1989 Fleer cello

I found some Fleer cellos for a dollar each and bought three packs, hoping they maybe early-run cellos - meaning I may have a chance of pulling the infamous Billy Ripken FF error card or a Randy Johnson Marlboro variation card.

Everyone knows about the Ripken card and even if it is more crass than classic - it has become an 'iconic' baseball card for anyone collecting during the past 20 years.

I didn't know about the Johnson Marlboro variation card [where Marlboro signage was visible in the background] - until about five years ago.

Random cello pack one - there were 36 cards per cello pack along with three stickers.

#282 Jerry Gleaton
#38 Gregg Jefferies
#400 Joe Carter
#153 Tom Browning
#494 Mike Diaz
#335 Bob Melvin
#89 Rich Gedman

One thing of note is the backs feature statlines from the players' entire professional career - not just the Major Leagues or the most recent minor league stats. Some of the backs featured an info box [Did You Know?] with some tidbits about the player's career.

#432 Jamie Moyer - it would be real funny if this guy was still pitching today. He began his professional career 25 years ago and made his Major League debut all the way back in 1986. His pro career pretty much spans nearly my entire life so far.
#186 Jim Gantner
#484 Mark McLemore
#126 Fred Toliver
#433 Al Nipper
#128 Doyle Alexander
#313 Keith Moreland
#643 Mike Capel/Drew Hall - Major League Prospects subset

#60 Jeff Hamilton - he looks sickly in this picture, not a guy you'd think would be listed at 6'3'' and 215 pounds.
#526 Chad Kreuter
#390 Pascual Perez
#281 Steve Farr
Baseball stickers - Dodgers, Expos, Mets, Phillies.
Baseball stickers - Pirates, Cardinals, Padres, Giants.
Baseball stickers - Twins, Yankees, Athletics, Mariners.
#293 Kurt Stillwell
#653 Scott Service/Shane Turner - Major League Prospects subset

#263 Hipolito Pena - looks like Fleer decided to play some more games and included a bat boy in their card set.
#354 Danny Darwin
#481 Wally Joyner

#240 Fred McGriff
#3 Todd Burns
#577 David Palmer
#247 David Wells
#206 Doug Drabek
#112 Dan Gladden
#621 Doug Sisk

#5 of 12 Julio Franco - 1989 Fleer All-Star Team insert; miscut and the green ink splotched
#656 Checklist
#216 Vicente Palacios

#552 Edgar Martinez - the greatest designated hitter, ever?
#460 Tony Pena
#83 Ellis Burks

1989 Fleer Baseball... PINSTRIPES!!!

Well, it's time to bust open some more wax. This time, it's real wax. 1989 Fleer baseball. There's a few good rookies in this set. Unfortunately, Fleer only stopped printing them last spring.
But press on we must!
I obtained this pack as an unexpected free gift from an ebay seller that I bought a couple of Braves team sets from. It's sellers like this that would make ebay great, if only there were more of them. I even wrote his name down so I could buy from him again..... but I lost that damn piece of paper. *sigh*
A salute to you, Mr Anonymous ebay gift giver!

Peeking through the wrapper, it looks like I can see a familiar shape.........
It's a Kansas City Royals sticker! I miss stickers.... somebody need to start doing them again.

Anybody admitting to loving the Royals? This card could be yours....

Up next, Bruce Sutter - Braves! Yeah baby! Bruce had just recorded his 300th save in '88... although he was pretty much done by the time this picture was taken...

Felix Fermin - Pirates

Joe Magrane - Cardinals

Jody Reed - BoSox - going in the mail pile for Jackplumstead

Keith Brown - Reds

Fred Manrique - White Sox - wow. Look at those glasses. wow. It's no wonder Fred was on his 4th team in 4 years. Fred is going in the mail pile for Steve over at White Sox Cards

Andy McGafigan - Expos

Mike Moore - Mariners

Paul Gibson - Tigers

Steve Sax - Dodgers
Will Clark - Giants - Will kinda exploded on the scene, becoming one of those "must have" cards in the late '80's early '90's... then he fell of the face of the Earth.

Craig Worthington - Orioles

Rafael Ramirez - Astros - a former Brave, all glove, no hit.

Stan Javier - A's

and..............................................................

Ken Griffey Jr. !!!!

I never pulled one of these back in '89.... still kinda gave me a thrill pulling it out of this pack.

Come to think of it.... I not only miss those damn stickers.... I miss the thrill of pulling that elusive rookie or favourite player out of a pack. Base card, I mean, as I build the entire set and put them in pages... crossing out the new acquisitions off of my "need" list. No autos... no swatches... no short prints... no damn gimmick cards.... (except maybe a prank or two on Billy Ripken)

I miss those days.