A player who had trouble staying in the Royals' lineup last year has a baseball card that's counted as one of the best of all time.
In celebration of its 60th anniversary, Topps is asking collectors to identify their favorite cards. The choices include Jackie Robinson, Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron ... and Alex Gordon. Gordon played in the 2010 Triple-A All-Star Game at age 26, the baseball equivalent of a college student who dates girls who are still in high school.
Gordon's 2006 card made the list because it's a rarity. Topps produced the card by mistake. Gordon was not on the Royals' 25-man roster at the time the card was issued, making him ineligible for the cardboard treatment.
Topps stopped making the card, but a few of them made their way into circulation. An eBay seller is offering the '06 Gordon for $289.99, for anyone looking for a buy-low opportunity. (Gordon hit .215 with six home runs in 74 games in 2010.)
The other Royals to make Topps' Hot 60 were George Brett (1975) and Bo Jackson. Jackson's 1986 card appeared in a "traded" set that Topps issued in a factory-sealed box. Traded sets feature rookies and players and coaches who changed teams in the course of a season. Jackson made his Royals debut on September 2, 1986.
Image via Flickr: catastrophy.
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