Matchbox Monday plays a round of Golf

Today for Matchbox Monday, I am going to take a little look at the history of the Everett Marshall Charities annual golf tournament fundraiser models. There will be a short break from my usual new item reviews although Wheel Collectors are still going to be sending things over for me. New stuff will be back soon.

Everett Marshall III is a former fire chief and was mayor of Newfield in New Jersey. For those who have had the privilege of meeting Everett he is an avid collector of Matchbox, and even has a dedicated museum in Newfield NJ called the Matchbox Road Museum. I have been there twice. You will be amazed with his massive collection of Matchbox dating back to the beginnings of the brand and still being added to now. The logo on the side of the museum still features this MB185 Buick Le Sabre which was a part of the basic range from 1989-1991 and features his name on the roof.

At the request of Matchbox in the 1990s, he also set up the Matchbox Collectors Club which, in the pre-internet days, would bring us news direct from Matchbox over upcoming items. It would also showcase many classic ranges, have a kids corner where the children could submit drawings for prizes and a whole variety of items.

Such was his level of involvement with the brand that we often saw models with either his name, or nods to his home town on them. This MB229 Mack Auxiliary Power Truck debuted in yellow in 1991 with his home town of Newfield included in the side design. Obviously being a fire chief at the time, a fire vehicle with a nod to him was an ideal vehicle.

Even through the redesign to fluorescent orange in 1992, which ran through 1995, they still included his town on the side. The final year the chrome details were left plain black, and a Sam’s set exclusive was recoloured into red for a special 30-pack only available through the Sam’s Club warehouse from Walmart in USA. Sadly, in 2006, Everett suffered a horrific accident. His family helped him through this difficult time and they set up a charity golf tournament to raise funds. Everett was also a massive golf fanatic, and the idea of being there to play golf was a big motivation to him. They created a special code 2 variation of the yellow Mack, with additional information about the golf tournament added to the side.

Now I have to be honest. I am not a code 2 collector. So Everett himself has provided me with a picture of his own personal Mack from 2006. It stays with him in Florida and is not in the museum (although another is). Sadly, he didn’t have the second year’s code 2 model with him in Florida, which was done utilizing the fluorescent orange model, with some tampo wiped off to accommodate the additional information. However, after the first 2 years, Mattel themselves jumped on board to help him with the yearly event. Since 2008 they have created a unique code 1 model, which would normally be screwed to a plinth in a plexi-case box. But me being me, all my models are out.

So let’s start with the 3rd annual event.

This was a rather simple affair. His details were on the side along with the charity logo and a reference to the date an some simple detailing. You will also note it states Engine No.3. A recurring theme, as most models have the yearly annual number somewhere on the model.

The MB698 ’06 Fire Engine had been around since 2006, and featured a moving ladder section on the rear. The only time we had a moving part on a charity model.

This model did not sport the annual event number clearly in the graphics. This is because the MB771 ’08 Ford E-350 Ambulance was a brand new casting for 2009. Plans were underway to get an all-exclusive look, but time constraints unfortunately meant that we ended up with the basic range issue featuring additional detailing added to the doors. But if you were to look closely at the golf ball in his logo, this does have a “4th” printed in it. So although you may not see large numbers depicting the year on every model, each one does have a tiny number in the golf ball.

These things happen occasionally. Of course it still came screwed to a base inside a plexi-case, something the basic range never saw. But after this one, they really started nailing some awesome designs.

In 2010 they went with another ambulance casting. The MB780 ’63 Cadillac Ambulance. This casting was on its second outing in the basic range, which was in red with a white lower half and white roof. But this was metallic red, with a cream lower half and the side graphics were a lot different.

The roof detailing was also not included in a basic either. Again no large number, but “5th” was visible in the golf ball.

For 2011, they took a slightly different approach. The golf ball logo was not on the model, but this sported a large 6 on the side, clearly denoting it as the 6th annual golf tournament. We were back with a fire engine again, this being the MB796 Hazard Squad which had just debuted the previous year.

The model clearly defined what it was this time with the charity and golf tournament details being quite prominent.

In 2012 they went for a brand new casting again. The MB843 Seagrave Fire Engine had just arrived in the basic range in red, but was such a popular casting that it saw 3 different promotional uses that one year. There was a metallic red for the Albuquerque convention and gold for Leipzig in Germany.

Everett’s model was white with lots of gold trim and the return of the golf ball logo. It also sported a little No.7 on the side too, denoting which event it was too.

The 8th annual event in 2013 utilized the MB817 Ford F-550 Super Duty in red with lots of chrome. The casting had been around since 2011, but this was the first, and only time it was a premium release.

Again this saw the golf ball and No.8 was tampo printed after the rear wheels too.

Release number 9 and no golf ball again. Clearly marked up on the side was a 9 in the logo on the door anyway.

This MB906 ’63 Mack Model B was another brand new casting that was just debuting that year, and in complete contrast to the basic range red, this was black with more gold trim.

