Lance Parrish Autographed 1988 Topps Big #45 Philadelphia Phillies Card

Add a distinctive oversized Topps issue from Lance Parrish's Philadelphia Phillies tenure with this 1988 Topps Big #45, personally autographed by the eight-time Major League All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner, six-time Silver Slugger winner and 1984 World Series champion.

The 1988 Topps Big set marked the debut of an unusual Topps product designed to evoke the company's classic oversized cards of the 1950s. The cards measure approximately 2" x 3", making them both taller and wider than a standard modern baseball card. The design is horizontally oriented and was specifically inspired by the classic 1956 Topps set.

The complete Topps Big set contains 264 cards divided into three separately issued 88-card series. Cards were distributed in seven-card wax packs, and Parrish's #45 falls within the first series (#1-88).

Parrish is correctly cataloged as card #45 with the Philadelphia Phillies, appearing between Dale Sveum #44 and Steve Sax #46. The first series contains an impressive assortment of stars, including Paul Molitor, Alan Trammell, Jose Canseco, Ryne Sandberg, Dave Winfield, Nolan Ryan, Wade Boggs, Kirby Puckett, Gary Carter, Bo Jackson, Cal Ripken Jr., Barry Larkin, Robin Yount and Mike Schmidt.

There's also a detail worth noting for serious Parrish collectors: two copyright variations of #45 are cataloged, one with C*D* on the back and another with D*. They are production variations rather than fundamentally different Parrish cards, but they're an interesting distinction for collectors attempting a truly comprehensive run.

The oversized horizontal format also makes Topps Big particularly well suited to autographs. Compared with a standard 2" x 3" card, the larger surface provides Parrish's signature with more room while giving the finished piece a noticeably different appearance from his regular 1988 Topps #95.

The card comes from Parrish's second and final season with Philadelphia. He appeared in 123 games during 1988, hitting 15 home runs with 60 RBI while serving as the Phillies' primary catcher. More importantly, Parrish was selected to the 1988 National League All-Star team, the eighth and final All-Star selection of his career.

That selection gave Parrish the distinction of earning All-Star honors in both leagues, following his previous selections with Detroit in the American League. His career ultimately included eight All-Star selections, three Gold Gloves, six Silver Slugger Awards and a key role on the 1984 World Series Champion Detroit Tigers.

Card Details:

• Player: Lance Parrish
• Team: Philadelphia Phillies
• Year: 1988
• Manufacturer: Topps
• Set: Topps Big
• Card Number: #45
• Distinctive oversized horizontal-format card
• Measures approximately 2" x 3"
• Design inspired by the classic 1956 Topps set
• Part of Series One of the 264-card Topps Big release
• Originally distributed in seven-card wax packs
• C*D* and D* copyright variations exist
• Different from Parrish's regular 1988 Topps #95
• 1988 National League All-Star
• Eighth and final career All-Star selection
• Eight-time MLB All-Star
• Three-time Gold Glove Award winner
• Six-time Silver Slugger Award winner
• 1984 World Series Champion
• 324 career home runs
• 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 especially nice Parrish issue for a deep autograph collection because of the larger dimensions, horizontal 1950s-inspired design and copyright variations. An excellent addition for collectors of Lance Parrish autographs, Philadelphia Phillies memorabilia, Topps Big baseball cards, oversized baseball cards, 1980s Topps issues, or comprehensive signed player collections.