Bowman 1sts?

Tom Brady’s Bowman 1st is setting the card world on fire. It’s odd to think of a newly released Bowman 1st of a retired player as these normally are issued at the onset of a career, but collectors don’t seem to mind. They’ve heartily endorsed Bowman’s new attempt to manufacture Bowman 1sts retroactively for some dual sports stars.

With success come imitation. That means we can expect a few more Bowman 1sts of older stars who never had Bowman cards (like the Ruth issue earlier this year). It also means mining the archives for more two sports stars that either played in the MiLB or at least were drafted. So, what players can we expect to see in the future and can any of them bring the same hobby attention that Brady has. Here’s a quick look at the top five players that could have Bowman 1sts soon.

Top 5

1. Michael Jordan- It’s a bit of a cheat since the one true GOAT already has a slew of rookie cards, but Jordan never got that magical Bowman 1st designation as his MLB career predated its invention in 2003. Jordan is always among the top five players in terms of grading volume each month even though he’s been retired for two decades now. Of course, this card will remain in our dreams unless Jordan’s licensing deal changes (highly unlikely). Regardless, Jordan is the one clear player that could cause more buzz than Brady.

2. Dan Marino/John Elway- I have these two linked forever in my head and have a difficult time rating one over the other so I’ll just put them together. While the pair aren’t at Tom Brady’s level, they are still clearly top ten quarterbacks of all time and possibly top five. These seem like the logical next Bowman 1sts.

3. Patrick Mahomes- Yes, Mahomes never signed a contract, but he was drafted in 2014. Mahomes could be a particularly fun inclusion as they could include his father in some fashion much like the numerous Ken Griffey Sr./Jr. cards. Mahomes and Marino might be difficult to sort out the rights to as they never signed an MiLB contract, but my guess is that can be worked around fairly easily once Fanatics has control of all the major sports licenses.

4. Russell Wilson- Wilson’s had a nice resurgence and his career is already strong enough to ensure a trip to Canton. He’s also got celebrity swagger as well. Still, this is probably the point where this gimmick loses its luster. The inclusion of Marino, Elway, and Mahomes would all move product. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if including Wilson will even if he’s a potential HOF member.

5. A.J. Brown- Brown had the Padres so enamored with him that they paid him while playing college football at Ole Miss and all he had to do was report to their facilities a couple of days a year. It’s understandable given Brown’s absurd athleticism. Unfortunately, non-quarterbacks are tough sells. Considering most AJ Brown rookie autos can be had for under $100 it is doubtful his Bowman 1st would be worth Topps’ hassle in making these.

The list of professional athletes from other sports that have been drafted in baseball is surprisingly long. I can see Bowman trotting these new 1sts out for a few years, but once we are into the Jameis Winston, Kyler Murray, and Golden Tate territory I’d expect this program to disappear in favor of only new Bowman 1sts of retired MLB players.

Other Sports

Bowman 1sts are indeed the bee’s knees but what about players who chose baseball instead of their other sport. It’s not hard to see other sports imitating Bowman after the success of the Tom Brady 1sts. So here are a few that I’d love to see.

1. Tom Glavine- It’d be great to see a Young Guns of this MLB HOF.

2. Dave Winfield- Winfield could get a Panini Prizm Silver “rookie” for both basketball and football. That’s the epitome of versatility.

3. Bob Gibson and Fergie Jenkins- Gibson and Jenkins played on the Harlem Globetrotters and it’d be cool to see that celebrated with a Panini Prizm Silver as well.

4. Tony Gwynn- Gwynn is undoubtedly beloved but did you know he could hoop? The Clippers did when they drafted him.

5. Jackie Robinson- Robinson played professional football in the PCPFL. This factoid seldom gets mentioned so it is time to put it in cardboard form to give him his due.

Wrap Up

Are you excited about all the potential new Bowman 1sts or is this just a one-time deal that will quickly be forgotten? I’m guessing we will see more of this and am cautiously optimistic that these can be made in a way that keeps the collectorate engaged.