This may be hard to believe but I haven’t always been as cool as I am now. I know…I will give you a moment to take that in and try and process such a statement. I really wrote that first part for the one person that may have read this that actually thinks I’m cool. The rest of you were probably thinking, “No Crap”, the minute you read it. Either way, I had to get that out of the way. I am the kind of person that has to grow on people for the most part. I have been called a “Goober” and also learned over the last couple of years what the term, “not my cup of tea” meant. But if you give me a chance, I think I’ll probably wind up sticking to you; I guess that could be good or bad too.
I have been through several phases of my life to try and fit in with the rest of the world, or sometimes even in the hopes of setting a new trend; and those phases were pretty feeble. Take this photo above. This obviously wasn’t a trend I started or even had much of a choice in but this was me with my 1979 Afro that people thought was soooo cute. I don’t get it. I’m not sure what was going on with my hair but as I saw more photos of hairstyles from back in the day, I realized that the Afro wasn’t the worst I had.
Here is another photo of a trend that I tried hard to push. First, this was a chubby phase, which wasn’t by design. I went through multiple chubby/skinny phases before I just settled on fat as an adult. But this was my airbrush/wristband/tight roll phase. I can’t really explain the hat because I’ve never really been a hat guy but this amazing photo was during a fierce battle of nerf basketball in my bedroom and my brother was the cameraman. I wore wrist bands everywhere and way before John Cena made them popular. I also was the king of the Airbrush T. You can still go to the beach and find airbrush designs with the two palm prints and “U Can’t Touch This.” I got it when it was hot off the presses.
I spun through a lot of looks back in the day. I went with the bicycle shorts, JAMZ, tank tops, tye-dye, Chuck Taylors, acid wash jeans, neon socks. Should I keep going? There were hairstyles too like the afro, the buzz cut, the blonde dye job that lasted one day, the spikes and even the old school 80’s feather do (see above.) Yeah, I morphed from 70’s child to 80’s kid to 90’s punk like a real pro. I was trying to keep up with the times but I was also trying to bring in some flair of my own that would make me unique. That didn’t stop when I became an adult either.
Check out these winners!
There was my Don Johnson phase. And Nick even turned it into a 92 Bowman!
Then, after I miraculously found someone to marry me, I still made subtle attempts to be aesthetically relevant that look quite humorous today.
Bunched white knee socks anyone?
Here is my awesome flip phone belt loop holder….yeeck….
I don’t really know what this was but I’ve never regretted a celebrity/athlete photo more than this one.
There was a stretch of time where you could not find me wearing any other pant than those of the wind variety.
Well, this trend never really took off.
We have all likely gone through some time in our lives where we just did things because other people were doing them or we wanted to look like the cool kids on TV. But I have found throughout my life that when I have been most comfortable and really probably presented myself in the best way was when I was just myself. It’s ok to occasionally pattern your look after Rick Grimes but don’t change your entire wardrobe for it. We all have our own unique style and we bring something to the table that only we can bring as long as we are true to ourselves. That may not mean that we are ready for a fashion show or a trendy night club hot spot but it is who we are and we should embrace that.
In 1990, a baseball card company decided to try and step out of their comfort zone and “get with the times” and it was as weak of an effort as my backwards hat and white sunglasses that regretful day at Turner Field. The design of 1990 Donruss had great promise in some aspects, as we found out when they experimented with different colors over the years. But that particular year, and that particular red, that white cursive font, those hideous orange wax packs, those busy MVP inserts; they just left so much to be desired for someone who grew up on Donruss Baseball Cards.
I’m already aware that I have some Twitter friends who actually like the ’90 Donruss set and I must say that from a nostalgic perspective, I think all collectors should have some in their PC. Also, to be fair, you can’t really look at 1990 as a whole and feel real good about the products that were available. Topps and Fleer are not highly regarded today and Score was bright and a fun set but it had improved greatly by 1991. The only great looking sets were Leaf and Upper Deck, both premium sets. But what always got me about the base set of ’90 Donruss was how much I liked “The Rookies” set and the “Best of Baseball” set that came in blue and green. It was the red that really chapped my hide and burned my retinas.
