Steve Watson - An Appreciation and a Comprehensive Card List

1982 Topps Rookie

    
Steve Watson was a talented (but often overlooked) wide receiver for the Denver Broncos during the 1980s. Statistically, between 1981 and 1986*, over a 6-year period, he averaged more than a 1000-yards receiving per season (*adjusting for the fact that 1982 was a 9-game season). Indeed, Watson provided John Elway with a #1 receiver in Elway's early seasons. Elway took advantage of that opportunity and frequently targeted Watson to help give the Broncos offense a spark.
    

1984 Topps

   
After seeing his statistics diminish gradually between 1984 and 1986, Watson missed most of the 1987 season. Following that season, he never played again. In regard to Watson's career, John Elway said,“Best hands on the team. He’s not a great speed threat. But when the time gets tough and you need a big completion, you know you can go to him and he’ll make the catch. When it’s crunch time, he’s one of the best there is.” On the whole, Steve Watson left behind positive memories for Broncos fans and the impression that he maximized everything he had skill-wise to accomplish what he did.
    

1985 Topps

Below is a comprehensive list of Steve Watson cards and corresponding memorabilia from the 1980s: 
 
1982 Topps #76 Denver Broncos TL
1982 Topps #90 Steve Watson RC
1982 Topps #91 Steve Watson IA
1982 Topps Stickers #200 Steve Watson        
1982 Topps Stickers #222 Steve Watson Foil
1982 Topps Team Checklists #76 Denver Broncos TL
1983 Topps #269 Steve Watson DP
1983 Topps Stickers #56 Steve Watson
1984 Broncos Pizza Hut Glasses #1
1984 Topps Stickers #178 Steve Watson
1984 Topps #61 Denver Broncos TL/Steve Watson
1984 Topps #70 Steve Watson
1985 Topps #245 Steve Watson
1985 Topps Stickers #31 Steve Watson/#181 Lionel Washington
1986 McDonald's Broncos Black Tab #81 Steve Watson
1986 McDonald's Broncos Blue Tab #81 Steve Watson
1986 McDonald's Broncos Gold Tab #81 Steve Watson
1986 McDonald's Broncos Green Tab #81 Steve Watson
1986 Topps #115 Steve Watson
1986 Topps Stickers #29 Leonard Smith/#179 Steve Watson
1987 Broncos Ace Fact Pack #19 Steve Watson
1987 Topps #35 Steve Watson
1989 Franchise Game #53 Steve Watson

John Elway - A Comprehensive Card List from 1982-90

1984 Topps Sticker

   
Of all players who I have ever collected in any sport,  no player (with the possible exception of Dan Marino) exceeds the fun and enjoyment I've gained as a result of collecting John Elway cards and memorabilia. In many ways, John Elway was my boyhood hero. Beginning with the 1986 season, I avidly followed John Elway's career right through the Super Bowl XXXIII win.
 

1984 Topps Rookie

Because John Elway is such a popular figure in the hobby, it would be nearly impossible to collect one of every card he has. Each year, new John Elway cards go to press and it only adds to the massive volume of John Elway cards out there. To this day, my favorite John Elway card remains his 1984 Topps rookie card because the set contains rookie cards of my all-time favorite NFL players, Elway, Marino and Green as well as other rookie cards including Dickerson and Long. What a set!
   

1985 Topps Sticker

In the 1980s and through 1990 before the number of different John Elway cards produced each year went through the roof to astronomical levels unimagined, there was just a few different cards of him made each year. John Elway even has a minor league issue and a college card from the 1980s. Indeed collecting John Elway cards over the first half of his career can be reasonably accomplished and provide certain unique twists for a player who became one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
  

