Goodman bobblehead being hawked on eBay

Diana Sahagun

Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2002 | 11:09 a.m.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is for sale -- $17.95, or best offer.

For the second time, the "world's happiest mayor" has wound up in cyberspace on the pages of eBay -- this time in the form of a bobblehead doll.

Not bad for a mayor who admits he lacks the know-how to boot up his own computer.

Several Oscar Goodman bobbleheads that were given away at Saturday's Las Vegas 51s game are being offered on eBay, with bids ranging from $9.50 to $14.95.

"It breaks my heart that someone would give that little bobblehead away," Goodman said Monday.

As part of a promotion, the 51s gave away bobbleheads to the first 4,000 baseball fans -- or Goodman fans. Hundreds of people lined up before the game to get the doll, which wobbles when you whack it. The team quickly gave away all the dolls.

The promotion helped punch up attendance for the triple-A Pacific Coast League team.

"The bobblehead made a difference," Goodman said.

51s President Don Logan did not immediately return a call requesting comment.

After Goodman went from a criminal defense lawyer representing mob figures to a newly elected mayor in 1999, several $5 chips from the Four Queens that featured Goodman's mug sold for $27 on eBay.

Goodman may have to have someone teach him to use his office computer, because he only received 36 bobbleheads -- several of which he said had been stolen by Councilman Gary Reese.

"Everybody has dibs on a bobblehead," Goodman said. "My children want bobbleheads, my wife wants bobbleheads, my kids want bobbleheads. If I had a dog, the dog would want to bite the bobblehead."

Goodman, who is expected to sign on as a spokesman for Bombay Sapphire gin and has proposed putting billboards on City Hall, says he'll continue promoting mayoral merchandise as long as the public will have him.

"As long as people are happy," he said. "I would hate to have these little bobbleheads (burned) in effigy."