toppspennant

PHOTOS: ASG Home Run Derby

KANSAS CITY — Here’s a look at some of our photos from Monday’s Home Run Derby at Kauffman Stadium. Prince Fielder beat Jose Bautista in the final.

CLICK HERE, to see a complete gallery from the derby and all all-star events.

To have an inside look at baseball history, check out the new Topps Pennant app today and follow us on Twitter @ToppsPennant.

-Chris R. Vaccaro

Magglio Ordonez set to retire

If you’re going to retire, you might as well do it on a day you’re being honored at the ballpark. Magglio Ordonez will officially hang up his cleats Sunday, which happens to be Magglio Ordonez Day at Comerica Park in Detroit.

Ordonez, who signed as a free agent with the Chicago White Sox in 1991, finishes with 2,156 hits during his 15-year big league career. He is a lifetime .309 hitter with 294 home runs and 1,236 RBI.

A six-time all-star, Ordonez finds himself mixed with some unique history. He retires with an 18-game hitting streak in place. It’s the longest streak at the end of a career since Ed Delhanty had a 16-game streak in the late 1903, according to SABR.

Screen shot note: 1) Ordonez’s first hit on Aug. 27, 1997 as a member of the White Sox and 2) Ordonez’s three-run home run on Oct. 14, 2006, which allowed the Tigers to sweep the Athletics in the ALCS.

To have an inside look at baseball history, check out the new Topps Pennant app today and follow us on Twitter @ToppsPennant.

-Chris R. Vaccaro

Share your #TigerMemories with @ToppsPennant

What is your favorite Tigers memory? Kaline’s two-run single in Game 5 of the ’68 World Series, Gibby’s homer in the eighth to clinch the Series in ’84, or was it Verlander’s no hitter in 2007 or in 2011?

On Monday, The Topps Company, Inc. is launching its new baseball app, called Topps Pennant, with a special one-day promotion asking the Detroit faithful to share their favorite Tigers memories using the Topps Pennant app and the #tigermemories hashtag on Twitter.

Participating fans will have the chance to win fun Tigers collectibles including old Topps cards of Tigers players of the 1980’s along with a signed contract from Tigers legend Alan Trammell.

The contest is live now and Topps has Verlander’s support, which is perfect since one of his no-hitters occurred exactly one year ago today. You can see his tweet here.

To learn more about the contest and giveaways, check out the Topps Pennant Tigers’ site.

Topps Pennant Historical Game of the Day

On April 24, 1962, Sandy Koufax tied a record with 18 strikeouts in a 10-2 victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Koufax, who also struck out 18 against the Giants in 1959, shared the record with Indians pitcher Bob Feller, who struck out 18 in 1938 against the Tigers.

Of course, Roger Clemens (1986 and 1996) and Kerry Wood (2001) both went on to strikeout 20 batters in a game to share the record that stands today.

Other players also reached the 19 strikeout plateau after Koufax, including Randy Johnson (2x), David Cone, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver and Steve Carlton.

To have an inside look at baseball history, check out the new Topps Pennant app today.

-Chris R. Vaccaro