1985 Topps

  
1982 Oneonta Yankees TCMA #13 John Elway

1982 Stanford Team Sheets #1 Sheet 1

1983 Tudor Figurines #2004 John Elway

1984 7-Eleven Discs #W17 John Elway

1984 Topps #63 John Elway RC

1984 Topps Stickers #179 John Elway

1985 Topps #235 Denver Broncos TL/Thousand Yarder/Gets The Ball/( Elway)

1985 Topps #238 John Elway

1985 Topps Coming Soon Stickers #24 John Elway

1985 Topps Glossy Inserts #3 John Elway

1985 Topps Stickers #24 John Elway

1986 DairyPak Cartons #5 John Elway

1986 Fleer Team Action #19 Denver Broncos

1986 McDonald's Broncos Black Tab #7 John Elway DP

1986 McDonald's Broncos Blue Tab #7 John Elway DP

1986 McDonald's Broncos Gold Tab #7 John Elway DP

1986 McDonald's Broncos Green Tab #7 John Elway DP

1986 Topps #112 John Elway

1986 Topps Stickers #26 J.T. Smith/ 176 John Elway

1987 Broncos Ace Fact Pack #4 John Elway

1987 Fleer Team Action #13 Denver Broncos

1987 Marketcom/Sports Illustrated #18 John Elway

1987 NFLPA Player Pencils Series 3 #1 John Elway

1987 Topps #31 John Elway

1987 Topps American/UK #6 John Elway

1987 Topps Box Bottoms #D John Elway

1987 Topps Stickers #174 John Elway

1987 Wheaties Mini Posters #22 John Elway

1988 Fleer Team Action #5 Denver Broncos Offense

1988 Fleer Team Action #59 Super Bowl Checklist

1988 Fleer Team Action #69 AFC Championship

1988 Football Heroes Sticker Book #7 John Elway

1988 Kenner Starting Lineup Cards #50 John Elway

1988 NFLPA Player Pencils #2 John Elway

1988 Panini Stickers #51 John Elway

1988 SLU Football #45 John Elway

1988 SLU Football Open #45 John Elway

1988 Starline Prototypes #1 John Elway

1988 Topps #23 John Elway AP

1988 Topps Sticker Backs #3 John Elway

1988 Topps Stickers #134 Hanford Dixon/ 147 John Elway AP FOIL

1988 Topps Stickers #175 John Elway

1988 Wagon Wheel #6 Quarterback

1989-90 Pro Set Super Bowl XXIV Binder #100 John Elway

1989 Kenner Starting Lineup Cards #35 John Elway

1989 Pacific Steve Largent #70 Largent/Elway

1989 Panini Stickers #263 John Elway

1989 Panini Stickers UK #263 John Elway

1989 Pro Set #100A John Elway DRAFT

1989 Pro Set #100B John Elway TRADE

1989 SLU Football #33 John Elway

1989 SLU Football Open #33 John Elway

1989 SLU One-On-One * #9 John Elway/Howie Long

1989 SLU One-On-One Open* #9 John Elway/Howie Long

1989 Score Supplemental #339S John Elway

1989 Sports Illustrated for Kids I #103 John Elway FB

1989 TV-4 NFL Quarterbacks #19 John Elway

1989 Topps #238 Broncos Team UER/John Elway Ground Attack

1989 Topps #241 John Elway

1989 Topps American/UK #4 John Elway

1989 Touchdown UK #28 Long Pass From Broncos QB

1990-91 Pro Line Samples #21 John Elway

1990 Action Packed #63 John Elway

1990 British Petroleum #1A John Elway

1990 British Petroleum Contest Rules Back #1A John Elway

1990 FACT Pro Set Cincinnati #88 John Elway W14

1990 Fleer #21 John Elway

1990 Kenner Starting Lineup Cards #12 John Elway

1990 Kenner Starting Lineup Cards #12A John Elway

1990 Little Big Leaguers #12 John Elway

1990 MVP Pins #19 John Elway

1990 Panini Stickers #53 John Elway

1990 Panini Stickers #395 SB XXIV Action FOIL/Elway

1990 Panini Stickers UK #53 John Elway

1990 Panini Stickers UK #395 SB XXIV Action FOIL/Elway

1990 Pro Set #88 John Elway

1990 Pro Set Collect-A-Books #15 John Elway

1990 SLU Football #12A John Elway Orange

1990 SLU Football #12B John Elway White

1990 SLU Football Open #12A John Elway Orange

1990 SLU Football Open #12B John Elway White

1990 Score 100 Hottest #10 John Elway

1990 Score #25 John Elway

1990 Score #564 John Elway HG

1990 Star-Cal Decals #23A John Elway

1990 Star-Cal Decals #23B John Elway

1990 Topps #37 John Elway

1990 Topps Box Bottoms #G John Elway/Mike Merriweather

1990 Topps Box Bottoms Disclaimer Back #G John Elway/Mike Merriweather

1990 Topps Disclaimer Back #37 John Elway

1990 Topps Tiffany #37 John Elway

Bill Madlock - An Appreciation and a Comprehensive Card List (1974-88)

1975 Topps Rookie

Bill Madlock's career spanned 15 years. Commonly referred to as the Mad Dog, Madlock was an underrated talent who won 4 Batting Titles during his statistically impressive career. While no one is confusing Madlock with being a Hall of Famer, he certainly had a much above average career. With more than 2,000 hits, a .305 career batting average and 3 All-Star Game appearances, Madlock earned recognition as one of the best contact hitters in the 1970s and 80s.
  

