Topps is creating a card for the guy who caught the Jeter ball
EchoCanyon
Posts: 2,288 ✭✭✭
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EchoCanyon
Posts: 2,288 ✭✭✭
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<< <i>That fan was a true class act and im glad he is getting these gifts from various groups. >>
+1
Bosox1976
<< <i>That fan was a true class act and im glad he is getting these gifts from various groups. >>
Giving away something you can't afford to give to someone who doesn't need it is just stupid. Donating it to a good cause would have been class, but there would have been nothing wrong with him selling the ball and doing whatever he wanted with the money.
Yogi Berra
The fan who returned Derek Jeter's ball from his 3,000th hit will get a bit of memorabilia to keep — his own baseball card.
Topps says it will produce a trading card featuring Christian Lopez that will be included in sets later this year.
''We thought what he did captures the essence of what baseball and the Topps company is about,'' said Mark Sapir, Topps' vice president for sports.
The recent college graduate with outstanding student loans will get some financial help, too.
Memorabilia dealer Brandon Steiner and sporting goods CEO Mitch Modell said they will make sure Lopez gets at least $50,000 toward his outstanding student loans of $150,000.
Steiner said he got a call on Wednesday from his buddy Modell, and they got the ball rolling. Steiner set up an auction of memorabilia that eventually will include baseballs signed by both Lopez and Jeter and said Modell is pledging five percent from the sale of Yankees-related merchandise at the Modell's chain during what will be called ''Christian Lopez Week.''
''That itself is a totally awesome situation right now for all parties involved,'' Lopez said.
What impressed the sports executives — as well as countless fans across the country — was the way a 23-year-old mobile phone salesman passed on the chance to sell the ball.
Instead, Lopez gave the ball to Jeter, saying he deserved to have the keepsake.
''Can you believe how good a mensch this kid was?'' Steiner said.
And it appears he won't have to pay for it, should the IRS not consider the items Lopez has received as gifts.
MillerCoors released a statement Wednesday offering to cover any taxes because it "believes you should be rewarded for the right thing, not penalized."
"Our aim is to help and make sure he can enjoy ... the gifts we are willing to provide," MillerCoors spokesman Julian Green said, "without overburdening him with taxes or more debt."
Lopez has been overrun with requests since Saturday.
''It's been overwhelming to be honest with you,'' he said. ''It's been a little crazy. But I'm handling it as best I can. I'm trying to get back to everybody I can.''
That includes Topps.
''Yeah, I spoke with them a couple days ago,'' Lopez said. ''All I know is they kind of want to make a baseball card out of me.''
Lopez was an avid collector as a kid. He said he has ''probably a couple thousand baseball cards.''
His favorite? A Yankees card, of course. It depicts Babe Ruth and one of the Yankees' owners at the time he came over from the Red Sox in 1920.
''It's a very dear card to me. I've had it for 15 years now or so,'' Lopez said.
Now he'll have another Yankees card to keep next to it.
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<< <i>That fan was a true class act and im glad he is getting these gifts from various groups. >>
Giving away something you can't afford to give to someone who doesn't need it is just stupid. Donating it to a good cause would have been class, but there would have been nothing wrong with him selling the ball and doing whatever he wanted with the money. >>
Giving something to someone which you know actually means something to that person (Jeter getting his 3,000 hit ball) is not stupid. If you donated it to a cause they would of sold it and kept the money. That would of been stupid.
<< <i>Why would anyone but that idiot and his family want a card with him on it? >>
Your username speaks volumes
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His favorite? A Yankees card, of course. It depicts Babe Ruth and one of the Yankees' owners at the time he came over from the Red Sox in 1920.
''It's a very dear card to me. I've had it for 15 years now or so,'' Lopez said.
>>
What card is this?? I'm familiar with a lot of Ruth cards, but can't picture anything vintage of Ruth with an owner.
N54
Yea, I guess this must be it. I'm not sure why this particular card is so special to him unless coincidentally it just happened to be one of the first vintage cards he got.
BTW: I figured Levi could use the plug for the ebay link. LOL
Tiny Dot Explained
<< <i>I think it is awesome what Lopez did. I also think it is cool that Topps will put him on a card. I think a selfless act should be rewarded in some way or another. You just don't see unselfish acts anymore. All those that think this guy was a fool or an idiot. I strongly suggest taking a look in the mirror before calling the kettle black... >>
When you consider the fact that this guy sells cell phones for a living and has like $150,000 in outstanding debt, I don't see how you could come to the conclusion that this was anything but a dumb move by an overzealous fan. All he wanted was a chance to hand Jeter the ball and shake his hand? For $250,000??? He could have handed Jeter a ball and shook his hand at an autograph signing for like 1% of that. Jeter already has his uniform, bat, $17mil a year, and all types of other stuff to commemorate the occasion. He didn't need the ball and obviously wasn't willing to pay anywhere close to what it would have brought on the auction block despite the fact that he clearly has the means. Sorry, I'm just not a big enough stan of anybody that I would even consider giving them $250k+ just to feel like I'm a part of their life for a minute, especially if I was in this guy's situation. A selfless act of kindness for someone in need is one thing. This is just flat out idiotic hero worship.
I must have hit pretty close to home for all that to be typed as a reply...
MY GOLD TYPE SET https://pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/complete-type-sets/gold-type-set-12-piece-circulation-strikes-1839-1933/publishedset/321940
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<< <i>That fan was a true class act and im glad he is getting these gifts from various groups. >>
Giving away something you can't afford to give to someone who doesn't need it is just stupid. Donating it to a good cause would have been class, but there would have been nothing wrong with him selling the ball and doing whatever he wanted with the money. >>
Giving something to someone which you know actually means something to that person (Jeter getting his 3,000 hit ball) is not stupid. If you donated it to a cause they would of sold it and kept the money. That would of been stupid. >>
Well, it looks like Steiner has already sold close to $3Mil in Jeter 3k hit merchandise. They already have one of Derek's jerseys from the game and are debating on whether to sell it whole or cut it up and sell swatches of it. Think he's not gonna keep his share of the money from the sales?
What if the guy who caught the ball said he was going to donate it to the HOF? What would the tax implications be? It seems hard for me to believe that there would be a tax involved when someone donates something with no basis and receives no money from said item.
I understand the tax implications of the tickets, jerseys, etc.
<< <i>Any tax people here?
What if the guy who caught the ball said he was going to donate it to the HOF? What would the tax implications be? It seems hard for me to believe that there would be a tax involved when someone donates something with no basis and receives no money from said item.
I understand the tax implications of the tickets, jerseys, etc. >>
Well, Joe Louis found it hard to believe when they came after him for taxes on the millions he donated to military relief funds during WWII.