Great Cards for David Ortiz Fans and Collectors
In this story:
Most fans and collectors will agree that David Ortiz doesn't belong in the circle of the all-time greats to ever play the game of baseball. He doesn't need to - he's certainly one of the most popular and beloved players of his generation and perhaps ever. His sense of humor and the joy he spread throughout his career will always make "Big Papi" a collectible player. The fact that he ended up with over 500 home runs and was a first-ballot Hall of Famer doesn't hurt either. There are a lot of great cards of Ortiz out there - here are several that are worth a look.
RELATED: Cards worthy of World Series Heroes
FLEER ULTRA 1997 DAVID ORTIZ
Given that some players from Ortiz's era have dozens of rookie cards, it's a little surprising that Big Papi only has two to choose from - his regular Fleer flagship card and the Fleer Ultra seen here. The Ultra is a bit more "premium" than the other card and has parallels as well, gold and platinum. The platinum is more limited - just 200 copies were produced. Eagle-eyed collectors might notice that there's a different last name on the card - he went by Arias until 1996 when he asked to change to his father's last name, Ortiz.
DONRUSS SIGNATURE SERIES 1997 DAVID ORTIZ
The 1997 Donruss Signature Series autograph card of Ortiz is popular with collectors because it was his first auto card. The red base card was numbered to 3,900, followed by the green (1,000) and blue (100) parallels. An interesting fact about these is that Ortiz didn't sign in the area meant for his signature - most of the autographs are on the side of the card.
TOPPS WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS PATCH AUTO 2014 DAVID ORTIZ
RELATED: Topps Rip Night had David Ortiz Flipping Yankees Cards
Ortiz was a huge part of the success of the Red Sox in recent years. He was unstoppable during the 2013 World Series against the Cardinals and took home the World Series MVP honors in addition to helping bring home a championship to Boston. This insert from the 2014 Topps Series One product pays tribute to Big Papi's dominance.
Sometimes the best memories we have of sports heroes are bigger than the games themselves. After the Boston Marathon bombing, the city was shaken. Ortiz came out onto the field before a game and gave an impassioned, heartfelt speech rallying the crowd. Maybe not every word was "clean" but who cares? It was exactly what we all needed. This variation card from Topps 2013 gives collectors the opportunity to always remember the moment that gave us all goosebumps.
Brian Hough became a fan of the hobby by opening packs of 1986 Donruss and 1987 Topps baseball with his dad and little brother. He has been writing about the collectibles industry for years, initially as a price guide editor for Tuff Stuff Magazine, which was a monthly sports magazine focused on sports cards and collectibles, particularly known for its price guides and checklists, that initially launched in April 1984.