i originally opted for a relic card from allen & ginter to represent ichiro in my hall of famer collection, but then i realized that it would look pretty strange amongst the other autographed cards of modern players in my collection, so i went out and purchased this 2019 topps museum collection archival autograph card numbered 02/25:
that's better.
i was a fan of ichiro from the start of his mlb career. i had taken a flyer on him and drafted him in the mid rounds of my fantasy baseball draft in 2001, and so had a vested interest in his performance. i was not disappointed. he didn't run much in the first month or so, but he hit for average and scored runs. i left him in my lineup and he turned in an all-star, rookie of the year, mvp, gold glove, and silver slugger winning performance. i was in southern california during fernandomania and nomomania, and i imagine things were similar in seattle that year.
i have a memory of going to the metrodome that summer to see ichiro and the mariners take on the twins, but i can't find my ticket stub to confirm which game it was. i do have stubs and photos from some other games i attended there featuring the mariners, including one on may 29, 2003 in which ichiro was 2 for 5 with 3 runs scored and a stolen base. i next saw him play in chicago on may 4, 2006 against the white sox, but he was 0 for 4 that day.
i saw ichiro as a mariner one other time, in august of 2008, and he was 1 for 5 in that game. the last time i saw him, however, was on the 4th of july in 2013 when he and the yankees were taking on the twins at target field. he was vintage ichiro that day, finishing a home run shy of the cycle while scoring twice and driving in two runs.
even though he was 27 when his major league career began (following nine seasons in japan), ichiro was still able to climb to 24th place all-time in hits by a major leaguer. he is a no-doubt, first ballot hall of famer when he becomes eligible in 2025. that's why he's in my hall of famer collection.
here's my hall of famer collection as its been documented so far:
honus wagner - 2001 topps tribute relic
nap lajoie - 2002 topps tribute milestone materials relic
tris speaker - 2011 topps tribute dual relic green parallel 53/75
eddie collins - 2002 topps tribute milestone materials relic
yogi berra - 1998 donruss signatures significant signatures 1640/2000
sandy koufax - 1998 donruss signatures significant signatures 1707/2000
roberto clemente - 2005 donruss greats hall of fame souvenirs relic
warren spahn - 1999 upper deck century legends epic signatures
willie mays - 1997 topps willie mays reprints certified autograph
pee wee reese - 2001 topps tribute relic
willie mccovey - 2004 upper deck sp legendary cuts legendary sigs 46/50
larry doby - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph
carlton fisk - 1999 upper deck century legends epic signatures
tony perez - 2004 fleer national pastime 2002 fleer greats authentic autograph buyback 30/59
ozzie smith - 2019 topps finest finest origins autograph
gary carter - 1999 fleer sports illustrated greats of the game autograph collection
vladimir guerrero - 2000 upper deck legends legendary signatures
babe ruth - 2003 topps tribute world series edition world series tribute relic 351/425
honus wagner - 2001 topps tribute relic
nap lajoie - 2002 topps tribute milestone materials relic
tris speaker - 2011 topps tribute dual relic green parallel 53/75
eddie collins - 2002 topps tribute milestone materials relic
george sisler - 2004 topps tribute hall of fame tribute relic
lou gehrig - 2010 topps tribute relic 96/99
rogers hornsby - 2004 topps tribute hall of fame tribute relic
jimmie foxx - 2013 topps tribute retired remnants relic 91/99
mel ott - 2011 topps tribute quad relic 15/99
paul waner - 2002 topps tribute milestone materials relic
dizzy dean - 2001 topps tribute relic
hank greenberg - 2004 topps tribute hall of fame tribute relic
zack wheat - 2002 topps tribute milestone materials relic
bob feller - 2001 topps archives certified autograph
jackie robinson - 2004 topps clubhouse collection clubhouse relic
ted williams - 1992 upper deck baseball heroes autograph 1067/2000