1977 Topps

  
To me, as a hobbyist, Bill Madlock has struck me as an interesting player. I have long had many different Madlock cards. His cards are typically found in commons bins. But early in 2014, I revisited his career and looked back on how talented he was in his day. Madlock was a feared hitter more in line with a Tony Gwynn or a Wade Boggs. He was focused on reaching base to allow the power hitters to bring him around. I began digging out each of my Madlock cards. I sorted through them to see which ones I had and if it was worth trying to track down each of his cards from during his career. As of the date I am posting this article, I am still debating what to do. There are a lot of his cards out there including some rare issues which would challenge most any hobbyist to locate (even with ebay).
 

1982 Donruss

  
In 1979, Madlock was traded to Pittsburgh after years playing with mediocre teams in Texas, Chicago and San Francisco. To his great fortune, Pittsburgh's We Are Family team was on a collision course with the World Series. Madlock would contribute in important ways to help that team attain the title. When reflecting on the 1979 Pirates, one can see that he fit perfectly into that squad of unique characters including Pops, the Human Scarecrow and the Frying Dutchman. Tanner's bunch was a rare collection of players who truly embraced team and in that regard they remind me of the 1988 Dodgers who also relied on many intangibles to beat more talented teams.
  

1985 Topps

  
Of all the Madlock cards I own, the 1985 card stands out to me as a personal favorite. I just like the posed shot with Madlock providing a slight smile in front of a blue background. The Pirates logo and the jersey colors of that era are classic throwback. Below, I have prepared what I believe is a complete list of all Madlock cards produced during his career. Again, if I am missing something, please let me know. Thanks!
   