Taken in reasonable doses, the red could be somewhat striking. It’s sort of like ’91 Fleer in that I like the design in a small sample size. It’s when you are ripping a full box or multiple packs when you start seeing the cards stack up on top of each other and you realize that the colors are just too cumbersome.
For example, compare the picture above with the stack of cards from the whole box. This is not bad. It almost feels like they would have been perfect as an insert set. What we did get from 1990 Donruss that has become somewhat of a signature for the brand is the speckles on the right and left border. They have used this design some in recent products but the red hasn’t made a return.
The Puzzle was a Donruss staple I the 80’s and early 90’s. Carl Yastrzemski was saddled with being paired with this set.
Another staple of Donruss has always been the Diamond King, except for their inaugural release. While they have always been a little abstract, they really started to get funky in ’90.
Donruss continued use of the MVP subset although this was one of my least favorites. I never liked the grayish backdrop and orange MVP type. It especially clashed with the red border in my opinion. There are some solid names here though.
Perhaps the greatest Donruss MVP ever is this beauty. The John Smoltz/Tom Glavine mix up had us Braves fans scouring packs for both the correct and error version.
Another drawback for me was the relatively thin Rated Rookie class in this set. The most famous was the Juan Gonzalez reverse negative though I didn’t pull that or the correct version.
While the Rated Rookies were slim, there were some real solid Rookies in the set. I pulled 5 of these Justice RC’s in the box I opened for this post. I would have died in 1990!
Here is your National League All-Stars found in this box. Some of these guys were staples while others weren’t highly collectible, ie. Rick Reuschel.
There were some pretty big names in the American League stack as well with Bo Jackson always being a welcome pull. I think a lot of collectors, especially modern day collectors with no junk wax experience, underestimate the skills of Harold Baines. You never hear collectors mention him but he was as steady as they come.
There wasn’t a whole lot happening in the pitcher category in this box but I did pull Nolan Ryan. It didn’t get any better than that in 1990.
Remember when Craig Biggio was a catcher? He made the unusual move from Catcher to Second Baseman early in his career. Catchers almost always move to First Base or DH but he made the jump to middle infield, showing his athleticism early.
Much like the pitchers, I didn’t pull a long list of stud outfielders. Rickey Henderson and Tony Gwynn were the foundation of many collections during these days but Eric Davis may be one of the most underrated players of my youth. Right behind him in the underrated category is Kevin Mitchell.
I’m really not going to just unload on ’90 Donruss like it is an abomination that ruined the hobby. It’s not that. But the design is one that is synonymous with the negative of the junk wax era for me. You can find these boxes for $5 and the set really doesn’t offer anything special outside of a couple of error cards. This was the year before Elite and Upper Deck was the only company experimenting with autographs at the time. So during those days, it was all about design. For me, this one didn’t get it done. But I do think the set is memorable and represented card companies making the effort to be different. Because of the sheer volume of product still out there, the design, and the poor checklist for Rated Rookies and Diamond Kings, I can’t give the set more than a “2” on the Dub-O-Meter. I want to give it a “3” because of the nostalgia and the prevalence it has in collections from my day. I just can’t and I really do feel bad about that. I liked sorting the cards again but it got old pretty quick too. What say you about ’90 Donruss?
J-Dub
Scoring Scale
1.Let me be the sacrificial lamb so you don’t have to buy these cards. Just read the post and thank me later.
2.There is worse but there is much better – not worth the effort though.
3.Middle of the road – I wouldn’t talk you into buying these but I certainly wouldn’t talk you out of them.
4.You should probably go out and buy a box and enjoy the rip – I did! It has some downside but worth the ride.
5.Stop reading and find a box to buy and get to Breaking! What are you waiting on?
