In its fifth year, this month we have seen a revival of the previously completed baseball classics set and an expansion into classic baseball events. While these are both noteworthy, I think the other recent IPOs, for better or worse, reflect the more likely future of eTopps... the basketball playoff and 2005 baseball season event cards. As eTopps struggles to find direction in its fifth year with declining interest in third, fourth, and fifth year cards of specific players, it needs to find a unique niche that can capitalize on the timely release of sports cards via the internet directly from manufacturer to consumer. My sense is the direction will increasingly be these event type cards. Last year, eTopps seemed to have abandoned the event cards by missing truly significant events like Randy Johnson’s perfect game, Ken Griffey Jr’s 500th career home run, and Ichiro’s season hit record. However, they introduced a baseball playoff series that chronicled the playoffs... some historic events (Red Sox win World Series, ending their curse) and others merely typical of post-season play (teams advancing to league championship series). While this set has declined in price in the secondary market, it offered a unique opportunity for eTopps to sell more cards that were timely and provided an opportunity for collectors to assemble a small, unique, and enjoyable set. This year, after issuing sets for the football and basketball playoffs, eTopps took the playoffs series concept to the next step by starting the 2005 season with nearly weekly (more or less) cards documenting changes and interesting events. Some of these have been criticized as being less than historic... particularly Derrek Lee’s card highlighting his early season league leads in offensive categories and the Nationals’ 10 game win streak. However, if one views the set not as documenting only historic event, but capturing weekly highlights of the 2005 season, these cards seem reasonable. And as the season progresses, some more significant events, such as Rafael Palmeiro’s imminent 3000th career hit, will hopefully be included.

Many here will moan my thought that these event series may be the future of eTopps. I too have mixed feelings. But think about eTopps baseball sets in 2006, 2007, and 2008 when the sixth, seventh, and eighth cards of superstars, and the second and third cards of mid-level players, will be the core of a traditional set. Perhaps more interesting would be an event based set, supplemented by rookies, that would highlight players and teams that are doing particularly well at that moment. Rather than a third Red Sox card or a sixth Gary Sheffield card, wouldn’t it be at least as interesting to have a card that (hypothetically) Gary Sheffield hit for the cycle or that the Red Sox hit home runs in fifteen consecutive games? Over the course of a season, eTopps could creatively include a mix of players and teams, allowing for different cards than the traditional cards available in earlier eTopps base sets and cardboard sets. Since stars become stars because they often have noteworthy games, streaks, or milestones, the set could still be heavily represented by superstars. Other players not already repeatedly issued in cards could also show up for making sensational catches, leading offensive categories, or having career milestones.

Who knows if eTopps is considering this as their future... they seem to change their mind too frequently to expect such a vision... and so far the 2005 baseball events series has been met with limited interest. I would expect the initial reaction from eTopps collectors to be negative, but it also might interest others who are committed eTopps collectors or who are particular fans of a team or player. It’s too bad eTopps couldn’t customize its marketing of the Nationals winning 10 games in a row by having a scoreboard ad during a Nationals homestand for more than 30,000 fans to see, or an ad in the Washington Post for several hundred thousand fans to see, within the week that the Nationals won 10 games and assumed the National League East lead. While this would have prevented this card from becoming the shortest printed baseball card since 2001, it would have been a relatively inexpensive way to extend the base of eTopps collectors. An event based series could afford such opportunities for a proactive eTopps.

Anyway, I’m here to write about baseball classics and classic events. Here we go!

Roger Maris (2,000 @ $9.50)

For the 61st card in the baseball classics set, eTopps made an appropriate choice by adding Roger Maris who is primarily remembered for hitting 61 home runs in 1961 to break Babe Ruth’s season record. While I am glad that eTopps is extending the baseball classics series (despite indications previously that is would finish with 60 cards in 2004), I contend that this card will be one of the lesser cards in the classics set and could have been one of the most sought after cards in the new classics event set. With 275 career home runs, 12 seasons including two most-valuable player awards, and seven World Series, Maris was certainly a noteworthy and significant player from the 1960s. However, the 1961 season home run chase between Maris, Mantle, and the ghost of Babe Ruth is one of baseball’s most historic events. Thus, somewhat perversely, while I would have recommended this card in the baseball classic event series, I do not think it will add as much value to the classics set and recommend DO NOT buy this card at IPO.

