You probably don't know the name Ron Blomberg, but he was the first-overall pick in the 1967 MLB Draft and a big-leaguer for parts of eight seasons with the Yankees and White Sox.

But if you do know his name it's probably because of one thing -- he was the first designated hitter in MLB history.

Could there be more hitting history made soon? Perhaps with the MLB owners' meetings this week in Florida where the owners are considering adopting the DH in the National League as soon as next season. Such a change wouldn't be possible without the approval of the MLBPA but it still could happen.

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🤘 Sean Doolittle Metallica Gnome WITH SOUND 🤘 April 30. #2016Promotions @whatwouldDOOdo @Metallica pic.twitter.com/HCPMzRoy0r

— Oakland Athletics (@Athletics) January 19, 2016

Sean Doolittle of the Oakland A's leads the league in rocking preseason promotion hype with an assist from Metalllica. The gnome in the video above was revealed by the team this week in advance of an April 30 date where 15,000 fans will know "For Whom The Bell Tolls."

On a scale of one to 10, this one goes to 11.

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One of the surprises in last year's Topps baseball card set was First Pitch, a collection of celebrities seen throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at MLB games.

It's back for 2016 Topps Series 1 -- a set that's just 13 days away -- and it's still a secret as the checklist has not yet been revealed. (Nor has the design -- so you can settle for last year's Jessica Alba card above.)

But Buzz has done some research to perhaps discover who'll be in this year's set. We don't know how many cards there might be, but they'll be found a few times per box.

Keep reading for the possibilities.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Some 2015 Panini National Treasures, a Ruthian Pull, Derek Jeter's documents, redemption replacements and some big card company rumors ...

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What: 2016 Topps Archives baseball cards
Arrives: June 1
Box basics: Two autographs in every 24-pack hobby box (10 boxes per case)

What's buzz-worthy: All these years later, Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh makes it to The Show -- on Topps cardboard, that is -- as the stars of Bull Durham, are among the surprises in Topps' newest edition of the retro-themed brand. Previously teased were Kevin Costner's autographs but now we know it's potentially more than just Crash Davis coming to packs.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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Countless collectors call themselves prospectors, and that particular focus is one that can lead to a lot of pack-ripping or a lot of secondary market purchases with future flips in mind.

One brand that's got many of those coveted newcomer names year after year is Elite Extra Edition, which is Panini America's foilboard-focused prospecting brand that typically packs one of the deepest checklists and, with Hot Boxes, some of the highest autograph totals in the hobby.

While the dust isn't yet settling on the recently released newest edition of the brand, Buzz decided to take a look back at nine names who you should know from the previous two editions (2013 and 2014) and see how they did last season. Why? There are inevitably some bargains to be had if you consider this brand and these guys (along with countless other players that may not yet be on the radars of too many prospectors) given box prices these days. After all, old wax can still be good wax if the price is right.

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"Inducting Pete into the Reds Hall of Fame will be a defining moment in the 147-year history of this storied franchise. ... He is one of the greatest players to ever wear a Reds uniform and it will be an unforgettable experience watching him being honored as such."

--  Cincinnati Reds CEO Bob Castellini

That was from the announcement on Tuesday as the team has decided to induct Pete Rose into its Hall of Fame and retire his No. 14 during the weekend of June 24-26.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down the results here. Like this and want to see more -- or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2012 Panini Cooperstown baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 120
Base set completion: 
86 of 150 (57 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notable names pulled on base cards: Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, Christy Mathewson (all base cards are Hall of Famers)

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Demand for The Mick continues to be an all-time high.

A run of high-grade Mickey Mantle Topps and Bowman baseball cards from 1951 to 1969 sold for more than $750,000 this weekend in a Memory Lane Inc. auction.

"The Empire State Collection" consisted of 21 PSA-graded cards and, according to the company, 14 of them set new record-highs for their condition.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Rat-bone Relic reactions, 1990s insert cards, 2015 Panini National Treasures baseball cards. 2015 Leaf Ultimate tennis cards and 2015 Panini Select soccer cards.

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What: 2016 TRISTAR Signature Series Special Delivery
Arrives: Feb. 18
Box basics: 10 envelopes per case -- each with an autographed piece of memorabilia (or redemption for item)

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's Signature Series line of packaged memorabilia returns with a new selection of pieces possible and with every other case containing one "Hot Hit" item that typically sells for more than $500.

Keep reading for more.

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ESPN announced today that it has signed Michelle Beadle to a new multi-year deal to keep her on the airwaves with SportsNation and a new national radio show.

Beadle is one of a small number of ESPN personalities who are non-athetes to appear on certified autographs as she's appeared on cards from Panini America and Topps in recent years.

