One of Hobby’s Best Known Baseball Cards Gets a 20th Anniversary Facelift
Over the last century the baseball card hobby has grown by incredible leaps and bounds. Originally created as a cigarette sales aid, baseball cards made the "jump" to bicycle noise-makers in the 1950's and 1960's, after which time they began their ascent to the highly popular hobby (and quarter billion dollar industry) that they are today.
During this 100+ year transformation, a handful of baseball cards have defined the hobby and its many periods of change. Ken Griffey Jr.'s 1989 Upper Deck Rookie Card is one these cards. In an era of incredible overproduction for baseball cards that led to the massive devaluation of baseball cards, the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card defied the odds by maintaining its high level of popularity within the collecting community over two decades now.
Upper Deck is celebrating the 20 year anniversary of their 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card, the card which propelled them into hobby prominence, by releasing an autographed version of the card in their 2009 baseball card products.
Upper Deck had Ken Griffey Jr. sign 89 of his 1989 Upper Deck Rookie Cards for the promotion. Beneath Griffey Jr.'s signature, he has hand written the inscription “20 years" on each of the cards. Junior signed the first 13 cards in black ink and the remaining 76 cards in blue ink. These autographed rookie cards will be randomly inserted into packs 2009 Upper Deck Series One Baseball, which is currently slated for release in early February.
In 20 major league seasons, “Junior" has earned 10 “Gold Glove" awards, been selected to the American League All-Star team 13 times and currently ranks fifth in career home runs (611). He is a virtual lock to enter Cooperstown as a first ballot Hall of Famer.
Gabriel Garcia, Upper Deck's associate baseball card brand manager, said via written press release, "We have enjoyed a fantastic relationship with Ken Griffey Jr. since our company's inception. This is the perfect way to help celebrate our 20th anniversary and the enduring partnership that Upper Deck has enjoyed with one of baseball's greatest stars. Griffey's 1989 Upper Deck rookie card is beloved by sports card collectors and those who find these signed versions will truly have a special collectible to add to their collections."
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