From the Vault: Sports figures talking on comically large cellphones

Remember when every phone was a Zack Morris phone?

Author:
Lindsay Applebaum
Publish date:
Feb 27, 2015

Remember the days when cellphones were the size of footballs and you had to actually make calls to communicate with other people? These throwback photos from the SI Vault are proof that the Big Phone Era not only existed, but that it wasn't that long ago. (Be sure to check back in 10 years, when we'll be making fun of those big, stupid internet watches everyone used to wear.)

Ken Griffey Jr. on a car phone (1998)

Ken Griffey Jr. — (V.J. Lovero/Sports Illustrated)

Cal Ripken (1993)

Cal Ripken cell phone — Chuck Solomon/For Sports Illustrated

Drew and Jason Rosenhaus (1993)

Drew and Jason Rosenhaus cell phones — Bill Frakes/Sports Illustrated

Drew Rosenhaus (1993)

Drew Rosenhaus phone — Bill Frakes/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

Paul Molitor (1994)

Paul Molitor cell phone — Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Karl Malone (1996)

Karl Malone cell phone — (Sue Ogrocki/Reuters)

Dennis Rodman (1996)

Dennis Rodman cell phone — AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps

Dickey Simpkins, Michael Jordan, Ron Harper and Scottie Pippen (1998)

Bulls cell phone — Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated

Cornelius Bennett (1999)

Cornelius Bennett phone — (AP Photo/John Bazemore)