As MLB prepares for its highly anticipated Tribute to the Negro Leagues game at the historic Rickwood Field on June 20th, several special events and projects are happening in conjunction to celebrate the occasion. One of the most exciting for card collectors is a special trading card collection from Topps. The Topps collection features hand-drawn artwork by former MLB player and renowned artist Micah Johnson.
In an exclusive one-on-one conversation with Marc Cheatham (Cheats) of the Black Baseball Mixtape podcast, Johnson, 33, called this collaboration with Topps, “The perfect project.” He said the project was “very grueling” due to the intense research he had to put in on each of the six subjects: Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Willie Mays, Larry Doby, and Monte Irvin.
Two of the six cards have been released publicly. Paige’s card release was at the Negro League Museum in Kansas City on May 25th, and Gibson’s followed a week later. All of the cards will be released before the June 20th game. Each legendary player holds a special place in Johnson’s heart, but he spoke on the podcast about Josh Gibson in particular. Gibson was the only player of the six not to play in the MLB due to his untimely passing in 1947. Gibson suffered from mental health issues caused by a brain tumor. Johnson can relate, as he has also his battled with mental health. While a large part of Gibson’s life was misunderstood, his talent on the field was truly undeniable. And with MLB’s historic decision to integrate Negro League statistics into the MLB database, Gibson now leads the MLB in several hitting categories, including career batting average, slugging, and OPS.
More About Micah Johnson
Johnson was a ninth-round selection of the Chicago White Sox in the 2012 MLB draft. The Indiana native earned an Opening Day roster spot and debuted with the White Sox in 2015. He went on to play in the Dodgers, Braves, and Rays organizations before injuries shortened his playing career in 2018. Micah finished with a 224-career batting average, 13 runs, 4 RBIs, and 4 stolen bases. But that was just a chapter in Johnson’s ever-evolving book.
After retirement, Johnson renewed his passion for art. After hearing a young boy ask his mother, “Can astronauts be Black?” Johnson created his character Aku, the world’s first digital explorer. Aku is a young Black boy with an oversized astronaut helmet and a limitless passion for exploration. Led by Aku — and Johnson’s foresight to venture into digital art and NFTs, he has generated over $20 million in sales, along with a TV and film development deal. His work has also landed Aku on the Cover of Time Magazine.
Johnson called the Topps collection one of those once-in-a-lifetime projects where you must sacrifice to complete the goal. That may be sacrificing family time, vacation, or the speed of other projects, but he felt compelled to take this opportunity and give it the attention and detail it deserved. Johnson was never the type of player to question his skills on the field, nor does he question his art because he understands the work he put into his craft. The game is won in preparation, and Johnson is well prepared for this chapter in his journey.
You can hear every episode of the Black Baseball Mixtape Podcast everywhere podcasts are streaming.
