First made in China in the 18th century, bobblehead nodders took Europe by storm around 1780. The popularity of the painted plaster figurines cooincided with a general fascination at the time with Chinese art. One hundred and eighty years later, Japanese-made paper mache baseball bobbleheads began appearing at souvenir stands at ballparks. While most featured cherub-faced boys, some represented individual players like Willie Mays and Roger Maris, along with team mascots like those displayed here of the Baltimore Orioles (left) and Detroit Tigers (right). Although the popularity of bobbleheads faded in the early 1970s, a Willie Mays bobblehead giveaway by the San Francisco Giants in 1999 sparked a revival, leading to countless promotions in ballparks everywhere — and today, bobbleheads are more popular than they've ever been.