1974 Cubs Team Issue #7 Bill Madlock

1974 O-Pee-Chee #600 Bill Madlock RC

1974 Topps #600 Rookie Infielders/Cash RC/Cox RC/Bill Madlock RC/Sanders RC

1975 Hostess #125A Bill Madlock ERR/Pitcher

1975 Hostess #125B Bill Madlock COR/Infielder

1975 Hostess Twinkie #125 Bill Madlock

1975 O-Pee-Chee #104 Bill Madlock

1975 SSPC Puzzle Back #16 Bill Madlock

1975 Topps #104 Bill Madlock

1975 Topps Mini #104 Bill Madlock

1976 Blankback Discs #31 Bill Madlock

1976 Buckman Discs #31 Bill Madlock

1976 Carousel Discs #31 Bill Madlock

1976 Crane Discs #31 Bill Madlock

1976 Dairy Isle Discs #31 Bill Madlock

1976 Hostess #100 Bill Madlock

1976 Isaly Discs #31 Bill Madlock

1976 Kellogg's #20 Bill Madlock

1976 O-Pee-Chee #191 NL Batting Leaders/Bill Madlock/Ted Simmons/Man

1976 O-Pee-Chee #640 Bill Madlock

1976 Orbakers Discs #31 Bill Madlock

1976 Red Barn Discs #31 Bill Madlock

1976 Safelon Discs #31 Bill Madlock

1976 Sportstix #3 Bill Madlock

1976 SSPC #309 Bill Madlock

1976 Topps #191 NL Batting Leaders/Bill Madlock/Ted Simmons/Manny Sanguillen

1976 Topps #640 Bill Madlock

1976 Towne Club Discs #31 Bill Madlock

1977 Burger Chef Discs #198 Bill Madlock

1977 Chilly Willie Discs #40 Bill Madlock

1977 Customized Discs #40 Bill Madlock

1977 Dairy Isle Discs #40 Bill Madlock

1977 Detroit Caesars Discs #40 Bill Madlock

1977 Giants #14 Bill Madlock

1977 Giants Team Issue #17 Bill Madlock

1977 Holiday Inn Discs #40 Bill Madlock

1977 Hostess #118 Bill Madlock SP

1977 Kellogg's #43 Bill Madlock

1977 MSA Discs #40 Bill Madlock

1977 O-Pee-Chee #1 George Brett/Bill Madlock LL

1977 O-Pee-Chee #56 Bill Madlock

1977 Bob Parker More Baseball Cartoons #22 Bill Madlock

1977 Saga Discs #40 Bill Madlock

1977 Topps #1 Batting Leaders/George Brett/Bill Madlock

1977 Topps #250 Bill Madlock

1977 Topps Cloth Stickers #25 Bill Madlock

1977 Wendy's Discs #40 Bill Madlock

1977 Zip'z Discs #40 Bill Madlock

1977 Venezuelan Topps Stickers #163 Bill Madlock

1977 RC Cola Cans #37 Bill Madlock/Cubs

1977 RC Cola Cans #37A Bill Madlock/Giants

1978 Giants Team Issue #18 Bill Madlock

1978 Hostess #117 Bill Madlock

1978 O-Pee-Chee #89 Bill Madlock

1978 Pepsi #35 Bill Madlock

1978 Royal Crown Cola Iron-Ons #53 Bill Madlock

1978 Saga Discs #15 Bill Madlock

1978 Tastee-Freez Discs #15 Bill Madlock

1978 Topps #410 Bill Madlock

1978 RC Cola Cans #54 Bill Madlock

1979 Giants Police #18 Bill Madlock

1979 Hostess #138 Bill Madlock

1979 O-Pee-Chee #96 Bill Madlock

1979 Topps #195 Bill Madlock

1979 Baseball Patches #50 Bill Madlock

1980 O-Pee-Chee #30 Bill Madlock

1980 Topps #55 Bill Madlock

1981 All-Star Game Program Inserts #122 Bill Madlock

1981 Coke Team Sets #114 Bill Madlock

1981 Donruss #252 Bill Madlock

1981 Fleer #381 Bill Madlock

1981 O-Pee-Chee #137 Bill Madlock

1981 Topps #715 Bill Madlock

1981 Topps Stickers #213 Bill Madlock

1982 All-Star Game Program Inserts #34 Bill Madlock

1982 Donruss #653 Bill Madlock

1982 Drake's #23 Bill Madlock

1982 Fleer #485 Bill Madlock

1982 Fleer Stamps #77 Bill Madlock G5

1982 Kellogg's #55 Bill Madlock

1982 O-Pee-Chee #365 Bill Madlock

1982 O-Pee-Chee Stickers #1 Bill Madlock LL

1982 O-Pee-Chee Stickers #83 Bill Madlock

1982 Perma-Graphic Credit Cards #7 Bill Madlock

1982 Perma-Graphic Credit Cards Gold #7 Bill Madlock

1982 Topps #161 Bill Madlock/Carney Lansford LL

1982 Topps #365 Bill Madlock

1982 Topps #696 Bill Madlock/Eddie Solomon TL

1982 Topps Blackless #365 Bill Madlock

1982 Topps Stickers #1 Bill Madlock LL

1982 Topps Stickers #83 Bill Madlock

1982 Seven-Eleven Slurpee Cups #29 Bill Madlock

1983 All-Star Game Program Inserts #123 Bill Madlock

1983 Donruss #311 Bill Madlock

1983 Drake's #15 Bill Madlock

1983 Fleer #309 Bill Madlock

1983 Fleer Stamps #112 Bill Madlock

1983 Fleer Stickers #71 Bill Madlock

1983 Kellogg's #18 Bill Madlock

1983 KG Glossy #10 Bill Madlock

1983 O-Pee-Chee #335 Bill Madlock

1983 O-Pee-Chee Stickers #275 Bill Madlock FOIL

1983 Perma-Graphic Credit Cards #8 Bill Madlock

1983 Perma-Graphic Credit Cards Gold #8 Bill Madlock

1983 Topps #291 Bill Madlock/John Candelaria TL

1983 Topps #645 Bill Madlock

1983 Topps Foldouts #3 Batting Leaders/Rod Carew .331/George Brett/Bi

