It’s no secret that Matt Strahm is a huge baseball card collector. His hobby has been well documented. From collecting players that homer off of him to just ripping packs, Strahm loves the chase.
With the National Card Show in Cleveland, Ohio wrapping up Sunday, Matt was on the hunt for a special card of his.
“I think there’s a few out there [at Nationals]looking for my rookie superfractor,” said Strahm. A superfractor is a one-of-a-kind card that the Topps company makes of every card in a set. Its gold crystalline variation is sought after by all collectors. Even a superfractor of a player that’s had a cup of coffee in the big leagues can go for hundreds of dollars.
“I know it’s been opened and sold on eBay once,” said Strahm. “Then it got sold as a lot. The guy sold his entire collection and that’s where the trail ends.”
While his hunt for his 1/1 rookie card continues, Strahm has been able to add some special cards to his collection this year.
All-Star Strahm
The All-Star Game was especially fruitful for him. He was able to meet Shohei Ohtani and get his rookie card signed that he pulled from a pack back in 2018. He also gathered a bunch of other cards of fellow All-Stars and got those signed as well. All of the cards he brought to the game were ones he pulled from packs or boxes.
He considers himself a “pack rat.” “Whatever I open is what I collect,” said Stahm. “I enjoy the chase.” Strahm equated his collecting to lottery tickets or going to the casino. While some play blackjack or roulette, he prefers chasing after baseball cards.
During the All-Star Game, Strahm took a cue from young stars Bobby Whitt Jr. and Corbin Carroll. Earlier in the season, the young guns put a couple of their own cards in their pockets during games. They then signed them and got them authenticated and “slabbed” (meaning encased in plastic).
Matt had 4 total cards on him when he appeared in his first All-Star Game, 2 in his left pocket and 2 in his right. “When I pitched they were in my back pocket,” said Strahm. “And as soon as I got out, MLB authenticated them and then we sent them to CGC (a grading company) to have them authenticated again and graded.”
Photo Credit: Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
