The Daily: 2002 Bowman Chrome Joe Mauer Rookie Card
The Card: 2002 Bowman Chrome Joe Mauer RC Autograph #391
With the 2018 season coming to a close for a lot of teams, it looks as though there were several baseball good-byes this weekend. David Wright bid farewell. And while it’s not official, Adrian Beltre has probably played his final game, too. The Giants paid tribute to Hunter Pence like it was the end of more than just a contract.
And then there was Joe Mauer.
It has been a while since Mauer has been hot in the hobby. But in Minnesota, the love affair has always burned. In a symbolic move on Sunday, the 2009 American League MVP brought everything full circle. He stepped out from the dugout in the top of the ninth read to catch behind the plate.
Mauer rose to superstardom as a catcher. But concussions made it necessary for him to move to first base. The last time Mauer caught a game was August, 2013.
Although official on the scorecard, this last gesture was ceremonial. Mauer took one pitch from Matt Belisle, Yoan Moncada didn’t swing and that was it. The Twins icon gave way to Chris Gimenez, who took over for the rest of the game while hugs happened elsewhere. Many an onion were being cut in the dugout and throughout the stadium, or so it seemed from looking at a lot of eyes as they looked on.
Mauer’s said that he is going to take some time to decide if he’ll be back in 2019 but it’s tough to imagine a better good-bye, if that’s what this was.
There was a time when the 2002 Bowman Chrome Joe Mauer Rookie Card was the hottest card in the hobby. For many of us, it probably doesn’t feel that long ago. And what a card it is.
2002 marked just the second year for autographed Rookie Cards for certain players in Bowman Chrome. Rainbows were much smaller back then. Beside the regular version, there’s just a Refractor (500 copies), X-fractor (250 copies) and Gold Refractor (50 copies). The card also has a facsimile autograph variation.
Today, the 2002 Bowman Chrome Joe Mauer RC remains popular to a certain extent. It also remains one of the most recognizable cards from the early part of the ’00s. That said, it’s far past its peak and at a point where it’s appreciated for what it is, what it did and where it has been–much like Mauer himself.
The Daily highlights a key player or personality in the world of sports or collecting from the past 24 hours along with one of their key cards.