1983 Topps Stickers #275 Bill Madlock FOIL

1983 Donruss Action All-Stars #30 Bill Madlock

1983 Topps Glossy Send-Ins #26 Bill Madlock

1984 All-Star Game Program Inserts #32 Bill Madlock

1984 Cubs Brickhouse Playing Cards #11S Bill Madlock

1984 Donruss #20 Bill Madlock DK COR

1984 Donruss #20A Bill Madlock DK ERR/Perez Steel

1984 Donruss #113 Bill Madlock

1984 Drake's #20 Bill Madlock

1984 Fleer #253 Bill Madlock

1984 Fleer Stickers #6 Bill Madlock

1984 Milton Bradley #16 Bill Madlock

1984 Nestle 792 #131 B.Madlock/W.Boggs LL

1984 Nestle 792 #250 Bill Madlock

1984 Nestle 792 #696 Pirates TL/Bill Madlock/Rick Rhoden/(Checklist

1984 Nestle 792 #701 Madlock/Rose/Parker LL

1984 O-Pee-Chee #250 Bill Madlock

1984 O-Pee-Chee Stickers #99 Bill Madlock/(102B/288B)

1984 O-Pee-Chee Stickers #131 Bill Madlock

1984 Pirates #9 Bill Madlock

1984 Ralston Purina #26 Bill Madlock

1984 Topps #131 W.Boggs/B.Madlock LL

1984 Topps #250 Bill Madlock

1984 Topps #696 Pirates TL/Bill Madlock/Rick Rhoden/(Checklist

1984 Topps #701 Madlock/Rose/Parker LL

1984 Topps Cereal #26 Bill Madlock

1984 Topps Stickers #99 Bill Madlock/(102B/288B)

1984 Topps Stickers #131 Bill Madlock

1984 Topps Rub Downs #25 Steve Henderson/Bill Madlock/Alan Trammell

1984 Topps Super #8 Bill Madlock

1984 Fun Foods Pins #31 Bill Madlock

1984 Seven-Eleven Coins #E11 Bill Madlock

1984 Topps Tiffany #131 B.Madlock/W.Boggs LL

1984 Topps Tiffany #250 Bill Madlock

1984 Topps Tiffany #696 Pirates TL/Bill Madlock/Rick Rhoden/(Checklist

1984 Topps Tiffany #701 Madlock/Rose/Parker LL

1984 Topps Sticker Boxes #12 Bill Madlock/Eddie Murray

1984 Donruss Action All-Stars #33 Bill Madlock

1984 Donruss Champions #22 Bill Madlock

1984 Topps Glossy Send-Ins #19 Bill Madlock

1984-89 O'Connell and Son Ink #71 Bill Madlock

1985 All-Star Game Program Inserts #122 Bill Madlock

1985 Donruss #200 Bill Madlock

1985 Fleer #468 Bill Madlock

1985 Fleer Limited Edition #19 Bill Madlock

1985 Leaf/Donruss #185 Bill Madlock

1985 O-Pee-Chee #157 Bill Madlock

1985 O-Pee-Chee Stickers #122 Bill Madlock

1985 Pirates #10 Bill Madlock

1985 Topps #560 Bill Madlock

1985 Topps Stickers #122 Bill Madlock

1985 Topps/OPC Minis #560 Bill Madlock

1985 Topps Rub Downs #25 Steve Henderson/Bill Madlock/Alan Trammell

1985 Seven-Eleven Coins #E11 Bill Madlock

1985 Topps Tiffany #560 Bill Madlock

1986 Dodgers Coke Postcards #17 Bill Madlock

1986 Dodgers Police #12 Bill Madlock

1986 Dodgers Union Oil Photos #12 Bill Madlock

1986 Donruss #617 Bill Madlock

1986 Fleer #135 Bill Madlock

1986 Fleer Mini #29 Bill Madlock

1986 Leaf/Donruss #238 Bill Madlock

1986 O-Pee-Chee #47 Bill Madlock

1986 O-Pee-Chee Tattoos #19 Sheet 19/Jack Clark/Toby Harrah/Larry Parrish/

1986 O-Pee-Chee Stickers #12 NL Championship/(Bill Madlock)

1986 O-Pee-Chee Stickers #70 Bill Madlock (231)

1986 Sportflics #58 Batting Champs Pete Rose

1986 Sportflics #88 Bill Madlock

1986 Sportflics #131 All-Star Game MVP's

1986 Sportflics #181 Active Lifetime .300 Pete Rose

1986 Topps #470 Bill Madlock

1986 Topps Stickers #12 NL Championship/(Bill Madlock)

1986 Topps Stickers #70 Bill Madlock (231)

1986 Topps Tattoos #19 Sheet 19/Jack Clark/Toby Harrah/Larry Parrish/

1986 True Value #23 Bill Madlock

1986 Woolworth's Topps #19 Bill Madlock

1986 Seven-Eleven Coins #W14 Steve Garvey/Bill Madlock/Jim Presley

1986 Topps Tiffany #470 Bill Madlock

1987 Dodgers Mother's #8 Bill Madlock

1987 Dodgers Police #5 Bill Madlock

1987 Donruss #155 Bill Madlock

1987 Donruss Opening Day #78 Bill Madlock

1987 Fleer #445 Bill Madlock

1987 Fleer Update #69 Bill Madlock

1987 Fleer Mini #65 Bill Madlock

1987 Fleer Star Stickers #73 Bill Madlock

1987 Red Foley Sticker Book #109 Bill Madlock

1987 Leaf/Donruss #120 Bill Madlock

1987 O-Pee-Chee #276 Bill Madlock

1987 O-Pee-Chee Stickers #67 Bill Madlock (229)

1987 Sportflics #130 Bill Madlock

1987 Topps #734 Bill Madlock

1987 Topps Traded #71T Bill Madlock

1987 Topps Stickers #67 Bill Madlock (229)

1987 Fleer Glossy #445 Bill Madlock

1987 Fleer Update Glossy #69 Bill Madlock

1987 Topps Tiffany #734 Bill Madlock

1987 Topps Traded Tiffany #71T Bill Madlock

1988 Donruss #496 Bill Madlock

1988 Fleer #63 Bill Madlock

