The Fridge (1986)
So it’s football season in the US again. What better figure to cover today than Captain Gridiron, the Joes’ football based figure from–wait. This blog can’t cover that guy, too easy. How about another Joe football figure?
This is certainly a highly idealized interpretation of Mr. Perry. It’s not unusual however, as Sgt. Slaughter’s original figure was decidedly more cut than the Sarge himself. The Fridge is made up of entirely new parts, naturally with a football theme to the uniform. The Fridge’s specialty is Physical Training Instructor, and the file card states that the GI Joe obstacle course only has one obstacle–the Fridge. The bio doesn’t explain what the heck a pro football player is suddenly doing on the Joe team, although his secondary specialty is Special Services (which was originally called the Army Morale Division.) so maybe he was just on loan from the NFL to the military.
The likeness of the face is spot on, which is a testament to the Hasbro sculptors of the time. They didn’t have the technology that makes for the hyper-realistic toys of today, but they still put out solid sculpts, year after year. His accessory is of course that most legendary of Joe accessories; no, not Heavy Metal’s mic, it’s the Football-on-a-stick. Okay, so it’s supposed to be a chain, sue me.
If you need an example of how big the vintage GI Joe line was in the 80’s, look no further. Only a toy line at the top of the heap could incorporate a then-current pop culture personality into itself, let alone a sports figure. Do you think that Hasbro could have ever gotten Mary Lou Retton to be in their Jem line?
The Fridge was everywhere after Super Bowl XX. That probably gave Hasbro the idea to try for Stallone next since the Rocky franchise was still going strong. I remember not caring much for The Fridge as a Joe since he was more associated with William Perry and the NFL than with Hasbro and its premier line. This is one of the reasons why 1986/1987 was probably the peak year for RAH and kids like me who had been collecting since the very beginning.
This is by far the oddest GI Joe figure I have seen thus far. Thanks for sharing. I am learning so much.
Thanks!
I try to hit all corners of the Joe universe. I’ll try to keep digging up the weird ones from time to time. There are plenty out there.
I really tried to like the Fridge, made him his own specialized VAMP and everything. But man, that was forced. In the realm of ridiculous weapons, the football mace just edges out the lacrosse morning star (Thrasher). And, since no one mentioned it, here’s a link to the height of da Bears’ popularity: the Super Bowl Shuffle!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=765019771919333912
I don’t think I can honestly say I ever used the Fridge all that much, but I did like the figure and enjoyed having it. I think it’s interesting to note that all of the real life people to become G.I. Joe figures have all been involved in pro wrestling at some point or another. Sgt. Slaughter, The Fridge, and Roddy Piper. Unless I’m leaving out anyone.
That’s a football on a *rope*, not a chain. (Unless it’s supposed to be some kind of wire, I guess.)
I still have my Fridge action figure. In 1988, I got a vehicle of some kind, and there was a little booklet full of mail-in offers in the box with the instructions and the decals. The first toy I saw when I opened the booklet was a guy I had wanted for years, and never had a chance to get–Sergeant Slaughter! Awesome!
So I got my mom to write me a check and I mailed in the Flag Points, and I was on my way to finally having my own action figure of the most bad-ass G.I. Joe ever.
Unfortunately, a lot of other kids had the same idea. I got a letter from Hasbro three weeks later, saying that they were all out of Sergeant Slaughters. Would I like to choose a substitution?
So I made do as best I could, and ordered a Fridge instead. I figured he was also a brawny celebrity, he would make an acceptable substitute for Sarge, at least until I had another chance to get the real deal. And when he came in the mail, I tried to like him–I had him lead one G.I. Joe special operations team after another, infiltrating Cobra bases and the like, just like I would have had Sarge doing. But it was never the same. And I never really could get behind the idea of football-on-a-rope.
I still have my Fridge, complete with his football-on-a-rope. I still don’t like him very much, although I appreciate having one for the sheer novelty value of it.
And I never did get my Sergeant Slaughter.