Yogi Pinches In, In Yankees Win (1,000 @ $9.50)

October 2. 1947. In the third game of the World Series, the Yankees were leading their crosstown rival Dodgers and their rookie sensation, Jackie Robinson with wins in the first two games. They were losing in the third game 9 to 7, so sent Yogi Berra in to pinch hit. Berra hit a home run, becoming the first pinch hitter to homer in a World Series game, but it was not enough for the Yankees and the Dodgers won 9 to 8. Despite the loss, the Yankees went on to win the 1947 world series in seven games. Berra also already has a classics card, and with only a somewhat higher print run than the 1,000 maximum for this (1,281), it has a recent average price of about $9.50. While the 1947 World Series is memorable, I would prefer having the regular Berra classic card than this one commemorating a dramatic home run in a losing cause (at least a lost game, even if the Yankees won the Series). I recommend DO NOT buy this card at IPO.

Bobby Thomson Shot Heard Around the World (1,500 @ $9.50)

October 3, 1951. Whereas Yogi Berra’s pinch hit home run in the 1947 World Series did not turn the tide in that season, Bobby Thomson’s home run was particularly significant. Finishing the season tied, the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers had a play-off to determine the National League champion. In the ninth inning of the play-off, down 4 to 2, Bobby Thomson hit a three-run home run to clinch the pennant for the Giants. The home run was dramatic enough, but was punctuated by the television announcer shouting repeatedly "The Giants win the pennant!" Besides the home run that must rank among the most famous in baseball history, Thomson had a 15 year career with 264 home runs, .270 batting average, and 1,026 RBIs. Less well known is that he was born in Glasgow, Scotland. Also, he was succeeded by some of baseball greatest legends, moving from the outfield to third base for the Giants to make room for Willie Mays, and then in Milwaukee was replaced when he broke his ankle by Hank Aaron. This is a true classic event that every baseball history fan should include in their collection, so I recommend BUY this card at IPO.

George Brett Tarred Home Run (1,000 @ $9.00)

July 24, 1983. During a midseason game, with two outs in the ninth inning, the Royals’ George Brett hit a two-run home run that appeared to give the Royals a 5 to 4 lead. However, after Billy Martin protested to umpire Tim McLelland, the umpires nullified the home run because Brett had pine tar further up the bat than the allowed 18 inches. As a result, the Yankees would win, 4 to 3. Famously, Brett went ballistic, charging the umpires from the bench, and was ejected. The Royals protested, and the league required the game to be resumed to allow the Yankees the bottom of the ninth, and after twelve minutes the Royals win was verified. While this was a historic event in Brett’s career, it was ultimately insignificant other than calling into question the outcome of a single game. Without Brett’s snapping in anger, this would have been forgotten as quickly as the recent argument between the Nationals Frank Robinson and Angels’ Mike Scioscia over Robinson having pitcher Brendan Donnelly ejected for keeping pine tar on his glove. Brett has a classic card that aided by accumulation has a recent price average of about $17 with 1,128 issued. I recommend sticking (pun intended) to the original Brett classic, particularly since the picture on this card does not even come from the actual game. I recommend DO NOT buy this card at IPO.

Bay Area Hit by Devastating Earthquake (1,000 @ $9.50)

October 17, 1989. Just before the start of the third game of the World Series between cross-bay rivals Oakland and San Francisco, millions were watching on TV as Tim McCarver and Al Michaels routinely conducting the pregame show from Candlestick Park. At 5:04 p.m. Pacific Time, viewers saw rumbling with McCarver going into stunned silence and Michaels saying "I’ll tell you what, we’re having an earth..." before the TV coverage was temporarily lost. When it was restored, the images were of the players and their families standing in the middle of the field trying to stay safe in case pieces of the stadium should collapse. More devastation was evident around the Bay area from highways and bridges that did collapse. The World Series was suspended, and there was debate as to whether for the first time an ongoing World Series should be cancelled. However, after 10 days, the World Series was resumed, with Oakland winning in 4 games. While the card has been criticized for only naming the Oakland As (which eTopps has said it will correct by adding the logo for the Giants as well), it has also been criticized for picturing a stadium rather than a player or team. I find the picture and the event worthy for memorializing an interesting baseball history, but agree that if it were not for the excitement generated by the first week of IPOs for this series this card could contend for the shortest printed card in the series. It will sell more by being issued in the first week, so I recommend DO NOT buy this card at IPO.