Baseball cards in 1988 were at an all time high for production and an all time low for value. Each of the flagship sets from 1988 are some of the cheapest products you can find on the market today. The Topps design was one of their most bland of the 80’s, Score was marking their first release and Donruss was just plain bad that year. But Fleer sort of gets lost in the shuffle in my opinion. I think in terms of Fleer only, the design for ’88 could be called iconic. The classic white border was accented with red and blue stripes that weren’t overbearing but added an appropriate amount of flair. Even the wrappers are some of the better looking wax packs for Fleer. Remember those terrible ’89 wrappers?
I picked up a box at the LCS recently and I realized that these aren’t as readily available as some of the other junk wax staples in my area. This by no means is to indicate that ’88 Fleer is rare but my LCS has a CASE of ’88 Topps and this is the first ’88 Fleer Box I’ve seen since they opened in 2015. Two things were noticeable about the box. (1) The Box was not in the best shape. It looked like it might have been found at the bottom of Crystal Lake when it dried up. (2) And yes, that sticker on the box does read $68! That’s not what I paid for it but at one time, this was the sticker price for a box of ’88 Fleer. I find that pretty amazing!
As I mentioned, the design is really nice for 1988. The white border was always my preference for Fleer, though I did like some of the gray borders and I LOVED the black bordered Pro Vision cards. But the design in ’88 was not psychedelic, overbearing or too busy to enjoy the actual photo. It’s really pretty clean. The team logo is in the top right and isn’t too large and the player name and position blends well at the top.
This Dan Plesac Card was always a fun one for me. This is a pitcher, in the American League, who has eye black and is in a batting pose, with wrist bands and batting gloves. The 80’s version of Shohei Ohtani? Also, I loved the old Brewers logo!
As with other Retro Reviews, the featured catchers are pretty slim. But Tony Pena almost always makes the cut and this Benito Santiago was an easy pick.
I decided to plug in some less featured infielders than I usually post because these guys were quite good in the late 80’s, but often overlooked. Some of the usual suspects are included but that bottom row pictures some new guys for my review. Alvin Davis was the best player on the Mariners roster for many years. And Kevin Seitzer was a fan favorite in KC. Ken Caminiti was a tough out and had a rocket for an arm. Finally, Kelly Gruber wasn’t my favorite player because of what he did to the Braves in ’91 but he was certainly good.
There are a couple of new faces here as well. Ellis Burks is one of the more underrated outfielders from the late 80’s. Vince Coleman was the junk wax version of Billy Hamilton but he got on base a lot more. Mookie Wilson was a speedster too. I wish Andy Van Slyke played for another team because I liked him but I hated the Pirates thanks to those early 90’s playoff rivalries.
Frank Viola was quite a stud with the Twins and he had thankfully moved on before that fateful World Series battle with Atlanta. Chuck Finley was a great pitcher on horrible teams and Jack McDowell made music on the mound in the early 90’s but actually started making music soon thereafter.
A usual subset for Fleer in the 80’s were the multi player star cards. They usually featured multiple players from different teams that specialized in certain areas. The exceptions were the McGwire Rookie Home Run Card, The Ripken’s and the Red Sox Outfielders, which featured another classic underrated star in Mike Greenwell. Donruss is trying to produce these now but the lack of team logos really hurts.
As usual, ’88 Fleer was mostly swinging and missing with their identification of prospects. They hit on Mark Grace though. And I suppose John Burkett was pretty solid for a few years.
The least desirable card in the set from a design perspective was the All-Star card. These were just plain ugly if you ask me. I pulled all American League stars in this box.
Perhaps the biggest knock on 1988 Baseball Cards, beside production numbers, is the rookie class. Aside from a few bonafide stars like Greg Maddux here and Craig Biggio in Score, it was a pretty weak class overall. Edgar Martinez and Matt Williams were very good major leaguers but collectors aren’t clamoring for their rookie cards. Kevin Mitchell was one of my favorites and before we all started setting up retirement plans with the ’89 Gregg Jefferies Future Star, there was this ’88 Fleer. I included Sam Horn because he was a big stick at times but couldn’t quite piece it all together. There is a Ron Gant in the set as well but I didn’t pull one.
