#908 STAR TOYS - BASKETBALL PLAYERS (KELLOGG'S PROMO SPAIN) (1991)

One of the toys I cannot forget from my childhood are three sets of basketball players made by Star Toys. I never had any of them, but still, here´s the story.

In 1991, Kellogg´s, the well known brand for breakfast cereals, decided to launch a new product in Spain. This product was called Chocos, and consisted of cereal crops with chocolate flavour and, more or less, the shape of a half  sphere. I recall perfectly the package as well, all in dark green with the yellow giraffe in basketball outfit that was later replaced by a brown bear. I am not sure if the giraffe is the same giraffe called "Shorty" or if it was a new character designed specifically for launching that product.

Maybe because of the giraffe, the very first offer they had was a set of five plastic basketball players (to be chosen in one out of three colours/teams) that were made by Star Toys. Maybe this offer was only for Spain, since, I haven´t seen the plastic figures anywhere else.

The figures were standing in different positions, like throwing the ball, in defensive pose or driving the ball with one hand. Out of five figures, three had a basketball in its hands. Also interesting is that there are three white players and two black ones.

All five figures stand in a five-pointed star, with white borders and coloured inside in red, yellow or blue, and carry a sticker in its chest with the text "Kellogg´s Chocos", but this sticker very often missing. The base are marked: "(c) 1991 Kellogg Company" and "Star Toys”.

The colours available were red, yellow and blue. This three inmediatly made me think of Chicago Bulls, L.A. Lakers and Detroit Pistons, three of the biggest teams at that time, although, since there were not marked, they could also be other teams with similar colours... both from the NBA or the ACB (Spanish Pro League), or even National Teams.

I miss a green team, who at the time could have been the Boston Celtics, my favorite team of the early 90s.

Also during the early 90, Yolanda released a short series of "real" NBA players in PVC in a slightly bigger scale. This line is currently very sought-after, and difficult to find complete, since each figure came with a ball that with the time is easily detachable from the figure.

Read a longer article written by myself (in Spanish) in Figuras En Acción Nr. 18.

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: BASKETBALL PLAYERS (KELOGG'S PROMO SPAIN)
• Year: 1991
• Company: Star Toys (Spain)
• Size of the figures: Around 7 cm

#907 ASS QUARTETT - FLITZER RENN- UND SPORTBOOTE (3218), SPORTWAGEN (3240) (Around 1971 and 1973)

Two more decks for my collection of ASS quartets. Sportwagen (sport cars) and Flitzer Renn- und Sportboote (race and sport boats).

Of course, the deck with the cars is much more interesting and more valuable than the other. At the time there was a big interest in those race boats shown on the cover of “Flitzer” (I recall having assisted to a boat show in the late 80s), so it does not surprise me that there are so many boat quartets from the 70s and the 80s. I have seldom heard about this type of races anymore, so I guess they are not being held anymore. Too dangerous?

The “Flitzer” deck of cards was made around 1971 and it does not actually include many of these race boats described above, but more ordinary little sport and inflatable boats. The deck is nice, I do not dislike it, and also includes the “futuristic” flying disk, some kind of U.F.O. hovercraft.

The deck includes the “Berufstip” (advice for people willing to become) photographers.

Sportwagen deck looks slightly newer, it was made in 1973 (according to quartettblog, so it is 100% sure), and it does not display the Blitztrump logo on the cover anymore. The “Berufstip” card, has been replaced by a “Fahrbericht” of a Porsche 911 S. That is a driving report, like in the specialized press.

The cover is a BMW 3.0 CSI, which is not the most interesting car in the deck… Having so extremely cool cars in the deck, why that BMW? Nevertheless, I love this quartett, take a look at all those Lamborghinis, Maseratis, Ferraris, Porsches, Alfa-Romeos… from the early 70s. One of the coolest quartets I own despite the cover. It was also available with blue cardback.

FACTS AND FIGURES

• Name: FLITZER RENN- UND SPORTBOOTE (3218), SPORTWAGEN (3240)
• Year: Around 1971, 1973
• Company: Vereinigte Altenburger und Stralsunder Spielkarten Fabriken A.G. (Also ASS) (West-Germany)