Missouri bobblehead collector turns hobby into fundraiser for man with cancer

Credit: Jason Arnold

Credit: Jason Arnold

A Missouri man who owns more than 500 Kansas City Royals bobbleheads turned his passion into a fundraiser for a man suffering from colon cancer, the Kansas City Star reported.

Bryan Schmuck, 42, owns every bobblehead given out at Royals baseball games since the team began the promotion in 2002.

In January, the Lee's Summit resident met Mike Comstock before a Royals Fanfest event. The two men struck up a friendship, and when Schmuck found out last month that Comstock, 30, had Stage 3 colon cancer he decided to help, the Star reported.

On June 18, Schmuck started a fundraiser for Comstock on Facebook. For $3, a contestant received a slot in a drawing for rare, donated bobbleheads, the Star reported.

Schmuck wanted to sell at least 200 slots, but after five days he had sold 502, the newspaper reported. He told the Star that he received so many bobblehead donations that he had to refuse offers.

Schmuck raised $1,350, the Star reported.

Brian Burger paid for 16 slots and donated bobbleheads.

"It's the first time I'd ever seen something like that. What he was asking for was a good cause, and I'd want someone to do the same for me," Burger told the Star.

Comstock, who began his chemotherapy on June 28, said he was overwhelmed by the donations.

“It took a big weight off my shoulders,” he told the newspaper. “After what Bryan did, I still cannot thank the bobblehead community enough.”

“People may think bobbleheads are weird but everyone has their thing,” Schmuck said. “You never know how you can help someone who may need it most.”

About the Author