1988 Leaf/Donruss #232 Bill Madlock

1988 O-Pee-Chee #145 Bill Madlock

1988 O-Pee-Chee Stickers #266 Bill Madlock (109)

1988 Score #445 Bill Madlock

1988 Sportflics #123 Bill Madlock

1988 Starting Lineup Tigers #13 Bill Madlock

1988 Topps #145 Bill Madlock

1988 Topps Stickers #266 Bill Madlock (109)

1988 Fleer Glossy #63 Bill Madlock

1988 Score Glossy #445 Bill Madlock

1988 Topps Tiffany #145 Bill Madlock

Ron Guidry - An Appreciation

1976 Topps Rookie Card

Ron "Louisiana Lightning" Guidry had a very fine career with the New York Yankees. Unfortunately, his numbers were not "brilliant" enough for a longer period of time to cause him to be a serious candidate for the Hall of Fame. Of note, Guidry didn’t win his first game until age 26½. However, he soon proceeded to string together several very good seasons (especially between 1977-85). A four-time All-Star, five-time Gold Glove recipient and one-time Cy Young Award winner, Guidry also led the league in Wins twice and Lowest ERA twice as well as most Complete Games and most Shutouts once each.
   

1978 Topps

Overall, Guidry was an effective strikeout artist which contributed substantially to his dominance. Relief pitchers on the Yankees could count on him to finish what he started knowing that on days he was pitching, they had the day off. Had Guidry been able to stretch out more success following 1985 or else have an earlier start to his career two or three years before 1977, I don’t believe there is any question, we would need to seriously discuss his Hall of Fame credentials.
     

1980 Topps

For his career, Guidry won 170 games against 91 losses. His career 3.29 ERA also reflects the type of ERA you would want to see from a Hall of Fame-caliber pitcher. In my view, Guidry should be remembered very fondly as the ace of the Yankees staff for the better part of a decade. Without him, perhaps the Yankees don’t have the World Series teams of 1977, 78 and 81. Rightfully, "Louisiana Lightning" had his number retired by the Yankees following his successful career. He has literally hundreds of baseball cards issued during and following his career.

Sportflics - Overview of Sets from 1986-90

In 1986*, a revolutionary (for its time) new baseball card set emerged for the first time. Taking advantage of lenticular printing to create "magic motion" (or 3-D imaging), Sportflics brought to market a new competitor to the baseball card market. Lenticular printing was hardly a new concept but it normally had been confined to special releases. Expected to be another option to the readily-available Donruss, Topps and Fleer products, in a real sense Sportflics never did become mainstream. I remember buying packs of Sportflics on occasion but never having much success finding values for these cards in the major price guides like Beckett and Baseball Cards.
  
Because so few cards came in a pack (most commonly just three cards), putting together a complete set was a difficult task (you would need to buy at least 70 packs if not closer to 80 to 100 packs considering collation). It would have been easier just to buy a complete set (which typically was approximately 200 cards). In addition, the cost of a pack was typically 25-50 cents more per pack than the competition. Expending $150-250 to build a set simply was not practical.

I gave up trying to put together any of these sets long ago. While the cards had a certain appeal given their uniqueness compared to the standard cardboard, few dealers or card shops had enough of the product to assist in set building. Years later, I have found some amount of luck locating complete sets here or there (mostly online through ebay or via Craigslist postings). I normally prefer not to pay too much for these sets because I think the supply still outstrips the demand.

After 1990, Sportflics ceased production for a number of years. The product would revive in the mid-1990s but not have the staying power of the myriad of other competitors. Below is a comprehensive list of Sportflics products released during its "hey day". If I am missing any sets, please let me know. Thanks.

* Sportflics did produce a prototype set as a test in 1985. It contained just 6 cards and it was an extremely limited release.
    
