Frank,

Here's some info on the sets that that my brother Tom and I have.

When we lived in England in the last 60's, we got into Subbuteo when we
stumbled across the game in a toy shop we used to drag our mom into whenever
we visited High Wycombe from our place in the country. This shop had some
of the (then) new sets, but also had a fair number of the early sets from
the 60's. (These sets are ref number 1 on the following linked page of
scanned Subbuteo box types:
http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/uptonpa/sub12.htm.) I think we bought 5
of the reference #1 sets, first image on the left, and three of the second
to the left sets at that time. I don't really recall the set numbers of the
older sets (which came in unstapled boxes), but I vaguely recall some of the
team colors. I know that I have set #46 Motherwell from that period, and I
think Tom has #20 (old style) Hamilton, . The later sets we purchased were
#21 Leeds Utd, #1 England, and #10 W Germany (but with the base colors
reversed). As indicated at the link, all of these figures are considered
heavyweights (and they are). The flat portion of the base is approximately
9mm in diameter, and is quite flat with a distinct edge.

We also got hold of a Daily Mail Division One wall chart, showing the team
colors and schedule for the 1969-70 season. There were spaces to write in
the scores for each game as the season progressed, and we gamely attempted
to play an entire season, randomly choosing who was to play which side in
each game (except that Tom always got to play Leeds Utd, and I always got to
play Chelsea). Lots of fun, and we also got into replaying the 1970 World
Cup, which was going on at the same time. Once my brother and I left home
and went our separate ways over the years, and though I hung onto the
Subbuteo equipment, I didn't play for many years.

Once I'd "grown up" (a phrase that my wife insists does not apply to me), I
entered the service and had two assignments to Greece. My interest in
Subbuteo was rekindled when I came across a significant collection of teams
and accessories in a toy shop in Iraklion, Crete. I purchased two sets,
#329 England and #50 Brazil, which are in the form of reference #3 on that
link, first box on the left. I got a few of my Air Force buddies
interested, and we played a league on the pool table in the rec room (the
felt really helped to keep the cloth pitch nice and flat).

The league folded when two of the members were transferred. One of the guys
took the team he bought with him, but the other gave me his set in thanks
for showing him this neat game. The team is #27
(Arbroath/Hearts/Stenhousemuir/Reggina) from the 70's style boxes, the
right-hand image under reference #2. All the figures purchased in Greece
were lightweights, and have a pronounced rounding of the "flat" portion of
the base. The diameter of the "flat" is harder to determine, since the
bottom is more bowl-shaped than the earlier heavyweights, but it is
approximately 7mm.

On another USAF tour to Greece a few years later, my family took a holiday
to visit my old haunts in England, and I purchased four more sets (second
from the left under box style reference #3): #640 Chelsea, #573 Wales, #614
Scotland, and #569 England. These are all lightweights, with the same base
attributes as those purchased in Greece.

From my experiences and team set ownership, it seems that your understanding
of the differences between the heavyweight and lightweight figure styles is
accurate.

Maybe we can get a regional Subbuteo convention up and running? Thus must
be more of us in the Midwest...

Chris Fawcett

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tablesoccer@yahoogroups.com [mailto:tablesoccer@yahoogroups.com]
> Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2001 2:50 AM
> To: tablesoccer@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [tablesoccer] Digest Number 34
<<SNIPPED>>
> From: montabon@...
> Subject: Difference in playing figures
>
> Hey, could somebody clarify for me the difference in the various
> Subbuteo playing figures, especially with regard to the bases.
> Here's what I have surmised from various web sites and the playing
> sets that I have:
>
> "Heavyweight" figures: Made up until the early 80s. For lack of a
> better term, they had medium size flat spot on bottom of base
>
> "Lightweight" figures: Made during the 80s. Very small flat spot on
> bottom.
>
> "Hasbros": Made during the 90s. Very flat on bottom, very difficult
> to tip over.
>
> Do I have this correct?
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
> -Frank (from Iowa!)
> montabon@...
>