Quick Rips | RIPPED Newsletter
All the Hobby News That’s Fit to Rip
6/4/24
Negro Leagues legend is now baseball’s all-time leader in multiple categories
What’s Hot
Josh Gibson – 2024 TOPPS MLB at Rickwood Negro League Collection Card RW-2 I 2024 Topps Chrome UFC – Value Box I 2023/24 Topps UEFA Club Competitions – Value Box
What’s up, Rippers! With 2024 Bowman Baseball still hot on the market, we are preparing for 2024 Topps Series 2 Baseball to release next week. Look for rookie cards of top young players, special insert sets, and cool autograph and memorabilia cards. This week, we dive into the long-awaited decision by MLB to incorporate Negro League statistics into the record books, a Skenes Superfractor fetches big bucks, and an Air Jordan card sells for a record price.
- Negro League players add their names to some long-standing records
- Pirates phenom pitcher getting it done on and off the field
- Jordan Logoman surfaces and goes for nearly $3 million
Negro Leagues players finally get recognition they deserve in MLB record books
As the adage goes, Records are made to be broken. Some of the longest and most distinguished records in Major League Baseball history are changing hands. Last week, Negro League statistics were officially incorporated into MLB’s historical records. That affected many important statistical categories. Josh Gibson, who played in the Negro Leagues from 1930-1946, moved into first place in career batting average at .372 (surpassing Ty Cobb), slugging percentage at .718 (moving past Babe Ruth), and OPS at 1.177 (again passing Ruth). Five of the top 10 career batting averages of all time now belong to former Negro League players. The Negro Leagues, which ran from 1920-1948, consisted of 2,300 players. Trading cards of Negro League players are few and far between. Topps recently announced its MLB Rickwood Field Collection, which features baseball cards of Negro League greats.
After continued dominance on mound, Skenes has Superfractor card fetch big bucks
Just four games into his MLB career, Paul Skenes has looked like the real deal. The Pittsburgh Pirates phenom has a 2-0 record with a 2.45 ERA and has struck out 30 batters in just 22 innings. His dominance on the mound certainly carries over to the trading card industry. Last weekend, Skenes’ 2023 Bowman Draft Superfractor Auto sold at auction for $80,520 through Goldin. The card is graded a 7 by PSA with a 10 auto grade. Skenes’ previous highest-selling card was his 2023 Bowman Draft Sapphire 1-of-1 card that went for $15,250. If the 22-year-old keeps pitching the way he has been, there’s no stopping the trajectory of his card prices.
Jordan Logoman card from 2003 goes for $2.928 million through Goldin
A 2003 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Michael Jordan signed Logoman card sold at auction over the weekend for $2.928 million through Goldin. This 1-of-1 card is PSA graded authentic, with a 10 grade for the autograph in beautiful blue ink. That breaks the record for the highest-selling Jordan card ever. In 2021, a 1997-98 Upper Deck Game-Used Jersey Autograph card was sold in a private transaction facilitated by Goldin for $2.7 million. That card is numbered to 23. The Chicago Bulls superstar won six NBA championships during his illustrious career; the Logoman patch featured in the card was game-worn by Jordan.
Rips Around the Hobby
- Mantle 1/1 buyback auto card pulled from 2024 Topps Archives
- Big baseball collector hits first 1-of-1 in her life
- Ohtani historic home run ball goes up for auction