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Mike Moynihan
Also known as: Moyni
Website: None
Email: gonzaleznut@hotmail.com
Location: Texas
Work away from cards: Financial planner
Collecting since: 1981

Main focuses: I collect Hall of Famer autos and Hall of Famer game-used cards. I also have big Josh Hamilton (almost 2,000 different and more than 100 1/1s) and Ivan Rodriguez (more than 2,500 different with 60 1/1s) player collections. I also have every Topps base set from 1973 to present as well as a bunch of Topps Heritage sets.

Favorite players/teams: Texas Rangers are my favorite team, and I am a big Josh Hamilton and Ivan Rodriguez fan.

Current collecting projects: I am trying to complete the 2015 Panini Immaculate Accolades Materials set. I only need one more card -- the Babe Ruth /5.

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Tom Gaydos
Also Known As: hudsonfan15
Website: www.youtube.com/user/hudsonfan15
Email: hudsonfan15@gmail.com
Location: Connecticut
Work away from cards: Client services for a furniture and textiles company
Collecting since: 1989

Main focuses: Rare items of my favorite player/team.

Favorite players/teams: Tim Hudson, Colts, MMA -- especially Cowboy Cerrone.

Current collecting projects: Always looking for anything rare/nice of Huddy.

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What: 2016 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards
Arrives: July 20
Box basics: Three hits in every 24-pack hobby box

What's buzz-worthy: "If you rip it, he will come" is a possible line here as Kevin Costner's character in Field of Dreams, Ray Kinsella, gets the movie-style nod on Costner's certified autographs. Other surprises in this one? Roman coin Relics ... otherwise the 2016 edition is much like the 10 past releases of this heavily collected retro-styled brand.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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Before he made his big-league debut in 1949, Monte Irvin had been a star in the Negro Leagues who was among the most-respected in the game -- a player who had all-around skills and quite a strong career before making the leap to MLB and ultimate enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.

“Monte was the choice of all Negro National and American League club owners to serve as the No. 1 player to join a white major-league team,” Newark Eagles owner and Hall of Famer Effa Manley once said. “We all agreed, in meeting, he was the best qualified by temperament, character ability, sense of loyalty, morals, age, experiences and physique to represent us as the first black player to enter the white majors since the Walker brothers back in the 1880s. Of course, Branch Rickey lifted Jackie Robinson out of Negro ball and made him the first, and it turned out just fine.”

Irvin, who went on to eight seasons in the big leagues, hitting .293 with 99 homers and 443 RBI beginning as a 30-year-old "rookie," died on Tuesday. He was 96.

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An early version of the 2016 Topps Series 1 baseball checklist arrived on Tuesday and that first glimpse offered a few surprises before its arrival on Feb. 3.

But there are also undoubtedly more still to come.

The First Pitch cards showing celebrities making ceremonial appearances? They're not on the checklist but are confirmed as still coming. There's no note of variations or short-printed cards for the release -- we all know those are coming. They always do.

What else? Keep reading for a rundown of what's known and notable from the checklist

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: The Steiner Sports Cleveland Browns trade-in, Nick Saban's greatness, some Panini America NBA and baseball cases and one mighty pack of Star Wars cards.

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Update: The final (numeric) checklist is here.

The arrival of 2016 Topps Series 1 is not far away but the wait for a checklist is over as Topps revealed the subject list on Monday.

The numerical order of the base set will wait, though, since the reveal of card No. 1 is still to come before its Feb. 3 release. (All cards are listed, though.)
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When 2016 Topps Series 1 arrives just a few weeks from now, it will include something different for baseball cards that is bound to have some people excited about the brand and one particularly unique set inside.

The insert is called Perspectives and it's a 23-card set that features unusual angles and some visual wizardry -- at least on on the Ozzie Smith card teased by the company on Monday.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: National Treasures hits and case breaks, the dirty Cincinnati Bengals, the dirty Pittsburgh Steelers, Carlos Correa, Panini Rewards and more ...

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Panini America revealed two lists of short-printed autographs found in packs of 2015 Panini Contenders baseball cards on Saturday.

One is a list of cards limited to 50 or fewer cards. The other notes cards with less than 200 copies.

Keep reading to see them all.

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The newest edition of Panini America's highest-end baseball brand is here with a mix of big names from the past, big names from today and some potential stars of tomorrow, too.

From sweet spot autographs and inscriptions to legendary memorabilia pieces and deluxe books it looks like 2015 Panini National Treasures has a bit of everything for everyone. (Even Buzz's favorite player.)

With that said, here's a gallery of cards collectors have pulled so far on Day 1 of the release as found on eBay. Buzz will add a few hits from BlowoutTV here, soon, too.

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When your 3 hours into signing 4,000 cards this is what your signature turns too hahahaha pic.twitter.com/GFjGWaEZSH

— Kolby Allard (@KolbyAllard) December 16, 2015

 

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Ken Griffey Jr., Mike Piazza, Johnny Manziel, Steiner Sports, BGS 9.5s, Star Wars and more ...

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