Baseball card stories from Topps photographer Gregg Forwerck

Gregg Forwerck has been a photographer for Topps since 1989, and  his images have appeared on over 20,000 cards. He kindly shared with me some baseball card stories.

"I've been shooting baseball cards and other sports cards for Topps since '89. My first favorite baseball card was the '91Topps Andres Galarraga. Topps called me in the Fall of '90 to make a trip to Cincinnati and shoot a pitcher that had been injured most of the season. I got to the park 2 hours early and saw Galarraga taking some balls at first base. I proceeded to go onto the field and start shooting until a security guard ran me off. I didn't know we couldn't go on the field because at that time you could still go on the field in the NFL. Topps loved the shot and asked how I got it and when I told them they said..."you know you can't go on the field", and I said NOW I do.

Yes, I collect baseball cards. I have 100K cards I guess.

My favorite cards are the ones I did early in my career. Manny's rookie in the blue Youth Services uniform. The back story is that I shot the picture on slide film in his Indians jersey and when I picked the film up the lab had destroyed it. I had to go back up the next day to reshoot and Mannys agent said that Manny actually wanted to be shot in the YS uni, NOT the Indians...happy ending. I also shot the Mannny '92 Bowman...Chipper '92 Bowman...Alan Embree '92 Bowman all on the same day.

My all time favorite player and cards have to be Josh Hamilton's cards early in his career. He was a great subject, a terrific ball player and a great guy. He's had a big impact on my life both professionally and personally over the past 13 yrs and probably doesn't know it. Love the guy and think about him nearly everyday. Really. "

Thanks!