behind second. As I was in the air, the ball took a bad hop and caromed behind me, but I was able to catch it with my bare hand. I hit the ground, bounced back up and threw Burroughs out at first.”
Relive the famous play by watching it here.
Smith’s figurine was released on National Bobblehead Day, which is celebrated annually on January 7. It was manufactured by FOCO, a company that makes officially licensed sports and novelty products.
“We are excited to release this unique bobblehead of the great Ozzie Smith and one of the first of many spectacular defensive plays in his Hall of Fame career,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “Ozzie’s signature play against the Braves was a sign of things to come and this bobblehead is a must-have for ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and Padres fans.”
Padres fans should clear the bases if they plan on securing one of these limited edition collectibles. Only 578 Smith bobbleheads are available and can be purchased here for $65 each. There is no charge for shipping.
Smith played his first four seasons in San Diego before being traded to St. Louis prior to the 1982 season, according to Major League Baseball records. He retired in 1996 after a 19-year career and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.