From the “I did not make this up—but somebody did” file:
“This auction is for a guarantee that the Chicago Cubs will be in the 2003 World Series. The Cubs have not participated in a World Series since 1945. The seller GUARANTEES that the Chicago Cubs of the National League will be a participant in the 2003 World Series as representative of the National League. The guarantee shall be written in the form of a binding contract and signed by both the seller and buyer after the auction has concluded.
Should the Chicago Cubs NOT be a participant in the 2003 World Series as guaranteed by the seller then the seller will 1) compensate the winning bidder by hosting a party for the winning bidder and 50 friends at “The Cubby Bear†restaurant adjacent from Wrigley Field during the 2003 World Series. (Not to exceed $3000) 2) The seller will also provide a Chicago Cubs season ticket package for the 2004 season OR a season ticket package for the winning bidder’s MLB team of choice for the 2004 season. (not to exceed $2500) 3) A donation equivalent to the winning bid will be given to the “Cubs Care†charitable foundation in the name of the seller and winning bidder by October, 31 2003.
If the Cubs are a participant in the 2003 World Series the seller will have a huge Party at a local watering hole and the winning bidder will be invited to partake in all the festivities. “
Apparently, the whole thing stems from the fact that this guy has a “lucky” bobblehead doll named Bobby and that when Bobby is around the Cubs win. When horrible things happen to Bobby, they lose. As you might imagine, horrible things happen to Bobby…a lot.
Is anybody dumb enough to bid on this?
Anybody?
Oh, wait…
Anyway, here’s a photo of Bobby.
Does he look
a) 34 years old?
b) Like he was buried in a yard for a prolonged period of time?
c) Like a seven year old kidnapped him?
He looks an awful lot like the one I bought…on eBay no less in 1998. Hmmm.
Sounds like a bet to me. The winning bidder is simply betting against the Cubs winning the NL, because he would get season tickets for next year AND a $3000 party AND a donation in the amount of the bid in his name.
In the unlikely event that the Cubs DO go to the Series, he would simply be out the money.
Obviously, it’d be a stretch to assume he’d hold up his end of the contract, but it sounds like the seller is putting WAY too much stock in the legend of the bobblehead, because it just doesn’t look like a winning proposition for him.
Honesty compels me to say that I find this kind of bartering to be offensive. I would never allow my lovely daughter Summerlyn or my twin boys Flip and Rip to partake in something that is so obviously a pyramid scheme.
If you read the auction a bit more carefully, you’d notice that he clearly states the picture (which you copied for your story) is not of "Bobby", but of a "similar" bobblehead doll. He states he’ll send a picture of the real doll "to serious bidders upon request". The full quote is:
"I have provided a picture along with this auction which is a fairly close representation of the actual doll, but it is not actually Bobby, due to fears I have for his security. I will send actual pictures of him to serious bidders via email upon request. "
If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. by texas hold’em