First pitches are first surprises in 2015 Topps
By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor
The Dude and a seven-nation army might be impressed.
A 15-card set of ceremonial first pitches will be among the baseball cards to be found when this year’s first set of cards, 2015 Topps Series 1, arrives on Feb. 6.
Among them are actor Jeff Bridges, musicians Jack White and Eddie Vedder, Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney and even 50 Cent, whose notoriously bad first pitch at a New York Mets game has become the highlight reel of legend.
Each of them recently threw out the first pitch at a game and should appear in MLB jerseys as the company released their names and team affiliations on a checklist Tuesday. Click here for the full product checklist.
Also among those showcased? A 105-year-old named Agnes McKee, who threw out the first pitch at a Padres game last July, a man named Tom Willis who threw out a first pitch at a game despite being born without arms — something he has done in 18 ballparks and counting — and 20-year-old Bae Suzy a singer-actress from Korea.
Who else made the cut? Check out the checklist below.
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball and Beckett Sports Card Monthly magazines. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
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2015 TOPPS FIRST PITCH CHECKLIST
FP-01 Jeff Bridges — Los Angeles Dodgers
FP-02 Jack White — Detroit Tigers
FP-03 McKayla Maroney — Chicago White Sox
FP-04 Eddie Vedder — Chicago Cubs
FP-05 Biz Markie — Oakland Athletics
FP-06 Agnes McKee — San Diego Padres
FP-07 Austin Mahone — Atlanta Braves
FP-08 Jermaine Jones — Los Angeles Dodgers
FP-09 Tom Willis — Kansas City Royals
FP-10 Graham Elliot — Chicago Cubs
FP-11 Tom Morello — Chicago Cubs
FP-12 Macklemore — Seattle Mariners
FP-13 Suzy — Los Angeles Dodgers
FP-14 50 Cent — New York Mets
FP-15 Meb Keflezighi — Boston Red Sox
Kind of fun. Be a great autograph set, good luck at getting Agnes though, at 105 …..
no thanks..
No Gary “Baba Booey” Del’Abotte?
Fla Fla Flo Hee SP Variation ?
Ba Ba Bad Pitch Del’Abotte needs to be included
Ta-Ta-Toothey
What a great idea! These look awesome. I’m looking forward to collecting the full set. I know some sour pusses will always complain about non-baseball players in a baseball set, but there are some really cool moments captured on these cards.
Fun…yes. Cool…depends on who you get. Does it belong in Topps Flagship….no. This is what A&G is for. I want baseball cards with baseball players/managers on them from flagship. Again, include in A&G or have them in thier own product. I don’t want one of these as a “hit”.
They happened at a game, so I don’t see them as a stretch at all. Last time I checked, an insert card wasn’t a hit.
What about the other subset inserts that did not happen at a game (like polio vaccine or whatever)? Don’t those belong in Topps Heritage, a look back product, not Topps Series One? Those cards appeal to older collectors not younger ones that Topps Series One is designed to attract to the hobby.
Tom – those “other subset inserts” very nicely, I think, pair up a historical event with a legendary baseball player that was active at the time – a nice way to but baseball history in perspective with national history. And you’re talking about 15 cards total out of hundreds of different inserts – everything else is all baseball.
When I was a younger collector, I loved getting stuff like that in packs. I think a lot of kids today will feel the same way.
If anybody should be on a baseball card it’s the one and only @Buck65!
No Sung Woo for Kansas City? Unacceptable.
Chris…I havn’t read a full checklist yet (I did see you posted one that I downloaded), but I was assuming these would have autos and possibly relics….that was the “hit” I was talking about. I have nothing aginst the cards themselves, and think the design is really awesome…just think they belong in another product.
Doubtful on autos or Relics this time.
FP-04 Eddie Vedder — Chicago Cubs will be the most valuable and sought after card in the entire 2015 Topps set.
They should have done one for Jon Hamm (Mad Men). He threw out the first pitch at a Cardinals game in 2014.
Wouldn’t be surprised if they had 15 more of these in series 2 – possibly covering all 30 teams between the two series. Just a hunch.
Sorry – wrong about the covering all 30 teams. My bad for not looking closer at the checklist …
Common sense says if they do well in Series 1, this will not be a one-and-done thing.
Austin Mahone down. 14 more autographs to go.