A Hobby Ambassador for Kids
Once you check out the @the_blakedown page on Instagram, it’s obvious that Blake Grice is in The Hobby for all the right reasons.
With an infectious smile ear to ear, Blake—who is celebrating his 13th birthday today—is having fun in whatever he does. Whether collecting cards, being a role model for young collectors, or mingling with some of the world’s premiere celebrities, he embraces it all in stride.
Blake has interviewed the likes of Aaron Judge and Peyton Manning. He has also posed for photos with Shohei Ohtani, Connor McDavid, and Vanilla Ice.
“He’s spoken to people like The Rock,” said Blake’s dad, Barrie. “There’s nowhere to go but down from there; the Rock’s the most famous man in the world.”
Oh, and Blake even has his own Topps card.
Did we mention he just became a teenager? Blake is living the life.
Blake Grice exchanges a handshake with The Rock. (Photos courtesy of the Grice family)
Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani poses for a photo with Grice.
As a kid ambassador for The Hobby, Blake is trying to raise awareness in the collecting community that there is room for kids in the media and The Hobby and that collecting should be fun.
“I wasn’t there, but my dad had told me before that when adults were younger, they used to go to the gas station, get a couple of packs, and go home and rip them. It was just about fun,” Blake said. “Nowadays, it’s become more about money. It’s not as fun anymore. You can appreciate the business — business is business — but you should be allowed to have some fun.”
Blake has a healthy following on Instagram and uses his YouTube channel to post his impressive interviews of top-notch athletes and celebrities. His social media platforms provide unique content.
“Blake really does have a gift,” Barrie said. “He doesn’t get starstruck, but he stays humble. He treats everyone else with kindness and respect. It doesn’t matter who they are.”
Added Blake: “Ever since I’ve come into the picture, I’ve seen many kids come in and tell me that I’m an inspiration to them. It’s amazing for me that I get to do this: inspire kids to do what I do.”
Getting His Own Topps Card
Blake started collecting in 2019 after watching his dad and older brother, Austin, enjoy the hobby.
Blake, a seventh-grader at Cimarron Middle School in Parker, Colorado, is a fan of the San Francisco 49ers, New York Yankees, and locally, the Colorado Rockies and Denver Nuggets. His favorite athletes to collect include Derek Jeter, Judge, McDavid, John Cena, and Lionel Messi.
“He’s always tried to be more of a trendsetter and buck the collecting trends,” Barrie said. “He never has tried to be a follower.”
Since his dad is from the United Kingdom, Blake has dual citizenship and has become very interested in soccer. He also loves hockey and just started playing golf.
What makes collecting fun for Blake is all the people he’s been able to meet along his journey.
“I love talking to amazing people that I’ve collabed with—maybe some kids that I’ve talked to before. It’s really about the community,” Blake said. “But for me, it’s also how I love the look of the cards, how I want to collect them, and not about the price I want to collect them at.”
In 2021, Blake reviewed Topps’ new Project70® set. His assessments caught the attention of Topps representatives; they contacted Blake to see if he was interested in having a card his own card in 2022 Topps Allen & Ginter.
“That is a dream come true,” Blake said. “My mind was blown. I can barely believe it because I got this card at nine years old. It was insane. I really appreciate Topps for that.”
Wearing a baseball cap in a portrait pose, Blake’s card No. 211 was released in the Allen & Ginter product.
“They ask him to be in the set and to sign autographs, and they cut up his shirts,” Barrie said. “He’s got relics; he’s got autos. It’s wild. He did some incredible inscriptions.”
When 2022 Topps Allen & Ginter came out, Blake found both of his Superfractors. He purchased one, and the other was gifted to him. Blake got both 1-of-1s graded by BGS—he loves the black labels—earning a Pristine 10 for the mini gold and a Gem Mint 9.5 for his full-sized card.
Grice met one of his athletic idols, Clayton Kershaw, during the 2022 MLB All-Star Game festivities.
Peyton Manning and Grice have a conversation.
Being a Kid Ambassador
Blake attended his second National Sports Collectors Convention this past July in Cleveland. He was chosen as one of the kid ambassadors for The Hobby’s largest event. Blake wore that badge with honor.
Blake tries to attend four to five major card shows each year around North America to be one of the faces of the next generation of collectors. He enjoys walking around showroom floors and handing out cards to kids.
Blake doesn’t lose sight of the opportunities he’s had at a young age, with unprecedented access to athletes and celebrities.
As a budding philanthropist, Blake enjoys helping worthy causes. He has donated to organizations such as the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Derek Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation, Kevin Stevens’ Power Forward Foundation, Roger Clemens Foundation, and many others.
“We’re working on starting a foundation for him,” Barrie said. “He’s done some incredible things. Much of it has been connected to The Hobby because he’s sold cards to make money and give money to charities.”
Blake has considered his future endeavors, including joining the Air Force and becoming a commercial pilot. Barrie won’t rule out the possibility of his son becoming the President of the United States of America.
The collecting world—and the world as a whole—might just be starting to get to know Blake Grice.
