Chris Hammond Autographed 1992 Leaf Black Gold #178 Cincinnati Reds Card

The 1992 Leaf Black Gold #178 Chris Hammond is a distinctive parallel of his regular 1992 Leaf card, featuring the left-handed pitcher with the Cincinnati Reds. Personally autographed by Hammond, the Black Gold version offers considerably more visual and collecting appeal than the standard Leaf issue and is an excellent variation for a comprehensive player collection.

The Black Gold parallel is distinguished by its darker black-and-gold design elements, giving the card a noticeably different appearance from the regular 1992 Leaf release. These parallels provided collectors with an additional challenge beyond completing the standard set and remain popular with collectors pursuing player runs and early parallel issues.

Hammond was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth round of the 1986 MLB Draft following his collegiate career at the University of Alabama. He progressed through Cincinnati's minor league system before making his Major League debut on July 16, 1990.

The 1992 Leaf Black Gold #178 dates from Hammond's final season in the Cincinnati organization. Following the season, his career changed direction when the expansion Florida Marlins selected him in the 1992 MLB Expansion Draft.

Florida gave Hammond an opportunity to become a full-time starting pitcher. During the Marlins' inaugural 1993 season, he made 32 starts and finished 15-12, leading the expansion club in victories and establishing a career high in wins.

Hammond's career would later become notable for an extraordinary second act. After spending three seasons away from the Major Leagues, he returned at age 36 with the Atlanta Braves in 2002 and reinvented himself as an exceptionally effective relief pitcher.

Hammond went 7-2 with a remarkable 0.95 ERA in 63 appearances for Atlanta, allowing only seven earned runs over 76 innings. His comeback extended his Major League career through 2006 and gave him parts of 14 seasons in the Majors.

For collectors building a deeper Hammond run, the Black Gold parallel provides an especially appealing alternative to his standard 1992 Leaf #178 and highlights the growing use of parallel cards during the early 1990s.

Card Details:

• Player: Chris Hammond
• Team: Cincinnati Reds
• Year: 1992
• Manufacturer: Leaf
• Set: Black Gold
• Card Number: #178
• Black Gold parallel of the regular 1992 Leaf #178
• Distinctive black-and-gold design
• More specialized issue than the standard Leaf version
• Early example of the parallel-card concept
• Features Hammond with the Cincinnati Reds
• Issued during his final season in the Cincinnati organization
• Sixth-round selection in the 1986 MLB Draft
• Former University of Alabama pitcher
• Selected by the Florida Marlins in the 1992 MLB Expansion Draft
• Went 15-12 with Florida in 1993
• Led the inaugural Marlins in victories
• Posted an exceptional 0.95 ERA with Atlanta in 2002
• Pitched in parts of 14 Major League seasons
• Personally autographed
• Condition: NM-MT or better

Authentication: Signature obtained through a private signing conducted by Under the Radar Sports Promotions and guaranteed to pass any third-party authentication service.

An excellent signed parallel for collectors of Chris Hammond, Cincinnati Reds memorabilia, 1992 Leaf Black Gold, early baseball card parallels, player variations, or autographed baseball memorabilia.