Chess, rubber duck now in Toy Hall of Fame

The rubber ducky should feel right at home at The Strong museum.

The duck and chess are this year's inductees into the National Toy Hall of Fame at Strong, which is also home to a permanent Sesame Street exhibit complete with Bert and Ernie.

The two toys join checkers, Star Wars action figures, Hot Wheels and G.I. Joe in the hall of fame.

"They show both extremes of the world of play and how the toys in the Hall of Fame represent the entire spectrum in between those, so these are great new additions," said Christopher Bensch, vice president for collections at The Strong.

"These are a great matchup," Bensch added. "Both poles in the world of play. One is so cerebral and strategic and the other one is pure fun, splashing around with no big intent, you don't win or lose with a rubber duck."

The toys had stiff competition: Bensch said Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and My Little Pony had a lot of support in online polls. Other finalists were bubbles, Clue, Fisher-Price Little People, Little Green Army Men, Magic 8 Ball, Nerf Toys, Pac-Man and the scooter.

Each year's finalists are chosen by an internal museum advisory committee composed of curators, educators and historians. An national selection committee then picks the winners.

The rubber duck and chess also will get recognition in the daily comic Rubes. Artist Leigh Rubin unveiled Thursday two commemorative panels featuring the toys that will become part of The Strong's permanent collection. They also will eventually appear in newspapers, including the Democrat and Chronicle.

This weekend, the museum will hold a National Toy Hall of Fame celebration with activities both Saturday and Sunday. Rubin will give a presentation, including a drawing demonstration, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday. More than 50 of his cartoons also will be on display, starting this weekend through Jan. 5.