2004 Leaf Certified Materials Baseball Includes Industry-First Satchel Paige
Game-Used Cards
Perhaps overshadowed by the sizable pre-release buzz surrounding 2004 Leaf Certified
Materials Baseball last week is the fact that the popular product features the
industry's first memorabilia cards of the legendary Satchel Paige.
Paige, one of the most prolific pitchers of his era, spent 22 dominant years in the
Negro Leagues, six in the majors and entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. He
threw a reported 55 no-hitters during his Negro League career, becoming the league's
most popular and recognizable superstar, and its largest gate attraction. He joined
the major leagues in 1948 and promptly helped the Cleveland Indians win the World
Series that year.
In 1965, at the age of 59 and 12 years since he'd last pitched in the majors, Paige
started one game for the Kansas City A's, hurling three shutout innings. Three years
later, he was a coach with the Atlanta Braves, where he wore the jersey Donruss officials
have incorporated into 2004 Leaf Certified Materials.
"Satchel Paige is a baseball icon and one of the most prolific and popular players
in the history of professional baseball," said Ben Ecklar, Donruss' baseball brand
manager. "For us to be able to provide the industry with his first memorabilia cards
is a great thrill for us, and another example of how we continue doing everything we can
to set our products apart from others on the market."
There are several versions of Paige's first memorabilia cards, as they appear in Leaf
Certified's Mirror Materials parallel set as well as the popular and tiered Fabric of
the Game insert. Fabric of the Game versions numbered out of 100 have been selling in
the $100 neighborhood online.
Source: Donruss Playoff, L.P.
Date: August 4, 2004
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