roy campanella - 2001 topps tribute relic
stan musial - 2002 topps team topps legends autograph
sandy koufax - 1998 donruss signatures significant signatures 1707/2000
roberto clemente - 2005 donruss greats hall of fame souvenirs relic
mickey mantle - 2000 upper deck legends legendary game jerseys relic
ralph kiner - 2000 fleer greats of the game autograph
ernie banks - 1999 upper deck century legends epic signatures
eddie mathews - 1999 fleer sports illustrated greats of the game autograph
al kaline - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph
duke snider - 2003 upper deck sp authentic chirography hall of famers 144/250
bob gibson - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph
hank aaron - 2004 topps originals 1979 topps all-time record holders rbi 03/32
frank robinson - 1995 upper deck autograph
juan marichal - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph
brooks robinson - 2001 topps golden anniversary great autograph
don drysdale - 1993 nabisco all-star autographs
harmon killebrew - 2000 upper deck legends legendary signatures
pee wee reese - 2001 topps tribute relic
lou brock - 2018 topps archives signature series 1989 buyback 53/61
willie mccovey - 2004 upper deck sp legendary cuts legendary sigs 46/50
ray dandridge - 2006 upper deck sp legendary cuts a place in history cut autograph 31/43
jim hunter - 1998 donruss signature series significant signatures 0736/2000
billy williams - 2013 topps museum collection autograph 054/199
willie stargell - 2000 upper deck legends legendary signatures
johnny bench - 2019 topps definitive collection legendary autograph 09/25
red schoendienst - 2012 panini cooperstown signatures 038/549
red schoendienst - 2012 panini cooperstown signatures 038/549
carl yastrzemski - 2000 fleer greats of the game autograph
joe morgan - 2001 upper deck hall of famers cooperstown collection signature jersey
jim palmer - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph
rod carew - 2004 topps retired signature autograph
fergie jenkins - 2013 topps five star baseball autograph 154/333
gaylord perry - 2003 topps finest finest moments autograph
fergie jenkins - 2013 topps five star baseball autograph 154/333
gaylord perry - 2003 topps finest finest moments autograph
rollie fingers - 2018 topps archives signature series 1978 topps buyback 1/3
hal newhouser - 1993 front row premium all-time greats autograph
tom seaver - 2013 topps five star baseball autograph 44/50
reggie jackson - 2018 topps tier one tier one talent autograph 19/60
reggie jackson - 2018 topps tier one tier one talent autograph 19/60
steve carlton - 2018 topps five star career year autograph 43/45
mike schmidt - 2002 topps archives autoproof 1980 topps buyback 048/147
nellie fox - 2002 topps tribute milestone materials relic
phil niekro - 2017 panini donruss recollection collection 1983 donruss buyback autograph 13/33
don sutton - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph
george brett - 2001 topps finest finest moments autograph
nolan ryan - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph
robin yount - 2001 upper deck ultimate collection ultimate signatures 112/150
carlton fisk - 1999 upper deck century legends epic signatures
kirby puckett - 1998 upper deck retro sign of the times autograph
dave winfield - 2003 upper deck sp authentic chirography hall of famers 121/350
ozzie smith - 2019 topps finest finest origins autograph
gary carter - 1999 fleer sports illustrated greats of the game autograph collection
eddie murray - 2004 upper deck sp legendary cuts legendary sigs 45/50
dennis eckersley - 2017 topps archives signature series 1984 topps buyback 47/99
paul molitor - 2016 topps museum collection archival autographs 021/125
wade boggs - 2005 upper deck baseball heroes autograph red parallel 30/49
ryne sandberg - 2016 topps five star autographs gold parallel 17/50
bruce sutter - 2003 topps all-time fan favorites certified autograph
ryne sandberg - 2016 topps five star autographs gold parallel 17/50
tony gwynn - 1997 donruss signature series millennium marks autograph 0702/1000
