World Series Legend Still on the Hunt for Baseball Card Rarity

Orel Hershiser's 1988 season was nothing short of magical. He ran away with the National League Cy Young Award in a unanimous vote, thanks largely to his record 59 straight scoreless innings to wrap up the regular season. He then took NLCS MVP honors against the heavily favored New York Mets with a win, a save, and a 1.09 ERA in four appearances. Then, in one of the all-time great David v. Goliath matchups in World Series history, Hershiser won both his starts against the Oakland A's en route to World Series MVP honors. Is it any wonder then that SI named the Bulldog "Sportsman of the Year" in 1988?

December 19, 1988, issue of Sports Illustrated featuring Orel Hershiser as Sportsman of the Year | SI Vault

Without a doubt, the Dodgers ace had it all in 1988. Of course that was then. This is now. And Orel Hershiser most definitely doesn't have it all. Specifically, he's had a baseball card sitting at the top of his want list since July. You read that right: a baseball card!

Assorted Orel Hershiser baseball cards | Author's personal collection

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"Why doesn't he just go out and buy it," you might wonder if the last time you bought cards yourself was in 1988. These are different times, and this is no ordinary card. Here's the thing. Only a single one was printed, meaning the card may prove even harder to find than, for instance, the famous Honus Wagner tobacco card that regularly sells in the millions.

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In the parlance of modern card collecting, the "grail card" Hershiser seeks is the 2025 Topps Chrome Superfractor 1/1 Auto. There's a lot to unpack there for the uninitiated, but the short version is it's a shiny card with an autograph and special finish that Topps printed only one of. (And don't ask if he can just buy an unsigned one and autograph it himself! That's not how this Hobby works.)

Just how badly Orel wants this one-of-a-kind card is unclear. At the moment, his offer to whoever pulls the card is more a trade than a huge pile of cash. In his "I Want My Card" bounty video, Hershiser has mentioned flying the collector and a guest to Los Angeles, putting them up in a nice hotel, comping them game tickets, and handing over a signed jersey or other memorabilia. Oh, and of course the card's holder would meet Orel for the handoff as part of the fun. While that might sound pretty good to many collectors, there are at least three reasons the plan might not work.

Orel Hershiser throws the ceremonial first pitch before game 5 of the 2018 World Series. — Oct 28, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers former pitcher Orel Hershiser throws out the ceremonial first pitch in game five of the 2018 World Series against the Boston Red Sox at Dodger Stadium. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

First off, that's a great collection of loot for a Dodger fan, but it's questionable whether fans of the Yankees, Braves, or Tigers would value a trip to Dodger Stadium and a Hershiser meetup the way they would an ultra-rare and highly publicized baseball card.

Second, think about what sort of collector would value that prize package the most. Chances are they'd be a huge Dodger fan with a particular fondness for Orel Hershiser. Well shoot, that's the exact collector that would want to keep the world's most coveted Orel Hershiser card!

And finally, who's to say the card is ever pulled? While Chrome is a popular product collectors love to rip, it's also a product some collectors choose to keep unopened. (Again if you've been gone a while, this might sound a little nuts, but yes, collectors don't always open all their packs, hoping the packs will someday be even more valuable than the cards inside!)

While those are three pretty big strikes against Orel, it would be premature to count him out just yet. In truth, Orel has only presented collectors with his opening offer. With luck the card will eventually be pulled, at which point there's little doubt Orel would entertain at least reasonable counteroffers. Unlike the 1988 New York Mets and Oakland A's lineups, the Hobby has yet to see Orel's best pitch! Besides, if that magical postseason taught us anything, it's that Orel is at his best when the stakes are the highest.

October 31, 1988, issue of Sports Illustrated featuring Orel Hershiser cover | SI Vault