Sometimes, the most meaningful baseball stories have nothing to do with what actually happens on the diamond.
ABC 7 News reported in December that Topps created a baseball card to honor Alex the Great, a beloved therapy rabbit who became an important part of the San Francisco Giants.
And, yes — that’s not a joke. It’s not every day that you see a rabbit appear on an official baseball card.
Editor’s Note: Looking to Sell Sports Cards? Here’s How to Do It Quickly & Easily
Alex the Great Gets the Allen & Ginter Treatment
The card appears in Topps’ 2025 Allen & Ginter set, which dropped in early December. According to the caption on Alex the Great’s Instagram, this is the first time a rabbit has graced the front of a baseball card. So while he joins a long list of MLB legends who have been immortalized by Topps, his actual impact was quite different.
The card itself is classic Allen & Ginter, as it features that distinctive vintage look the brand is known for. The design pays tribute to his role without being overly sentimental, too. It’s respectful and somehow perfectly captures what made this rabbit so special to Giants fans.
The timing of the release also makes this particularly meaningful. Alex passed away earlier in 2025 from cancer at just four years old. So, this card is a touching tribute to an animal who impacted plenty of lives.
The Bunny Who Captured Bay Area Hearts
Alex the Great became a fixture in the San Francisco Bay Area sports community, attending Giants games regularly and serving as a therapy animal for fans and travelers alike. His presence at Oracle Park was about comfort, connection, and the unique way animals can ease anxiety in others.
Beyond the ballpark, Alex logged lots of hours at San Francisco International Airport, where nervous flyers could interact with him before boarding. The combination of his massive size and calm demeanor made him ideal for this kind of work. Meeting a giant, gentle rabbit before a stressful flight is exactly the kind of distraction many people would want.
The fact that Topps chose to honor him with a baseball card speaks volumes about his impact and the company’s willingness to celebrate the broader baseball community.
Allen & Ginter: Where Baseball Cards Get Weird (In the Best Way)
A rabbit showing up on a baseball card isn’t completely absurd because this came from an Allen & Ginter release. This is the set that’s made its reputation by going off-script with its subject matter. They’ve featured everyone from astronauts to chess champions, scientists to celebrities who’ve never swung a bat in their lives.
It’s worth noting that the brand’s roots actually predate modern baseball cards. The original Allen & Ginter tobacco cards from the 1880s featured all sorts of things beyond baseball players.
When Topps revived the brand in 2006, they leaned hard into that tradition, which is what makes Allen & Ginter special in the hobby. It celebrates the wider world while maintaining that connection to baseball culture.
Why This Card Matters Beyond Cardboard
Alex the Great’s inclusion in the Allen & Ginter checklist acknowledges that baseball’s impact extends beyond the diamond. It also highlights that the community surrounding the game includes more than just the players.
Therapy animals like Alex provide genuine mental health benefits to thousands of people. His work at Giants games and SFO helped anxious fans and travelers manage stress by creating positive associations with what could otherwise be overwhelming experiences.
For Giants fans, this card is a tangible way to remember an animal they loved. Alex the Great earned his spot in the set through thousands of hours making people’s days better, one interaction at a time.
Love home runs? Sign up for my Substack today and start getting interesting home run-related observations straight to your inbox! And if you’re new to MLB Daily Dingers, it’s probably best to start here.
