An 11-year-old boy in Los Angeles experienced a moment of sheer disbelief when he opened a rare Paul Skenes baseball card, famously declaring that his “brain pooped.” This revelation came last month when Topps announced the boy had pulled “The Paul Skenes 1/1 Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card.”
How did this young collector and his family stumble upon such a coveted card featuring the Pittsburgh Pirates’ rising star? The excitement of that moment is something the boy will never forget.
Reflecting on the Christmas Day surprise, the boy explained in an interview with The Athletic, “It wasn’t even on my mind that I would pull it [the Skenes card]. I thought it would go to some big breaker.” He recounted how he turned to his father in disbelief, exclaiming, “Dad, I pulled the Paul Skenes,” to which his father responded skeptically, “No you didn’t.”
The boy’s father shared his favorite part of the experience, recalling a lighthearted exchange with his son. “I said, ‘So if you share this with the world, you really want to tell the world that your brain pooped?'” The father noted that the boy’s smile was a highlight of the moment, capturing the sheer joy of the unexpected discovery.
Interestingly, the boy declined an impressive offer from the Pirates, which included 30 years of season tickets behind home plate for the card. This decision highlights the sentimental value the card holds for him beyond its monetary worth.
As for Paul Skenes, the player featured on the card, he had a remarkable rookie season with the Pirates. Selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft from LSU, Skenes made his MLB debut just a year after being drafted, starting his first game on May 11, 2024.
In his 23 starts, Skenes recorded an impressive 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts over 133 innings, showcasing his potential as a future star in Major League Baseball.
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