Anthony Fauci first-pitch baseball card sets all-time sales record in just 24 hours

Dr Anthony Fauci's first pitch during MLB 2020's season opener last Thursday may have been quite underwhelming, but  baseball tring card based on first pitch sure was a big hit among fans. On Monday, baseball card designers Topps W anunced limited edition Anthony Fauci first-pitch baseball card which set an all-time print record for company within just 24 hours of its release. company said a whopping 51,512 cards were sold, surpassing previous record set by Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Vlimir Guerrero Jr (19,396 cards) by a comfortable margin. latter featured Guerrero's first hit in Major League Baseball. 

A longtime fan of Nationals, Fauci donned a Nationals jersey and cap and even donned a Nats mask as he took field for ceremonial first pitch. Despite hype, Fauci's first pitch failed to get fans going for new season after he threw a flat curveball that hit grass before reaching Nationals’ reliever Sean Doolittle. 

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card that sold for $9.99 on Topps' website last week, featured a picture of Anthony Fauci throwing out first pitch ahe of game between Washington Nationals and New York Yankees. back of card describes Fauci as an "ardent Washington Nationals fan" whose pitch signalled start of  2020 MLB season. card reported Fauci's first pitch as "a strong effort to plate". 

"I don't kw if you want to call it a pitch," Fauci joked during an online event for Center for Strategic and International Studies last week. "It was really funny." Speaking to CNN about his limited-edition card, 79-year-old said he felt a little "embarrassed" and "humbled" by news. "I hope that Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle are t looking up at me saying, ‘What heck is going on here?’" he ded.

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MLB 2020 season in jeopardy?

After a successful MLB Opening Week, future of alrey shortened 2020 season was thrown into major doubt after as many as three games - Yankees vs Phillies, Marlins vs Orioles and White Sox vs Indians - were postponed this week due to a COVID-19 crisis within team camps. While details of confirmed number of positive cases were t released by league, multiple reports indicate up to 14 individuals in Marlins camp have contracted COVID-19. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred remains confident that season will t be suspended and league's protocols are strong eugh to allow teams to continue playing, even under such uncertain circumstances. 

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(Im Credits: Topps W Twitter Handle)