Bench Warmer International - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Bench Warmer International is a company that produces trading card

Trading card

A trading card is a small card, usually made out of paperboard or thick paper, which usually contains an image of a certain person, place or thing and a short description of the picture, along with other text...

s featuring female models. Bench Warmer International is a manufacturers and distributor of collectible trading cards in the U.S. Its motto is "Trading Cards Never Looked So Good". Models are generally featured in swimsuits, wearing baseball gloves or football helmets. A few of the first models featured were Baywatch
Baywatch
Baywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production...

actresses Cory Givens and Traci Bingham

Traci Bingham

Traci Bingham is an American actress, model and television personality who is best known for playing Jordan Tate on the television series Baywatch between 1996 and 1998.-Personal life:...

.

Founded in 1992, Bench Warmer International, Inc. is the creation of Connie Lolan Woods, who was also the star of the "Women of the World" card set. After much disagreement, and in a startling contractual upset, the Bench Warmer brand was transferred to her partner, Brian Wallos.

Many trading card collectors see the Woods Bench Warmer trading card set as the beginning of 'tasteful' model cards. Series and releases following Wood's departure have met with low sales and much disdain from fans.

Most series typically consist of 100 cards. These series traditionally include 60 different model cards, complete with "stats", biographical information on each model, "Replay" cards, "Double Play" cards, "Series 2 Preview" cards and checklist cards for the enthusiast collector.

Insert cards tend to feature Authentic Bikini Swatch Cards cards with a piece of a bikini worn by Bench Warmer celebrities. To increase collectibility, 25 cards are signed by each celebrity. Other inserts include 20 different autographed cards; 12 "All American Chromium" cards; eight "Hottie Chromium" cards; and eight 5" x 7" "Jumbo" cards.

To this day, Connie Lolan Woods' caricature (a billowy-haired nude seen from behind) still appears as the Bench Warmer logo as is the preference of Wallos.

Celebrity connection

Over the years, models who have appeared on the wrappers and boxes throughout the years have included Jaime Bergman

Jaime Bergman

Jaime Bergman is an American model and actress who was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month in January 1999, its 45th Anniversary issue. In addition to her magazine appearance she has appeared in several Playboy videos. Her centerfold was photographed by Stephen Wayda.-Career:Bergman was the St...

, Brande Roderick

Brande Roderick

Brande Nicole Roderick is an American model and actress known for her appearances in Baywatch and Playboy.-Personal life:...

, Nikki Schieler, Victoria Silvstedt

Victoria Silvstedt

Karen Victoria Silvstedt is a Swedish celebrity model, actress, singer, and television personality.-Background:Born in Skelleftehamn, Silvstedt was raised in a family of five in Bollnäs, having one older sister and one younger brother...

and Valentina. Reality television star Megan Hauserman

Megan Hauserman

Megan Hauserman is an American model and reality television personality, best known for her appearances on Vh1.-Modeling career:...

also has appeared on several Benchwarmer cards. In looking to capitalize on the popularity of inserts commonly found in sports cards (for example, autographed and jersey cards), Benchwarmer would release their own insert cards featuring bikini swatches and autographs.

The models who have appeared on the Benchwarmer cards themselves have been a veritable who's who of Playboy

Playboy

Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...

models and future WWE Diva

WWE Diva

Diva is a term used by World Wrestling Entertainment , an American professional wrestling promotion, to refer to its female talent. The term is applied to women who appear as wrestlers, managers or valets, backstage interviewers, or ring announcers....

s including Christy Hemme

Christy Hemme

Christina Lee "Christy" Hemme is an American actress, singer, model, professional wrestling valet and former professional wrestler. Hemme is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, as a backstage interviewer and ring announcer.-Early life:Hemme was born in Poway, California, but she...

and Candice Michelle

Candice Michelle

Candice Michelle Beckman-Ehrlich better known as Candice Michelle or just Candice, is an American model, actress, and professional wrestler best known for her time with World Wrestling Entertainment....

. TNA Knockouts have recently been seen in the 2008 Signature Series set and they include Traci Brooks, Gail Kim

Gail Kim

Gail Kim is a Canadian professional wrestler of Korean descent, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where she is the current TNA Women's Knockout Champion and one half of the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions with Madison Rayne...

, and Christy Hemme

Christy Hemme

Cindy Margolis auction

An e-Bay auction featuring a "Bikini Swatch Card" autographed by Cindy Margolis

Cindy Margolis

Cynthia Dawn "Cindy" Margolis is an American glamour spokesmodel and actress.-Personal life:Margolis was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Karyn O. and William C. Margolis...

netted $335 in an auction on eBay.com. The card was numbered #22 out of only 25 autographed. It was sold in a 25-bid auction that began at $5 and climbed all the way to $335. In addition to being a signed and numbered limited edition, the "Swatch" card features a piece of a bathing suit that was actually worn by Margolis, once known as the web's "Most Downloaded Woman."

Appearances by Playmates

Megan Hauserman
Megan Hauserman
Megan Hauserman is an American model and reality television personality, best known for her appearances on Vh1.-Modeling career:...
Tamara Witmer
Tamara Witmer
Tamara Witmer is an American model, actress and reality television star. She is best known for her appearance as Playboy's Playmate of the Month, Miss August 2005, and was also the cover girl for the October 2006 issue....
Katie Lohmann
Katie Lohmann
Katie Lohmann is a model, actress, and most notably a Playboy Playmate for the Month for April 2001....
Jaime Bergman
Jaime Bergman
Jaime Bergman is an American model and actress who was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month in January 1999, its 45th Anniversary issue. In addition to her magazine appearance she has appeared in several Playboy videos. Her centerfold was photographed by Stephen Wayda.-Career:Bergman was the St...
Lauren Michelle Hill
Lauren Michelle Hill
Lauren Michelle Hill is an American model and actress. She first appeared on the cover of Playboy on the October 2000 issue. She was chosen as Playboy Playmate of the Month in February 2001 and won the Playboy playmates edition of the game show Fear Factor...
Tina Marie Jordan
Tina Marie Jordan
Tina Marie Jordan is an American glamour model and actress.Jordan grew up in Los Angeles with seven sisters and two brothers. She tried many career paths, including college, business school, and cosmetology school, and was working as a loan processor and trying to get her real estate license when...
Brande Roderick
Brande Roderick
Brande Nicole Roderick is an American model and actress known for her appearances in Baywatch and Playboy.-Personal life:...
Nikki Schieler
Victoria Silvstedt
Victoria Silvstedt
Karen Victoria Silvstedt is a Swedish celebrity model, actress, singer, and television personality.-Background:Born in Skelleftehamn, Silvstedt was raised in a family of five in Bollnäs, having one older sister and one younger brother...
Tiffany Taylor
Colleen Shannon
Devin DeVasquez
Devin DeVasquez
Devin Renee DeVasquez is an American model and actress. She was chosen as Playboy's Playmate of the Month in June 1985. Her centerfold was photographed by Richard Fegley...

External links

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