This Month at the Hobby Hotspot…

Welcome to the latest column fromRIPPEDsenior writer Greg Bates. Each month, heexamines The Hobby’s current and emerging trends and offers expert opinions on all things collecting.

Bowman Baseball was just making a comeback when I was collecting as a youngster. In 1989, Bowman released its first major baseball set since 1955. One of the founders of The Hobby was back! Now, 35 years later, Bowman is the go-to product for prospects.\xa0

There wasn’t such a thing as 1st Bowman cards in the early 1990s. But had there been, a large number of future Hall of Famers would have been immortalized with that iconic 1st Bowman stamp. Ken Griffey Jr. highlights an impressive list of players that have Bowman rookies.

When Byron Buxton was selected No. 2 overall in the 2012 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins, expectations were through the roof. Within two years — and for two years in a row — he was the top prospect in the game. Buxton’s first official Bowman card came out in 2013, and I had to have one.

\xa0- B. Simon shares his favorite new hobby trend

\xa0- G. Gomes would like to see a baseball pioneer honored

Drop me a line at gbates@collectfanatics.com and let me know your favorite new hobby trend.