2025 Topps Tribute Baseball Calls Its Shot With Mark McGwire and Chris Berman Dual Autograph Card
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2025 Topps Tribute Baseball was released yesterday, the newest product offering in the Topps Baseball landscape. Topps took to Twitter to reveal an intriguing card to chase, one that will take many fans of a certain age right back down memory lane. A dual auto card featuring Mark McGwire and Chris Berman is one of 18 cards within insert Calling The Shot.
JUST IN: Mark McGwire & Chris Berman have a dual autograph card for the first time ever.
— Topps (@Topps) April 16, 2025
The card commemorates McGwire's legendary 1999 HR Derby performance AND Berman's famous "Back, back, back, back..." call. pic.twitter.com/jRVCrVpVS1
An interesting concept for an insert, Calling The Shot pairs a player and the broadcaster who was on the call for a moment to remember. In this case, it's Big Mac and Boomer, and the card takes us back to perhaps the iconic All-Star Game of the modern era, 1999 at Boston's Fenway Park.
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MLB was riding high after McGwire and Sammy Sosa's historic chase for 62 home runs that captivated the sports world in 1998. The next year Boston hosted All-Star Game festivities. This included the memorable unveiling of the All-Century team. The pre-game ceremony included the likes of Sandy Koufax, Stan Musial, Willie Mays, and Boston's own Ted Williams.
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You may not like Mark McGwire but you’re a fool if you didn’t enjoy his HR Derby performance in 1999 pic.twitter.com/xX7zJdjUvQ
— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) June 22, 2024
But, the night before, it was McGwire who was once again front and center. The 1999 Home Run Derby was yet another coronation for the slugger who had dominated headlines. His first round performance was one for the ages, as McGwire hit a then-record 13 home runs.
Of course, it was Berman on the call. As McGwire launched bomb after bomb, it was the commentator's famous 'Back, Back, Back...Gone!' that rang out - again, and again, and again.
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The card commemorates one Berman call on the night, his 'It's all the way to Marblehead!' moment, after McGwire launched his record 13th home run of the first round.
Calling the Shot cards from last year's 2024 Topps Tribute Baseball, include a Kris Bryant/Pat Hughes card capturing the final out in the Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series victory. It's the highest-listed card from last year's set currently on Ebay, at $1,300 for a dual auto numbered to 50.
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A /50 dual auto of the McGwire/Berman card has already found its way to Ebay, currently listed for $500.
The top listing on Ebay, at writing, for a 2025 Topps Tribute Baseball Calling The Shot card is $999 for a David Ortiz/Don Orsillo Dual Auto /25, commemorating Ortiz's 500th career home run.
A 2025 Topps Tribute Baseball Cal Ripken Jr./Chris Berman Dual Auto /50, celebrating Ripken Jr.'s ironman streak sold for $499.99.
Bartolo Colón & Gary Cohen unite on a LEGENDARY dual autograph celebrating Gary's epic call of Bartolo's first career home run 🔥
— Topps (@Topps) April 15, 2025
Arriving tomorrow in 2025 Tribute Baseball! pic.twitter.com/btYHEkPZC3
Other dual autos in this year's insert include Bartolo Colón and Gary Cohen, on a card celebrating Colón's one-and-only career home run.
Michael Terry is a writer based in Brooklyn. He specializes in sports, culture, and collecting. His work has appeared at Topps RIPPED, ESPN, Grantland, Vice Sports, and more.
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