1986    Sportflics Base Set 200 cards

1986    Sportflics Base Trivia Set 133 cards

1986    Sportflics Rookies Set 50 cards

1986    Sportflics Rookies Trivia Set 34 cards

1986    Sportflics Decade Greats Set 75 cards

1986    Sportflics Decade Greats Trivia Set 51 cards

1986    Sportflics Startistics Trivia Set 51 cards

  

1987    Sportflics Base Set 200 cards

1987    Sportflics Base Trivia Set 136 cards

1987    Sportflics Rookies Set 1 25 cards

1987    Sportflics Rookies Trivia Set 1 17 cards

1987    Sportflics Rookies Set 2 25 cards

1987    Sportflics Rookies Trivia Set 2 17 cards

1987    Sportflics Startistics Trivia Set 51 cards

1987    Sportflics Dealer Panels 4 panels

  

1988    Sportflics Base Set 225 cards

1988    Sportflics Base Trivia Set 153 cards

1988    Sportflics Game Winners Set 25 cards

1988    Sportflics Game Winners Trivia Set 17 cards

  

1989    Sportflics Base Set 225 cards

1989    Sportflics Base Trivia Set 153 cards

   

1990    Sportflics Base Set 225 cards

1990    Sportflics Base Trivia Set 153 cards

Paul O'Neill - An Appreciation

2014 Topps Archives

For the fans who followed any portion of his career (or even the two teams upon which he played), Paul O'Neill stands out in a way that few other athletes have ever been viewed because he approached each and every baseball game with a level of intensity rarely seen in baseball. In a way, his approach was akin to him being a football player going out on the baseball diamond ready for battle. You could see in his eyes that he was ready to take his best shot at whatever the other team had to offer. Typically, O'Neill was by no means the most-talented or athletically-gifted player on the field. But if I had to choose a player I would rather have in the trenches on my side as opposed to being in the other team's dugout, I simply cannot think of a different player who I would rather have in my fox hole.

In his brilliant career, O'Neill played in the World Series six times, prevailing as a champion in five of them and on the losing end in the sixth and final appearance where a championship slipped away in the bottom of the 9th of Game 7 versus Arizona ( Thank You Luis Gonzalez :( ). In the first two World Series appearances (1990, 1996) of his career, O'Neill's team was the heavy underdog matching up against the defending World Champion in both instances (1989 A's, 1995 Braves). But O'Neill made important and frankly critical contributions to assist his team in pulling off historic upsets of historical proportion.

As a die-hard baseball follower, when the Yankees initially acquired O'Neill, this transaction with the Reds was not something with which I gave much consideration. After all, in his years in Cincinnati, he had been a .250 or .260 hitter and his overall power and OBP statistics were nothing of note. In his years with New York however, he transformed into a .300+ hitter.
 
However, the intangibles were what stood out to fans more than any statistical accomplishments. O'Neill played like each game meant something and he wore his emotions on his sleeve (even in a somewhat hilarious manner if he got mad enough at something or someone in the dugout). In his fits of rage, no baseball equipment was safe. But his tantrums seemed to generate a positive result because his elevated emotions could be channeled in a way that he was going to make the other team pay the price for the perceived indignity he suffered.

1987 Fleer

In terms of collecting his baseball cards, I didn't start creating a Paul O'Neill collection until 1996. Oh sure. I had cards of O'Neill all the way back into the 1980s when he first came up with Cincinnati. But to me like most fans, he was just another common card during his years with the Reds. With the Yankees, he quickly changed that perception of being a run-of-the-mill player and forced me to dig back to see what cards of him I already possessed. One of those cards I own is his 1987 Fleer offering. The 1987 Fleer is not a rookie but this card is the first one made by Fleer with just him on the card (as opposed to those teammate cards Topps routinely made as well as Fleer).
 

1986 Donruss

If O'Neill has a true rookie card worth owning, I would say that his 1986 Donruss is the best rookie card of the options. The card itself offers a very nice action shot of him at-bat wearing a number not traditionally associated with O'Neill. Through much of his career, he was known for wearing #21. But as rookies, many times, the new ballplayer simply takes the number he is assigned until given a chance to trade in that number to a more-preferential digit or digits. Personally, I have quite a number of copies of this card as well as his other rookie cards. I consider any O'Neill card to be a gem worth owning.
  
As a fan of O'Neill, his cards carry a more sentimental value to me than they have as far as market value over time. O'Neill cards are most often ascribed the status of being semi-star cards or just one level above a common but certainly not as superstar cards ala McGwire, Puckett, Ripken or Gwynn (to name a few). That's fine. Yankees and Reds fans both know what they had with O'Neill and what made him an all-time fan favorite. Without O'Neill, I cannot imagine either of those teams being as dominant and winning what at the clip they did during the 1990s and early 2000s.
 