The 10th annual golf tournament was one to remember. This saw a change in the promotion. As per usual, we saw a unique model for the golf tournament. This year it was another brand new casting, the MB964 ’75 Mack CF Fire Pumper.

It was green with the golf ball logo on the door and a large 10 after the rear wheels. But, sadly, a number of friends or family of Everett’s were coming down with cancer. So he and his wife wanted to do something extra for them.

Enter a new tradition of alternate pink issues. Now we were to receive 2 promotional models, with 1 half of them for Everett’s Burns Foundation charity, and the other half of them to help with breast cancer research.

This casting actually came along at the perfect time. There is an organization in New Jersey called “Guardians of the Ribbon”. Set up by breast cancer survivors, they actually had 2 fire engines donated to them, both of which were repainted pink for the cause. Gemma, as she is known, is a Mack CF. This casting is a Mack CF.

Now admittedly, this CF doesn’t have Gemma written across the front. It wasn’t an exact rendition of Gemma. This was done for Everett’s charity which now includes help with breast cancer too. But the timing of creating a Mack CF from Matchbox coinciding with Everett wanting to create pink models, and a real one existing was amazing.

So now we are up to 2016, and the MB1003 Freightliner Business Class M2 106. This was another casting that had just debuted in the basic range that year, but was also seeing a lovely fully detailed promotional model too.

The orange one was the traditional model sporting the golf ball logo and 11 (as we were now on to the 11th year of the charity tournament).

We also had the pink one for breast cancer research too.

Identical tampo print, just now on a pink body instead of orange.

The 12th event in 2017 saw a classic return. The MB801 International WorkStar Brush Fire Truck had been cost reduced in 2014 to MB939, which meant a plastic body and no colour break for the cab area. But the original from 2010 had not been destroyed, and after a 1-off premium issue in 2015, it saw a final dusting off for the 12th annual event.

The standard issue was a dark metallic pinkish red this year. You can see the gold ball and a large 12 on the side design.

But rather than a regular pink, the breast cancer model this time was a lighter metallic pink.

Slightly different to the norm. But hey, you always have to expect the unexpected.

I thought I would do a shot of the pair side by side. Sometimes it is not easy to see in separate shots, but when they are next to each other you instantly see the difference.

So 2018 rolls around, and the MB1086 Scania P360 Fire Engine is brought to full effect with a fully detailed tampo print. This casting was that new in 2018 that it was actually the debut release. A standard basic range issue did not arrive until September.

So this was a chance for many people to take a first look at the new casting.

Standard pink was back this year for the alternate version. Identical tampo prints and the 13 and golf ball logo visible on the sides.

Whether red or pink, this really looked amazing.

Finally, the 14th annual golf tournament took place last August, and after a run of fire engines, we saw an ambulance return. The MB1178 International TerraStar Ambulance was a new casting that had arrived for 2019, but this one was launched in an early batch of 2019 so people were used to it already.

But for the promotional model we saw a full set of tampo prints on a red chromed body. This casting has a plastic body section, so just like regular chroming, this saw a red chrome effect before the tampo prints were added.

The pink didn’t need chroming. The tampos were applied directly to the pink plastic section.

Of course the front, which is a part of the base, is metal and also saw a tampo hit. I do believe as they years go on they tend to outdo themselves with the amount of detailing they add to these models.

So that is a rundown of what we have seen so far.However, this year is seeing a small tweak to the charity fundraiser.

I will let this letter that Everett sent out explain it. As you can see, there is still an event. It just needs to play out a little differently to normal. He is still busy fundraising, and as such he will still be creating a Matchbox promotion to tie in. Now I am sure you would like to see the models. Thanks to Abe at Matchbox, I can showcase….

The MB1180 ’59 Dodge Coronet Police. As per usual we will receive 2 versions. Standard red will be for the Burns Foundation and the pink will be for Breast Cancer Research.

I am sure you will agree that the models look absolutely amazing.

They will come in a special plexi-case which itself is printed on the top.

The models have been produced and will be with Everett very soon. This is a first, having a Fire Chief vehicle as the promotional.

We have seen classic fire engines….

We have seen modern fire engines….

We have also seen ambulances used as promotional models. The Fire Chief is a first.

Examples will be available to the collector community, although there is a minimum donation to obtain them. I am always happy to pay at least the minimum gold donor level to obtain the model as this is all for a worthy cause (well 2 now actually, I pay gold level twice). Gold donor level is the point where this thank you gift is sent out. As I always say, we are doing what we can for a worthy cause. The gift is a way of thanking us for all that we do to help. We are not buying a model for $50. We are here to help deal with burns victims, we are here to help with breast cancer research. This little gift we get is a reminder of our generosity and giving. I am proud to donate each year and continue the good work the charities do.

So we are actually getting a 15th Annual event, just a slightly different event.