Fleer has a lot to like in 1988. The design is truly one of my favorites, the wax pack is a nice keepsake and it is relatively cheap when you are looking for it. I like the multi player cards and like the action shots in most of the photos. There are a couple of things to dislike as well though. The All-Star set is pretty bad and the rookie class is rather thin. But Greg Maddux, Ron Gant and Kevin Mitchell are enough of an offset for me to still chase some of the rookie class. I really like this set and I think it’s about as underrated as Ellis Burks was. I wish the card stock was a little better but if Fleer hadn’t stopped producing cards in 2007, I can see this as being one of their go to “throwbacks” that are so often found in modern products. But much like my summer days at Crystal Lake, Fleer is simply a memory from my youth that is no longer around to enjoy in 2018. I suppose it’s for the best with all the license shenanigans today but I do think that retro Fleer sets get a bit of a bad rap with modern collectors. If you have the opportunity, pick up some ’88 Fleer and I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.
Anytime my cousin Coop stayed over at my house, or we stayed at the lake or his house, the night was typically about video games. Coop was one of the first of my friends/family that had a Nintendo. Up until that point, my only video game experiences had been Atari and a Tandy Computer. The Nintendo changed our lives and we played every game you can imagine. We started out with Mario and then moved to some action games like Contra and Ninja Gaiden. Then we had sports battles like RBI Baseball, Double Dribble, Hoops, Baseball Stars, NES Play Action Football and Black Bass. Then Tecmo came along and we dedicated all our time to Tecmo Super Bowl, Tecmo Basketball and Tecmo Baseball.
There are two vivid memories I have with Coop and those late night video game marathons. The first was RBI Baseball where Coop had a great shot at taking me down with a late inning base hit. He sent his baserunner around third and he would get hosed by one of my outfielders, ending the game. In a fit of exacerbation, Coop tossed the controller into the air and it took down a shelf above the couch, at 3 am, waking my mom. In a similar late game TSB collapse, Reggie White sacked Jim Kelly, stripping him of the football. White recovered the fumble and streaked to the end zone only to be hawked down by Thurman Thomas inside the 5, where he would fumble the ball right back to the Bills, ending the upset bid. That moment was caught on cassette tape, recording Coop’s screams of “Go Reggie!” that quickly morphed into “No Reggie!” More on the cassette recordings in a minute.
Then there was my buddy Munt. We would normally play basketball in his driveway, dubbed “The Parramore Pavilion”, as long as our legs could go. We would have 3 point contests, play trick shot HORSE and argue over whether Miles really made that memorable layup or not, which he didn’t. He also had a pool table that we would play made up games on all night. We had a game called “nick it” where we would fire the ball off the rail and try to make it bounce all over the table and eventually land in a pocket. We played regular pool too but that got boring. Munt’s house was also where the world famous gummy peaches and jalapeño cheese dip snack originated. We used to love vinegar and salt chips with Frito Lay cheese dip. One night I was dared to dip a gummy peach in the cheese and I didn’t back down from dares in those days. I think I ate a whole pack of gummy peaches and cheese dip that night.
Speaking of ping pong, my cousins Corey, Dusty and Jared had a table and when I spent the night there, we would play tournaments against each other until the wee hours of the morning. There are a couple of memories that stick out with this one. The ping pong table was set up in the dining room and when it was in full action, you didn’t even have enough room to walk completely around the table. The walls on both sides of the table were not far from the edge and we used to scratch and mark up the wall multiple times in a game. Also, think about the sound of a ping pong game. You have the paddle and ball making noise, the ball hitting the table and our paddles occasionally smacking the wall. Oh yeah, we laughed and smack talked each other the whole time too. We played until 3 and 4 in the morning and we never woke their mom up; at least to my knowledge.
This brings me to my buddy Brewer and the stay overs we had. Our gatherings were always about horror movies. I was working at the video store by this time and we rented every movie in the horror section during those days. We watched Video Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Silver Bullet, Friday the 13th, Halloween, Texas Chainsaw, Night of the Living Dead, Return of the Living Dead 1 and 2, Puppet Master, Ghoulies, and any other 80’s-90’s thriller you can think of. We actually stayed at several friends houses together over the years and we took the horror movies every where we went. I specifically remember watching Evil Dead and Dead Alive one night back to back at one friends house and being too freaked out to sleep.
