Lance Parrish Autographed 2003 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites #69 Detroit Tigers Card

This is a very nice modern-era Lance Parrish issue and a natural return to the team with which he is most closely associated. The 2003 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites #69 features Parrish as a member of the Detroit Tigers, celebrating one of the premier power-hitting catchers of his generation more than two decades after the beginning of his Detroit career. Parrish is confirmed as card #69 in the 150-card All-Time Fan Favorites base set.

Topps All-Time Fan Favorites was designed specifically around retired stars and memorable fan favorites, using classic Topps-inspired designs to give collectors new cards of players from earlier generations. The checklist is loaded with recognizable names, including Willie Mays, Stan Musial, George Brett, Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt, Yogi Berra, Robin Yount and Parrish.

That makes this card different from the many Parrish issues we've been working through from his actual playing career. His last Major League season came in 1995, so the 2003 All-Time Fan Favorites #69 is a retrospective issue, intentionally returning Parrish to his Detroit Tigers identity rather than documenting a current roster affiliation.

Detroit is certainly the appropriate choice. Parrish spent the first 10 seasons of his Major League career with the Tigers, developing into one of baseball's elite catchers and a central figure on the dominant 1984 World Series championship team. His combination of power and defense helped earn him eight career All-Star selections, three Gold Gloves and six Silver Slugger Awards.

There is also an important collecting angle with #69: Topps produced a Chrome Refractor parallel of the entire 150-card set, with each Refractor serial numbered to only 299 copies. Lance Parrish #69 is specifically included in that Refractor checklist as a Detroit Tiger. So if you haveor eventually come acrossthe Refractor #69 signed, that would be a considerably tougher companion to this regular version.

The set also featured an extensive Archives Autographs program with 165 autograph cards, so collectors should distinguish a privately signed base #69 such as this card from the factory-issued Topps certified autograph inserts.

Card Details:

• Player: Lance Parrish
• Team: Detroit Tigers
• Year: 2003
• Manufacturer: Topps
• Set: All-Time Fan Favorites
• Card Number: #69
• Retrospective issue honoring a popular former Major League star
• Part of the 150-card All-Time Fan Favorites base set
• Features Parrish with the team most closely associated with his career
• Separate Chrome Refractor #69 serial numbered to 299 also exists
• Privately signed base card, distinct from the set's factory-certified Archives Autographs
• Eight-time MLB All-Star
• Three-time Gold Glove Award winner
• Six-time Silver Slugger Award winner
• Starting catcher for the 1984 World Series Champion Detroit Tigers
• 1,782 career hits
• 324 career home runs
• 1,070 career RBI
• 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.