No need for a kickstand: Hershiser on his bobblehead’s striking resemblance

Orel Hershiser’s bobblehead looks just like him. Heck, even Vin Scully said so.

Scully’s sentiments were shared by many around Dodger Stadium on May 15 when Hershiser threw out the first pitch during Orel Hershiser Bobblehead Night.

There aren’t many more deserving of a bobblehead than Hershiser. The Dodgers legend owns the record for most consecutive scoreless innings pitched (59), and led the club to the 1988 World Series after winning the NL Cy Young that year in one of the most remarkable seasons a pitcher has ever produced.

The ESPN MLB analyst will be back at Dodger Stadium tonight, when he joins Sunday Night Baseball colleagues Dan Shulman and Terry Francona to call Dodgers-Cardinals at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Front Row had the opportunity to chat with Hershiser this week about a topic we never thought we’d discuss with him: bobbleheads.

Did you ever expect to have your own bobblehead?
I don’t know that a bobblehead is an aspiration Orel. It’s a surprise, it’s an honor, and it’s a little bit of a laugh with all your friends and family.

What was your reaction when you first saw it?
I was nervous about it. I have a pretty big head and now it’s going to look even bigger. I was kind of worried about the bobblehead topping over it, especially if they did it to scale. If they had done it to scale, it would have needed a kickstand and a stronger spring.

How has the bobblehead been received by others?
The No. 1 comment I received at Dodger Stadium was that everyone is excited about it. Even Vin Scully likes it and thinks it’s the best bobblehead likeness he’s ever seen.

Were you involved at all in the creation or design process?
I played a role in it when they asked what I’d like to put on the plaque that sits in front of the bobblehead. It says 1988 NL Cy Young Award Winner. The other options were to highlight the 59 scoreless innings streak, but I thought that the streak could be broken by the time the bobblehead comes out. I think it can be broken. So I decided to have it say 1988 Cy Young — that can never be taken away from me.

Do you own any other bobbleheads?
No, but I do have a couple figurines. When I played, they had figures and I do have a couple. I didn’t really collect them but I had a couple of those, a couple of commemorative plates. The bobblehead seems to be the most popular with the families now. It’s probably the No. 1 most requested item of anything that’s been made of me.

Which one of your fellow ESPN MLB analysts would you like to see have a bobblehead?
Rick Sutcliffe, but they could not make one for him. I have a big head, but he has, like, multiple heads. Another one is Francona. His wouldn’t be pretty and it would be small, but the wind would never knock it over because he has no hair.