The old adage goes that if something is too good to be true, it usually is. How about a 165-pound Japanese high schooler whose fastball hits 104 on the radar gun?

Many collectors were skeptical of the young man named Kazuo "The Uzi" Uzuki, who appears on a card in 2008 Topps Series 1 Baseball. And as it turns out, they had a right to be, since Topps admitted today that the teen with the cannon arm was just an April Fool's prank.

"With the latest Japanese imports, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Kosuke Fukudome, fans, scouts and even card companies continue to search the globe for the next sensation," said Clay Luraschi, Topps' Baseball Brand Manager in a company press release. "While 'The Uzi' is indeed a fictional character, we look forward to the 2008 major league baseball season as the league continues to become more and more global."

Even though the buzz over Uzuki is sure to die down now that the truth has been revealed, it's still a fun card to have, if for no reason other than the entertaining write-up on the back. One Uzuki card can be found in every 72 packs (or every other hobby box) of 2008 Topps Series 1.

Image courtesy of and copyright Topps.