Orioles' Tupac Shakur bobbleheads in high demand: 'I didn't think it was real'

Sports Memorabilia and Collectibles Tupac Shakur bobblehead night brought big crowds to Oriole Park. Patrick Smith/Getty Images Share articleBALTIMORE — Tupac Shakur bobblehead night started in the daytime, early Friday afternoon outside of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Seemingly not long after the sun had risen, fans began to line up in droves outside of the stadium, hours before the Baltimore Orioles hosted the Athletics at 7:05 p.m., to ensure getting one of the 20,000 bobbleheads handed out — enough for less than half a sell-out crowd. That number of Shakur (an alum of the Baltimore School for the Arts) bobbleheads was 5,000 more than originally announced back in January. Due to high demand and the virality of the announcement on social media, the Orioles increased supply as much as possible without impacting the planned date of May 8 for the giveaway. The bobblehead features Shakur in a black Orioles jersey and a matching bandana, holding a baseball bat. At the Eutaw Street entrance near one of the best backdrops in baseball, the B and O Warehouse, fans were lined up from the sidewalks to the streets by 3 p.m., two hours before the Orioles would open the gates to Oriole Park. Chatter amongst employees of nearby hotels and those walking toward Oriole Park indicated that fans started gathering even earlier than that. There was a buzz in the area that made one thing clear: Everyone who was anywhere near Oriole Park at that moment was there for the bobblehead. The Orioles opened the gates to Oriole Park at 5 p.m., 30 minutes earlier than the team had initially announced they would start letting fans into the stadium. Once the gates were open, stadium employees began handing out bobbleheads (one per person) under the blaring beats of Shakur’s “Keep Ya Head Up” blasting through the ballpark’s speakers. Immediately shouting could be heard from fans asking if anyone was interested in selling what might just be one of the most popular Orioles bobbleheads ever. “Anyone want to sell their bobblehead? Anyone want to sell their bobblehead? Who wants money for the bobblehead?” a fan could be heard saying in auctioneer-like fashion. Given what Shakur bobbleheads would sell for on eBay (steadily rising to between $100 and $170 each) after the game, it wasn’t surprising that some fans were trying to make deals to acquire more than one on the spot. With an announced attendance of 39,311, demand far exceeded supply. const eBayApiUrl="https://api.theathletic.com"; Rob Tyndale, a 47-year old from West Baltimore, came to the game wearing a Shakur-styled orange bandana and a black T-shirt with the late Tejano music legend Selena and Shakur together on the front. Tyndale said he’s always been an Orioles fan and attends every game, but when the Orioles announced the Shakur bobblehead giveaway, as someone who has followed the team for years, he didn’t believe it was true. “I didn’t think it was real. I thought it was like people trolling on the internet,” Tyndale said. “This doesn’t seem like something that the Orioles would do. Because the Orioles are (very) traditional. Everybody was sending (the announcement) to me. My son was sending it to me. And I just thought people were trolling and I was like this (isn’t) real. And then when I found out it was real I definitely got tickets.” Tyndale said he loves Shakur’s music and the Orioles, and for that reason he won’t be selling his bobblehead despite the high prices he’s seen for it online. They were lined up in Baltimore for the Tupac bobblehead! (via @annieklaff)pic.twitter.com/4E2EHyJ8x4 — FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 8, 2026 Josh Lambert of Baltimore is just as big a Shakur fan. His favorite Shakur songs are “Picture Me Rollin,” and “Amerikas Most Wanted.” When the Shakur bobblehead was announced he told himself he had to have one. But he also told himself that, depending on the price, he’d be open to listening to some offers for his newly acquired collectible. “If they’re talking about the right price I might (have) to sell this,” Lambert said. “They’re talking about $500 and up. You get me at $1,000 you (could) have it. If the price is right I might sell it. I might. I don’t know yet though.” The Orioles added to the Shakur vibes before and during the game. As fans entered and collected their bobbleheads, his songs played over the speakers both before the game and between innings. There was Shakur trivia and facts on the giant screen in the outfield (Did Shakur attend Baltimore School for the Arts on a scholarship? What was the name of Shakur’s character in the movie “Above the Rim”? And did you know Shakur studied classical ballet while in school in Baltimore?). Shakur’s sister, Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur, the president of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, who collaborated with the Orioles on the design of the bobblehead, threw out the first pitch. And students from the Baltimore School for the Arts sang the national anthem. However the Orioles lost the game 4-3. Even Orioles manager Craig Albernaz contributed to the Shakur conversation pre-game during his daily press conference, though. Albernaz tweeted a quote from Shakur when the Orioles first announced the bobbleheads and was excited to finally see the finished product in person after all the hype. “I definitely grabbed them right when I came in,” Albernaz said. “They had a display out there for everyone in the clubhouse. I grabbed three of them for the kids, and when I say ‘for the kids’ one would be for me. It’s fun. I think it’s awesome.” The Athletic maintains full editorial independence in all our coverage. 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