Christmas 1986 my brother and I walked into my grandparents' house and saw the ring and every LJN wrestler that was made at that point set up in the living room by the tree. It was really magical. Still to this day, I talk about that happening when someone brings up wrestling. I always strive to make Christmas magical for my kids (all are adults or close to adulthood now. The main reason that I do this is directly related to how I felt that Christmas day. I can't even express how exciting it was. I still get choked up about it at 46 years old.
@@djdarq6311 Actually no... I grew up poor and my grandfather did that for us because my single mother had no extra money for Christmas that year. Thanks for the assumption. 👍
I never had any wrestling action figures, but I faithfully watched Mid-South wrestling (Jim Crockett) from around 1983 or 1984. We loved Terry Taylor, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Ted DiBiase, Diamond Dallas Page, Jack the Snake Roberts, The Fantastics and The Rock N Roll express and of course JYD. I think a lot of them moved over to WCW when that kicked off. It was a great show. You never knew what would happen!
I will be turning 44 next month and I recall going into the elementary school gym at lunch and seeing some dudes with a bunch of ljns and thinking, WOW! Another vivid memory was finally getting a Hulk Hogan ljn, buying it at Kaybees when we got to the mall which wasn't that often. I remember saying I can't believe I have a ljn Hulk Hogan.
I believe May 86 was when I got my first LJN’s which were Hogan and Sheik. Dec 86 I got Volkoff, Piper, and the ring. Great memories. Your LJN videos and stories are fantastic and always welcomed.
I was like 6 or 7 my cousin had the LJN ring, case and about 12 wrestlers. He never played with them, so my aunt gave them to me for my birthday that year. My dad took me to the store the same day, I got SD Jones Hawaii shirt, Cowboy Bob Orton, Mean Gene and Hercules Hernandez from Ames and Rose's. I was so happy. I believe I had about 20 as a kid. Now as a adult I've got most of the ones I had as a kid plus about 22 more.
LJNs were way ahead of my time. but as a lifelong wrestling fan and as a Major Mark, LJNs are so, so significant in wrestling figure history. people can talk about WWF Hasbros all they want, but LJNs came first.
Love the memories! LJN's were the best. Iconic. Hulk, Iron Sheik, and Volkoff were my first 3 figures. Your right about months in between getting them.
Firstly, enjoy how your very colour coordinated. Secondary, i really enjoy the way you "talk" to us about your memories. Its personal and its intriguing to listen too. Hulk Hogan was my first, then Roddy Piper. Literally laughed out loud "is that a problem? Maybe. Is that a good thing? maybe..." Our parents weren't like us tho. Just different times. Thanks again for another brilliant vid mate 👍👍😀
....... I know I got my first two ljn wrestling figures, hulk Hogan and iron sheik in early April of 1985, at Hills. My birthday had just occurred in March, and I was able to talk my mom into buying me the two figures since it was close to my birthday. Of course, I had to tell her the presents I got for my birthday sucked so I needed these two guys.
I never saw many in stores back then. I do remember my friend had a bunch with the ring that was in 88. and I thought these were awesome and I played with them for a while because they were fun. then I got hooked in to them. when I got older I bought them all because they could be found easily online toy stores. they fun days I found a bunch at a flea market and a friend gave me a bunch. I used to have a feud with terry funk and Tito Santana . if I didn`t have a ring I just pretend that I I would use the bed or a big cushion foam as the mat. with imaginary ropes and the sound effects i would make of the bodies hitting the mat
A limited market release of the first 5 figures came out for Christmas 1984 as a test run. Those were the ones with the stands in the package. In the spring of 1985, the first 5 figures were released on a larger scale without the stands, and then the final 4 figures of series 1 were released in the fall of 1985.
My first two were Hogan and Snuka. Got them at Nickels in Canandaigua. Then a week later I got the Iron Sheik because I couldn't have Hulk and Jimmy fight each other.
It's weird how over the years I read about people swearing up and down that they had LJN's under their tree for Christmas '84 as a brand new product. When Mattel got the license, they were scheduled to hit shelves Jan 1, 2010 I believe, but a few stores put them out a couple days before Christmas anyway, and people wound up getting them under the tree. Since we've heard these accounts about Christmas '84, is it possible that some stores could have had them, and by spring they were everywhere?
i got all my figures christmas 1984 also i remember a report on channel 7 news here in ny that a lot of stores only had the hogan figure and the other ones were hard to find
@@TheNew80sRevolution i saw it over 38 years ago. it’s funny how certain things stick in your head. if i remember correctly wwf was doing the same thing that happened year before with the cabbage patch doll craze when they made them hard to get on purpose to drive up demand. i distinctly remember going to toys r us near my house and all that had was hogan figures.
If you go back and watch Roddy pipers entrance at WrestleMania 1 there is a woman sitting ringside and she is holding a hulk Hogan ljn so they had to be released Christmas of 84 I always thought they were released Sept of 85 even though the first 5 we're stamped 84
From all of the info I've been able to find, a limited market release of the first 5 figures came out for Christmas 1984 as a test run to see how well they would sell, and those were the ones that had the stands in the package. Then, the first 5 were released on a larger scale around the spring of 1985 without the stands, due cost cutting measures. The final 4 figures of series 1 were released in the fall of 1985.
