Major League Baseball Properties and McFarlane Toys Launch Action Figures

NEW YORK--Feb. 12, 2002-- McFarlane's Sports Picks(TM) MLB(TM) Baseball Figures to Have Official Team Logos, Colors - Ichiro, Pedro Martinez, "Pudge" Rodriguez, Randy Johnson, Sammy Sosa, Shawn Green, Albert Pujols in First Line

McFarlane Toys has hit a grand slam by locking up its fourth major sports league license in less than a year, this time with Major League Baseball to produce McFarlane's Sports Picks(TM) MLB(TM) baseball figures.

McFarlane Toys, known worldwide for detail and accuracy, also has licenses with the National Hockey League, National Football League and the National Basketball Association, all acquired in 2001. The company has won numerous awards for its picture-perfect facial likenesses. In December, McFarlane's Sports Picks(TM) was voted one of the Top 10 hobby stories of 2001 by Sports Collectors Digest.

The company will now bring that level of detail to collectible figures representing many of the top players in Major League Baseball. They debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York, Feb. 10 - 13, 2002, along with the newest McFarlane's Sports Picks(TM) NFL, NHL and NBA product lines.

Working with Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association, McFarlane Toys will release series one in conjunction with the start of the 2002 season. The line will include Ichiro, Seattle Mariners; Pedro Martinez, Boston Red Sox; Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, Texas Rangers; Mike Piazza, New York Mets; Sammy Sosa, Chicago Cubs; Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks; Shawn Green, Los Angeles Dodgers; and Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals.

Each McFarlane's Sports Picks(TM) MLB(TM) figure will feature official team logos and colors, come with authentic game apparel and equipment specific to that player and stand approximately six inches tall. The figures should have a retail price between $10 and $13.

"As a baseball fan and a former player, being able to put my company's talents toward creating baseball figures that truly represent what both the players and the fans deserve is something I've wanted to do from the first moment I started my toy company," said Todd McFarlane, McFarlane Toys founder.

"Getting the Major League Baseball license adds another jewel to the McFarlane's Sports Picks(TM) crown, completing all four major North American sports; something I could not have imagined just one year ago."

"As a top-quality producer of sports action figures, McFarlane Toys will make a terrific addition to Major League Baseball Properties licensee roster," said Howard Smith, senior vice president, licensing for Major League Baseball. "McFarlane's Sports Picks(TM) MLB(TM) figures will feature an unparalleled level of detail and accuracy that will be very attractive to baseball fans and collectors."

Grammy- and Emmy-winning Producer/Director Todd McFarlane, best known as the creator of Spawn, is the creative force behind McFarlane Toys and the founder of SPAWN.COM. In addition to Spawn, the company produces action figures of sports, pop culture and cult horror icons from movies, music, comic books and video games.

Marquee lines include McFarlane's Sports Picks(TM) NHL hockey, NFL football and NBA basketball; Movie Maniacs, Clive Barker's Tortured Souls Series 1 and 2; DreamWorks' 2001 blockbuster movie Shrek; Metal Gear Solid 2; two lines of Austin Powers; Akira; Sleepy Hollow; Iron Maiden's Eddie; Beatles' Yellow Submarine; KISS; Jerry Garcia; Jim Morrison; AC/DC's Angus Young and Metallica.

For more information about McFarlane and the McFarlane group of companies, visit www.spawn.com.

(c) MLBPA Officially licensed -- Major League Baseball Players Association.

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