Topps' 2009 Allen & Ginter baseball card set will include the usual mix of all-stars and utility players, with a special twist: Fraudsters like Bernie Madoff, Charles Ponzi and Enron will also be inserted in some packs as part of the "World's Biggest Hoaxes, Hoodwinks & Bamboozles" subset.No word yet on whether Alex Rodriguez will be in the set as a regular baseball player or as a fraudster.
This set seems kind of random. Maybe it's supposed to attract people who are interested in fraud, but there are a huge number of inifinitely more interesting fraud-related collectibles available on eBay that also have a much better chance of retaining their value than a mass-produced Bernie Madoff baseball card.
Of course, Major League Baseball is not without its share of ex-stars with legal woes. Aside from Pete Rose, Darryl Strawberry and Barry Bonds, there's Denny McLain -- a true white-collar crook. He's been in prison twice, first in 1985 for racketeering, loan-sharking and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. In 1996 he was sent back to the pokey for stealing $2.5 million from the pension fund of a company he had acquired. That's right: good old-fashioned pension looting.
You can bid on the rookie card of the former 31-game winer -- a 1965 Topps beauty. The bidding is at $2.50 on eBay.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-30-2009 @ 5:33PM
Mike Smeth said...
I'm glad that someone outside of the sports card hobby got wind of this. This is the most poorly conceived and inappropriately timed sports card set I've come come across in my 20+ years of collecting. It really defies comprehension. People collect players and people that they LIKE, not those that they dislike / hate.
If you, or anyone else, is interested in learning more about this set there is a good article on it here: http://www.examiner.com/x-5761-Atlanta-Sports-Cards-and-Memorabilia-Examiner~y2009m3d26-Topps-Allen--Ginter-Baseball-appears-ready-to-make-an-impact-on-the-hobby-in-2009 .
3-31-2009 @ 1:02AM
mu2denny said...
Why so mean spirited and you dont have your facts straight either, at least tell the truth ok. McLain's first case was reversed.
McLain was the guy who also paid the Pension back every penny plus interest, despite professing his innocence so get the facts right ok? Read his book, you might learn something, like the truth of the matter.
3-31-2009 @ 10:20AM
stu said...
Denny McLain was a 31 game winner - not "winer". Does anyone proof-read this?
3-31-2009 @ 12:44PM
Mark Borg said...
DO AMERICANS HAVE TO RIOT IN THE STREETS AND KILL PEOPLE BEFORE GOVERNMENT AND THE CORPORATIONS START ACTING LIKE RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS AND STOP TAKING ALL OF OUR FUKING MONEY.
3-31-2009 @ 5:09PM
Stashu said...
Old Bernie is #1 wide receiver in the prison shower, known to those who are soo close as BenOver for the deep one!