Unreleased Tennis Stars 1990-1997

 

Kenner tested a few different sports over the years including Tennis for it's 'Legends' series. Ultimately Kenner must have decided the demand was not enough to put them into production. Only four different Tennis prototypes are known. Each mold is unique and never used in another series. The three above are Ivan Lendl, Arthur Ashe, Chris Evert, and Andre Agassi below. The Lendl and Agassi are from the 1990 series while Ashe and Evert are circa 1997. 

1989 Tony Pena proof card

 

Emmitt Smith 12" Starting Lineup Prototype

Circa 1995 Emmitt Smith unreleased 12" prototype. The base & figure are made of resin. According to a former Kenner employee this was a mock-up for the Gridiron Greats series which were released in 1997. 

1993 Frank Thomas Headline Collection prototype

 

1989 Wade Wilson Vikings prototype

1988 Rod Woodson Steelers prototype

 

 

1988 Warren Moon Oilers prototype

1988 Warren Moon polyurethane prototype. The joints are all pinned together. And this early prototype has a different looking head than the released figure.

1988 Baseball Signed Samples

1988 signed samples of Candy Maldonado and Larry Parrish. The samples would have been produced in a small quantity after the prototypes were made. Up to half a dozen would have been produced in Hong Kong and shipped the U.S. for Kenner to review before packaging samples were made. These two look like the final released figures but bottom of the base around the writing is shaped different.

1993 Hockey resin prototype heads

These are the initial resin prototype heads for the 1993 hockey line. The first Wayne Gretzky test head was produced without helmet and the first Grant Fuhr test head was produced with helmet.

Here's an unusual Manon Rheaume head that Kenner was working on. Unfortunately this concept  piece was never released. We can only image how great an Rheaume figure would have been.

Original Kenner Press Photo

1993 Mark Messier resin prototype

1993 Mario Lemieux resin prototype

Kenner made two initial prototype poses for the '93 hockey line. Gretzky was pose one and Lemieux was pose two.

Prototype Baseball Heads

Three Resin Prototype Heads of Nolan Ryan, James Lofton, and Rickey Henderson. They all have a number on the back indicating the model number.

Football Prototype Helmets

 Prototype Football Helmets from 1988.  They are made of a hard resin, and would have been the first helmets Kenner designed.

1993 Shaq O'neal All-Star Prototype

1993 Shaquille O'Neal All-Star prototype figure. This is from the 'Shaq Attack' line of 6" figures that Kenner released which was a separate line from the Starting Lineup brand. It's hand painted and the base is solid resin.   

Lenny Dykstra Phillies Stadium Stars prototype model

Fenway Park & Veterans Stadium model with Lenny Dykstra. These are the original prototypes for the  Stadium Stars line. The stadiums come apart in two sections and they are painted a little different that the ones released.

Reggie Jackson 12 inch prototype head

 

This the prototype head for the unreleased 12" Reggie Jackson doll. I got this head from a former Kenner employee. Supposedly Kenner decided to released a Jackson Stadium Star figure in favor of the 12" doll.

 

1997 Dennis Rodman Roto-mold Casting

1997 Dennis Rodman Chicago Bulls brass roto-mold casting. As the name suggest, these molds were filled with liquid plastic then rotated around to coat the inside of the mold with plastic to make a hollow head. This the same type mold Kenner used for all it's 12" figures...