There’s really no actual clear odds on the Elite either as you can rip through entire cases and come up empty. It has to be the rarest card numbered to 10,000 ever created! Of course, you can find singles on eBay at very reasonable prices these days but I’m chasing that high of pulling one. Charlie at the LCS sent me a Facebook message last week saying somebody dropped in with a bunch of unopened wax that he bought. He had a box of ’92 Donruss Series 1 and 2 and he was holding it for me. Not only was the Elite a major chase that year but there are 5,000 signed Cal Ripken Jr’s to be found in that set as well!
The first thing I notice about ’92 is the new foil packaging. This was the first year they switched from wax to foil, in an effort to be a little more “premium”. Donruss also went to a white border for the first time in many years, ’84 I believe. These looked more like classic baseball cards than the previous two issues, which I liked in certain ways but always felt they were a little psychedelic. This was also a year in which Diamond Kings got a full makeover from the older looking fun sketches to a new, more distinguished look with gold foil and a little thicker stock. Each box had 36 packs so let’s see what ripping 72 foil wrappers can uncover!
The pitchers featured some big names from the 90’s. Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz would all go on to have Hall of Fame careers with my Bravos and Schilling and Clemens would make big names for themselves in Boston. Two of the biggest K Machines are found in Nolan Ryan and Doc Gooden.
As usual, the list of catchers is thin but these guys were damn good. This was at the very beginning of Pudge Rodriguez’s career and the very end of Pudge Fisk’s.
This is where the studs can be found! The infielders in 1992 may have been the best collection of active players in my lifetime. Look at these names; Ozzie Smith, Ryne Sandberg, Frank Thomas, Donnie Baseball, Cal Ripken,Wade Boggs, Will The Thrill, Big Mac, Crime Dog and The Big Cat! The infield was absolutely loaded!
The outfield wasn’t that far behind the infield. There were veterans like Kirby Puckett, Tony Gwynn, Eric Davis and Jose Canseco and then there were young stars like Ken Griffey Jr., Ron Gant, Dave Justice and Juan Gonzalez. These guys hit a lot of home runs in the 90’s!
These legends were classified as Designated Hitters so they get their own section.
How about some rookies? These were the guys who made some noise during their careers. Thome was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame! While Pat Mahomes may not have had a star studded career, his son has a good shot.
Here are the “Award Winners” from 1991. Bagwell and Knoblauch won their respective Rookie of the Year awards.
The All-Stars are some pretty recognizable names but I was a little surprised to see Ivan Calderon in the mix. I do remember him having an MVP card in one Donruss set but don’t remember his All Star appearance in the early 90’s.
The highlights of ’91 included Otis Nixon and Rickey Henderson’s stolen base records, Nolan Ryan’s 308 wins and the 3 man no-hitter for Atlanta.
Although these aren’t rookie cards, these are all players on my “Dated Rookies” checklist for autographs. These guys had so much promise in ’91-’92 but they just didn’t pan out. A couple of these players have sons that are youngsters in the league now.
Here are the new and improved Diamond Kings for ’92 with Will Clark being the star of the group. The others I pulled weren’t necessarily at the top of the checklist for ’92. But I still love ’92 DK!
Remember the introduction of the Marlins logo in this set? There was a Rockies card too but I didn’t pull that one.
Once again, there was no Elite Card to be found. The Chase continues and I’ll keep searching because I refuse to give up at this point. 1992 was a big improvement for Donruss in my opinion. The switch to foil wrappers, white borders and foil stamped Diamond Kings made it feel more grown up to me, which was perfect for a 15 year old. The number of legendary players that were active in 1992 is really unbelievable and it’s a shame this checklist had to be right in the thick of the junk wax era. I can’t find much wrong with this set other than a little bit of a weak rookie class. Besides Thome, nobody else is a Hall of Famer and really only a few had good, if only serviceable, careers. But that’s the only knock I have with ’92 Donruss. What say you??