How does Shohei Ohtani have a RC card?

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by packs

When did the 1964 Topps set come out? Piniella's first rookie was in the set but he didn't make his debut until September of that year.

In those days -- Topps could make a card of anyone, anytime. They really did try to keep those cards to either current major leaguers or whom their scouts said were likely to be in the majors. Bot you could and did have cards of people who never made the majors. I like the use Archie Skeen from the 64 set as an example of the no major league experience.

Sometime around 1980 give or take, Topps began to only accept players on the 40-man roster to make cards of. The 1985 Olympic cards were an exception; however, Topps did not use any players who still had college eligibility left which is why there is no Barry Larkin for example in that set.