2012 Topps #93 Skip Schumaker baseball card with squirrel Rally Squirrel Baseball Card In its 60-years history, Topps never issued a baseball card without the player's face until 2012 when Topps #93 showed only Skip Schumaker's cleats with a squirrel running by. The squirrel became a cause célèbre during 2011 NLDS between the Phillies and Cardinals at Busch Stadium, running onto the outfield in Game 3 causing delay in play and again in Game 4 crossing home plate in the 5th inning as Roy Oswalt threw a pitch to Skip Schumaker that was called a ball. Phillies manager Manuel argued for "no pitch" but the appeal was denied. Skip flied out but with Cardinals fans cheering for the Rally Squirrel, Oswalt was distracted and David Freese hit a two-run homer in the 6th that led to Cardinals beating the Phillies 5-3. In Game 5, Skip Schumaker's double drove in the only run to win 1-0 and the NLDS as Cardinals beat baseball's best-record Phillies and went on to win the World Series. The 2011 Cardinals World Series rings had 103 round diamonds and 50 custom-cut rubies but between STL logo and home plate with bats is the "Rally Squirrel" that helped them win it all. The Rally Squirrel had 27,000 followers on Twitter and its T-shirts generated $210,000. Skip Schumaker's baseball card is selling for $1 but the Rally Squirrel card sold for $600 on eBay!         — Peter Y. Chou             Mountain View, 12-12-2012

Squirrel crossing home plate as Oswalt pitched to Schumaker Skip Schumaker 2012 Topps #93 baseball card Back of Skip Schumaker "Rally Squirrel" 2012 Topps #93 baseball card Chris Carpenter's 2011 Cardinals World Series ring Detail of "Rally Squirrel" on 2011 Cardinals World Series ring