Toy Story - Claude Switzer

Original MMM LISTSERV submission from around 2001

I am 36 going on 6 according to my wife.

I started out a little slow with the Major. I think it was 1969 when I got my first Matt. I played with it until all the paint was gone. Then Christmas came (best one ever) I woke up to find the Space Station Space Crawler Deluxe Action set, Space Mission Team, Capt. Lazer, and a few more carded figures. They fit in nicely with Billy Blast-Off. He was a little big and chubby but he had a Crawler too. Hell, he had a boat as well.

I think I got Jeff Long in that Space Mission Set but can't be sure. April 1970 all I could think of was getting more stuff for my Mason Crew. Received the Unitred and Bubble, Fire Bolt, and the round puzzle for my birthday. It was the coolest thing putting Doug Davis in the Bubble while Sgt Storm hauled his butt up my front hill. That thing would go almost anywhere.

The Crawler was used inside on rainy days. It chewed up my Lincoln Logs. Never owned an Astro Trac. I remember my dog chewing off one of my Matt's head. He threw it up about an hour later. Yep, I put it back on. It seemed like everywhere I went or anything I did I had at least one Matt Mason toy was with me. 

Like most of us my stuff went when I started playing with girls. Came home one day and it was all gone. Matt, Joe, Billy, Hot wheels, Strange Change, Ding-A-Lings. 

My mother says they were the best toy ever made because I would play with them all day and not get tired of them. She did hate the Jet Pak stings if you know what I mean. I never saw Matt again until a couple of years ago when I got online. Now I'm happy once again. It's been a blast doing the list and the Keith's Space Station Site. I get to look at a bunch of stuff way before anyone else.

Claude 

Claude is a member of the Major Matt Mason Facebook group and regularly contributes to discussions about toys. He may be e-mailed here. 

All Mattel images and captions are copyright Mattel and used without permission. All other content, including images and editorial, is Copyright © 1997-2023 John Eaton and/or contributors unless otherwise stated. If there are any comments or objections, please contact John Eaton.