Some of baseball’s most meaningful milestones don’t show up in the box score. At times, history is made through moments of representation beyond the diamond. And one such moment came in 2020, when Alyssa Nakken shattered a century-old glass ceiling by joining the Giants’ major league coaching staff, reshaping the culture of MLB.
She became the first full-time female coach in MLB history. Her appointment wasn’t just a line in the record books, but it opened a door for generations of women who dream of a place in baseball.
Now, years later, Nakken continues her journey with the Guardians. But this time it’s not her professional strides that have captured the baseball world’s attention. Rather, it’s a heartfelt gesture from someone quite special: her husband, Robert. His recent social media post captivated the entire baseball community and reminded everyone why Alyssa’s story matters.
When Alyssa Nakken was named an MLB coach, it was such a historic moment that Topps made a baseball card to celebrate it. In a short span, the cards were sold out, and why not? Fans were thrilled to get their hands on it, as it marked a powerful milestone for women in baseball.
Now, Robert wants to collect the variants of those cards. “I’m working on a Christmas gift for the in-laws, so I’m on the hunt for all variations of my wife’s 2022 Topps now #45A and #45. Any and all help is appreciated!” he posted on X a couple of days ago.
Later, Topps shared a screenshot of that on their official Instagram account, writing. “That’s real love He’s putting together the ultimate gift for his in-laws by securing all the 2022 Topps Now variation cards of his wife, Alyssa Nakken, who made history as MLB’s first female on-field coach Let’s help this man out.” And it sparked a discussion among the fans.
The fans immediately got involved to help Robert in his quest, resharing the post frequently. Searching for the 45A and 45 card of the Topps 2022 batch of Alyssa Nakken is no longer Robert’s sole quest now. The MLB community is behind it.
What do the fans have to say about Robert Nakken’s quest?
“Pretty awesome gesture! But let’s hope the in-laws don’t see this!” wrote a user. While Robert surely has done a commendable job asking the fans to help, it comes with a risk that his plan for the next Christmas might get published to his in-laws. Well, a Christmas gift should come as a surprise. Now, with a social media post, it may not remain a surprise anymore.
“He can turn any 45 into a 45a pretty easily also,” wrote another fan. Ahh, when you got the woman in the house herself, why search for an autographed version? For the unversed, the number cards are the base cards. And those coming with an A as a suffix are their autographed version. Here, Robert is searching for card number 45 and its autographed version 45A. So, while he can have the 45A that too originally signed by Alyssa Nakken, the base card is still required. Search, MLB fans!
“That’s a real true love!” read a comment. Robert himself is also a baseball coach. And hence, love for MLB runs deep in the family. Gifting the rarest cards to his in-laws that too all in a sequence, must be a great feeling for him. But hey, it’s quite difficult and expensive to get the cards in sequence. Surely, the true love between the couple is getting reflected here.
Note: The cards can go for huge amounts. For instance, $12.6 million was paid for a 1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card!
“Sure. I’ll take a million for mine,” one more user chimed in. Exactly what we were talking about. Considering the rarity of the Topps’ 2022 batch of Alyssa Nakken, Robert will need to shell out quite a bit of money, for 45 and 45A. In his quest, he might find a few collectors who could demand outrageous amounts.
Meanwhile, one fan called out the college softball team where Alyssa was an alumnus: “Let’s go Sacramento State Hornets!” Notably, Alyssa played college softball holding the first base for the Sacramento State Hornets. She had quite a good career there with a BA of .304. She was also named to the All-Pacific Coast Softball Conference four times. Well, now it’s time for the college to help in the search. Will they?
Nevertheless, we hope Robert Nakken finds the cards. And he can present the best gift possible to his in-laws.
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