Topps announces signings, replacements in new lines

Ysponder

08.260 Posted on August 26, 2011 – 8:44 am | Author: chrisolds
By Chris Olds | Beckett Sports Card Monthly Editor

The Topps acquisitions team has apparently been busy of late as the company officially announced a pair of signings for upcoming baseball and football products while  also noting some Hall of Fame-caliber changes to another forthcoming baseball release.

On Friday, Topps confirmed news that Kansas City Royals rookie Eric Hosmer, who had been locked up in an exclusive autograph contract with another company, will be among the signers for 2011 Topps Chrome, arriving on Sept. 7. He also will appear in the upcoming Triple Threads, Finest and Topps Update sets. These are his first MLB cards to be found in packs. The company had previously discussed that Hosmer would be in some of its forthcoming products during its National Sports Collectors Convention Q&A session.

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Over in football territory, the company announced on Thursday that it will have autographs of the newest Oakland Raider, Terrelle Pryor, on autographed cards beginning with 2011 Bowman Sterling. The Ohio State product was a third-round supplemental pick earlier this week. He signed a four-year deal with the Raiders on Thursday night.

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Finally, Topps announced a serious shake-up of its upcoming Tier One baseball card set, adding the following top-tier players to its Relic checklist:

Thurman Munson, New York Yankees
Jimmie Foxx, Boston Red Sox
Rogers Hornsby, St. Louis Cardinals
Roy Campanella, Brooklyn Dodgers
Johnny Mize, St. Louis Cardinals
Pee Wee Reese, Brooklyn Dodgers
George Sisler, St. Louis Browns
Tris Speaker, Cleveland Indians
Babe Ruth, New York Yankees
Johnny Bench, Cincinnati Reds
Ty Cobb, Detroit Tigers
Rickey Henderson, New York Yankees
Lou Gehrig, New York Yankees
Sandy Koufax, Dodgers
Mickey Mantle, New York Yankees
Don Mattingly, New York Yankees
Brooks Robinson, Baltimore Orioles
Ryne Sandberg, Chicago Cubs
Tom Seaver, New York Mets
Willie Mays, Giants

They replace a crop of active and more recent retirees, including: Andre Ethier, Steve Garvey, David Ortiz, Brandon Phillips, Carlos Quentin, Matt Cain, Jimmy Rollins, Gaylord Perry, Jay Bruce, Pablo Sandoval, Drew Stubbs, Adam Jones, Billy Butler, Heath Bell, Fergie Jenkins, Carlos Marmol, Evan Longoria, Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto and Clay Buchholz.