Harris Talks Collecting and More
Michael Harris II is no stranger to the incredible: the 2022 NL ROY is the author of indelible, incredible moments every time he steps on the field. However, cards and collecting also give Harris “wow” moments as great as any of his athletic achievements. We recently caught up with Harris to talk about cards and collecting in his personal and professional hometown, Atlanta. Discover how the Atlanta Braves star collects cards and uses them as motivation for his all-world play and more in the latest installment of Topps RIPPED Collector Stories.
So this is your first card show. What are you looking forward to doing?
Interacting with people; people get excited about cards. I see it at games when they bring their cards, and it’s really cool. Some of the cards I’ve never seen before get me really excited and interested in them. I’m really looking forward to interacting with people at the show.
How do you feel when fans bring your cards to a game and show them to you?
It’s one of those feelings you never really expect. Growing up, some of your favorite players had cards, and you would see them or collect them, but you never expect to have your own. When people bring my cards to have me autograph and personalize them, it’s a really cool, unbelievable experience.
How did you react when you saw your own card for the first time?
It’s something I never really expected. And to have my own card, have my face on a card, and have my stats on the back—to actually have stats that are halfway dist—is pretty, pretty cool.
Do you collect any of your teammates’ cards?
I collect all of them. Last year, during spring training, a few of us would play with cards in our back pocket—to either make us play better or play like the person we had in our pocket. If you’re a hitter facing a pitcher, you might have the pitcher’s card in your pocket and have some success at the plate. You play with their card in your pocket; it makes you a superhero or something. We kept that going the whole year.
Who were the players you had in your back pocket?
Yeah, I had a few. I used Chipper Jones a few times, Andruw Jones, and some others. But none of the cards really worked. But then I got one of my cards. Sean Murphy picked one of my cards out of a pack and gave it to me. I started using it and started to play better. I guess it was just because I had my card in my back pocket.
Is there a particular teammate that inspires you and that you make sure you collect their card?
If I had to pick one, it would be Acuña, for sure. He was my favorite player in high school, and then I got to be teammates with him. It’s really cool to be teammates with him now and be able to share incredible moments with him—and I have to have his card.
If you could give away one of your cards to someone, who would it be and why?
I’d give it to the kid who looks up to me and sees me as their inspiration; I’d give it to them for that motivation to keep going.
