I Was There!

There have been only 2 games I was at that have been turned into Topps Now cards.

I was also at a game that was used for Russel Martin's 2013 Topps Chrome card (and consequently seen in background). 

I also attended a game that was used for an Andrew McCutchen insert where he is signing a yellow Pirates helmet prior to a "Spring Training" game at Citizen's bank park. 

That's it though. Only 4 known games.
Only 2 Topps Now cards sadly.

The first lead to the most expensive Topps Now base card ever produced.  That was the 2016 season opener and the birthplace of the Now program.  Francisco Liriano was selected to be card number 1 as he was the first person to hit an RBI in the 2016 season.  Much like many other years I was at the Pirates home opener.

The second was Andrew McCutchen's return to Pittsburgh.

I was so happy they chose an image like this instead of a random batting photo.  This stadium was rocking!!!  It might have actually been louder than the 2013 playoff game.

Cutch would go on to have an outfield assist and go 1 for 4 at the plate with a double.

Have you attended any games turned into Topps Now cards? Did you buy the cards for the memories?

Where's My Auto?

Remember back in February when I found an unknown printing error for a card designed to have an autograph on it?

Well...I got another one and have been holding onto it for a few months. I think I will use today's post to recap my adventure in Pittsburgh yesterday first though.

It's a six hour drive out west and I didn't think in advance to bring my car charger for my phone.  Shortly after arriving at the stadium at 5:35, I discovered I didn't have much juice left.

That kind of stunk because as I walked towards my seats in section 109 behind the Giants Dugout I encountered a small but growing crowd of people getting autographs.

This isn't anything new for fans to try and get autographs from the visitor team.

Well....except this visitor was Andrew McCutchen.

It was getting closer to 6pm and you can tell that Cutch would have loved to sign for anyone, but he wanted to start his pregame routine.  I overheard someone say he started signing as soon as the gates opened at 5pm.

When I first started Collecting Cutch and attending Pirates games I would have been pushing my way towards the front of the line.
Not this time though.  I was letting younger fans through.  Older women trying to get stuff signed for their grandkids.  There was so many cool stories I heard about as Cutch just kept signing balls, cards, photos, hats, jerseys, bats, etc.

The joy on their faces as they got his autograph.

I didn't go to the games this weekend to try and hound for autographs.  Sure if one fell in my lap, I wouldn't complain, but as I said to Matt from BobWalkThePlank via text, I already have 160+ different things signed by him.

Cutch is a visitor now in Pittsburgh.

I thought I would treat him like a guest and let the rest of the city get an autograph for what he did to this town that forgot what good baseball looked like.

I didn't need an autograph yesterday.  I could have easily gotten one, but I felt a greater sense of joy watching others get theres.

Maybe today I will actually try.

I didn't bring many options to have signed.  A few base cards to choose from and obviously my ticket stubs.

I wish I had brought my unsigned error card from Panini's 2017 Chronicles release.  The autographed version was listed as a SSP and for good reason.  Only one of each (signed and unsigned) has hit eBay since December which I proudly own both.

 The unsigned version has a more Prizm refractor look, but both feature the same backs.

I previously showed off the autograph version in December.