Muscle Sliver has been a staple in Sliver decks for as long as they've existed, but one of the first times it was in the spotlight was a tragic one. At Grand Prix Atlanta in 1997, the room was playing Tempest draft and Mark Justice - one of the biggest names in Magic at the time - snuck a fourth Muscle Sliver into his deck. It had been noticed that one of his copies was a darker shade, suggesting it was from a different print run.

Upon further investigation, it had been discovered that Justice had purchased a Muscle Sliver from a vendor, and when questioned about it, the pro said he had got it to replace one he did draft that he threw out because it was damaged. When the judge staff offered to help him search the garbages for the proof of his innocence, he declined and was disqualified. Not long after, Justice left Magic.