Xavier Roberts put his knowledge of German soft sculpture to legendary use,
making dolls he originally called “Little People” in 1982. In just one year’s
time, he teamed with Coleco, a toy company also based in Cleveland, GA, and
rechristened his creations as Cabbage Patch Kids.
Many of you may
remember the subsequent history. For others, the period between 1883 and 1987
remains a blur. All-out brawls at toy stores nationwide were big network news
circa the winter holiday season. Sell-outs were commonplace.
With wide
eyes, yellow, reddish, or brown yarn for hair, cherubic dimples in either cheek,
and the signature of Xavier Roberts on their bottoms, Cabbage Patch Kids were
all the inexplicable rage in girl’s toy fare. Each doll came with a birth
certificate bearing its first and last name, signed again by Roberts.
Though production on the first run of Cabbage Patch Kids ended in 1989,
other models have cropped up since– with moving mouths, more realistic
synthetic hair, and thematic costumes. But there will never be higher buzz for
the brand than that which was generated during its first few years.
We’d
like to hear from
any parent who braved the Cabbage Patch Craze and successfully snagged an
original run doll for his/her child… or him- or herself. We’ll bet the
experience is still emblazoned on your memory.