cal ripken jr - 2018 topps high tek portraitek autograph 32/75
goose gossage - 2003 topps finest finest moments autograph
rickey henderson - 2016 topps tribute certified foundations of greatness autograph 49/50
cal ripken jr - 2018 topps high tek portraitek autograph 32/75
goose gossage - 2003 topps finest finest moments autograph
jim rice - 2005 upper deck past time pennants past time signatures
andre dawson - 2000 fleer greats of the game autograph
roberto alomar - 2015 topps high tek pattern 1 grass/waves gold rainbow autograph 50/50
roberto alomar - 2015 topps high tek pattern 1 grass/waves gold rainbow autograph 50/50
bert blyleven - 2004 upper deck legends timeless teams autograph
ron santo - 2004 topps retired signature autograph
tom glavine - 2019 topps tribute autograph 18/90
tom glavine - 2019 topps tribute autograph 18/90
greg maddux - 2018 topps luminaries masters of the mound autograph 13/15
frank thomas - 2019 topps tier one autographs 42/70
frank thomas - 2019 topps tier one autographs 42/70
craig biggio - 2013 topps five star baseball autograph 019/333
randy johnson - 2019 topps tek high tek autograph
pedro martinez - 2018 topps high tek portraitek autograph 09/60
ken griffey jr - 2003 upper deck game face autograph
ken griffey jr - 2003 upper deck game face autograph
mike piazza - 2014 topps five star autograph 35/50
tim raines - 2018 topps tribute tribute autograph green parallel 26/95
vladimir guerrero - 2000 upper deck legends legendary signatures
chipper jones - 2018 topps tier one tier one talent autograph 11/60
jim thome - 2020 topps archives signature series 2012 topps mini 1/1
jack morris - 2004 donruss timelines recollection collection 1986 buyback autograph 23/45
alan trammell - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph
roy halladay - 2017 topps archives signature series 2004 topps buyback 15/23
edgar martinez - 2017 topps tribute walk off autograph 17/50
roy halladay - 2017 topps archives signature series 2004 topps buyback 15/23
ted simmons - 2013 panini golden age historic signatures
larry walker - 1997 donruss signature series authentic signature
joe jackson* - 2001 upper deck sp legendary cuts sp legendary debut bat card
pete rose* - 2018 panini flawless legendary signatures 15/25
roger clemens* - 1995 upper deck autograph
barry bonds* - 2001 bowman heritage autographs
roger clemens* - 1995 upper deck autograph
rafael palmeiro* - 2016 topps tribute rightful recognition autograph 98/99
alex rodriguez* - 1998 upper deck sp authentic chirography autograph
adrian beltre* - 2019 topps tier one talent autograph 56/70
ichiro* - 2019 topps museum collection archival autograph 02/25
you can find the full list of hall of famers (and some not - yet) that i aim to include in this collection at my want list site.
*not currently a member of the hall of fame
Awesome card. His pack inserted autographs are too rich for my bank account, so I'll probably never own one. I did pick up a signed and slabbed 1993 BBM rookie card a few years ago. That represents his autograph in my Ichiro trifecta.
ReplyDeleteI’m glad I bought this when I did. I remember seeing yours in a post on your blog.
DeleteI love his signature. Great addition!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tom! It kinda looks like a doodle.
DeleteI would imagine that his signature already carries a premium, but would still be better to buy now, than to wait until it gets closer to his enshrinement.
ReplyDeleteI see one of these sold in may for $375. I paid just over $200 when it was released. You are right on both counts unless he starts signing in huge quantities
DeleteExcellent addition. Got to see him once when the Yankees were playing the Tigers and we were driving though Detroit to see relatives in Canada. My kids were young so they didn't grasp the concept that they got to see Ichiro, Jeter, and Cabrera play.
ReplyDeleteat least you remember they got to see those guys play! i can say that i saw hank aaron play towards the end of his career, but i have no memory of it. i did see him play in an old-timers game which i do remember.
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