Sister Jean Bobblehead Orders At Nearly 17,000
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The legend of Sister Jean keeps getting larger.
Loyola's magical run to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament is a distant memory, but fans are buying up Sister Jean bobbleheads in record numbers.
According to the National Bobblehead Hall Of Fame, preorders have now hit nearly 17,000, smashing all bobblehead records.
Production of the Sister Jean bobblehead has begun in order to meet the June delivery timeline. Each bobblehead will be individually numbered, says Phil Sklar, CEO of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.
Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt is the 98-year-old nun who also serves as team chaplain and honorary assistant coach for Loyola University Chicago.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each bobblehead benefit the Loyola Athletic Fund and the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Sister Jean has been at Loyola for more than a half-century and was just inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame. She offers more than spiritual guidance to the players; she also provides a scouting report on their opponent during prayer before every game.
"I tell them guys to watch out for on the other team and to not let anybody get under their skin," she recently told CBS's Megan Mawicke. "We ask God to keep us free from injuries and play with great sportsmanship. We pray for the referees that they can see clearly and fairly."
Sister Jean also recently tossed out the first pitch at the Chicago Cubs home opener.