1990 Fleer

In 1990, the Reds pulled off the biggest World Series upset of my lifetime. As good as the Reds were that year, Oakland represented a dynasty, a team for the ages. Canseco and McGwire were to be the new generation's Mantle and Maris or Ruth and Gehrig. The pitching staff included Welch, Stewart and the Eck. There simply was no stopping the A's Machine. In fact, after 1989, I fully expected Oakland to win 6, 7 or 8 World Series championships in the 1990s. The players were young and had a boundless future. As a manager, LaRussa was great. What would ever derail that express?
  
Ironically, Cincinnati pulled off a feat of epic proportions in the world of professional sports. The Reds were a team united as one. The A's were a team of individuals each with a personal agenda. With a sweep, Cincinnati exposed once-mighty Oakland. The A's never recovered from this deep embarrassment and in 1991 began falling apart. As of 2015, 25 years later, the A's have not returned to the World Series. Almost impossible to imagine in hindsight given the strength of the A's organization to overcome and win. Oakland's reign in 1989 came to an inglorious and abrupt conclusion in Game 4 of the World Series in Oakland. O'Neill was a meaningful part of that win and to this day, he often does not receive the type of recognition he definitely would deserve.

Most-Important Base Rookie Cards for Donruss (1981-89)

 

In the 1980s, Donruss emerged on the scene to present competition to Topps. Fleer also made such an introduction. Throughout the 1980s, Donruss helped play a role in putting forth key rookie plays of the star players in the 1980s and 90s. In this article, I present what I consider the most-important base set rookie card for each year. My criteria is primarily-based on the overall arc of the player's career as compared to the other rookies from that set. There is a degree of arbitrariness to that standard but for the most part it is objective based on how that player is perceived generally by baseball fans.

1981 Donruss - Tim Raines Rookie

1981 Donruss - Donruss had few key rookie cards to offer collectors in this set. This set was a rush project so it was more paramount to get the set to market than to focus on the inclusion of key rookies. That said, none of the 3 brands had any key rookies as compared to the other sets in the 1980s. Rock Raines stands head-and-shoulders above any of the other rookie offerings. It appears that he is posing from the infield at Wrigley Field. I believe that a large percentage of the photographs captured for Donruss in its 1981 set took place in either Wrigley Field or Comiskey Park. This card is readily available. It doesn't stand out as particularly attractive and Raines looks like he would rather be doing something else.
 

1982 Donruss - Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie

1982 Donruss - In 1982, Donruss like the other card companies captured what would be the one rookie card to stand out in this season, Cal Ripken Jr. In hindsight, this rookie card would stand apart as the most-important base set rookie in thee 1980s. Highly-graded versions of this card still command more than perhaps any other base set rookie card (except maybe 1985 Clemens or 1985 Puckett).
 

1983 Donruss - Tony Gwynn Rookie

1983 Donruss - For the 1983 offering, Tony Gwynn, Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg each emerged as the rookies to have out of this set. All 3 players are in the Hall of Fame. It is like splitting hairs to select one rookie over another. But Tony Gwynn seems to be the slight winner surprisingly enough even though Boggs is a legend in Boston as far as hitters and Sandberg roamed The Friendly Confines. Gwynn was a hometown hero who made good with a team that has traditionally had few lasting stars. He was a master of his craft and a great ambassador for the game.
  

1984 Donruss - Don Mattingly Rookie

1984 Donruss - In 1984, Donruss cut way back on production versus prior years. This trimming of available cards created a huge market for 1984's key rookie, Don Mattingly. Even though his career arc didn't ultimately yield a trip to the Hall of Fame (at least not yet), collectors have generally treated his cards in terms of both desirability and value as equivalent to a Hall of Fame player. A casual fan may in fact think that Mattingly is a Hall of Famer. Mattingly had 3 rookies but for my mind, this rookie card was the one that had the most hobby interest in its hey day.
  

1985 Donruss - Roger Clemens Rookie

1985 Donruss - The 1985 set features a condition-sensitive black border. Without question, Clemens and Puckett rookies emerge as the two cards to have. To a lesser extent, the Gooden rookie card also is an important rookie from this set. As between Clemens and Puckett, it is a toss-up as far as the key rookie. Clemens earns a slight edge in my book because he produced a more Hall of Fame worthy career (regardless of the PED accusations) given the career accolades he amassed. He was an annual contender for the Cy Young award.
  

1986 Donruss - Josee Canseco Rookie

1986 Donruss - When it comes to the mid to late 1980s, rookie cards of suspected and confirmed PED users become increasingly-prevalent. Regardless, in its hey day, this card was one of the essential rookie cards to own. Jose Canseco's Rated Rookie issue reached astronomic heights in the late 1980s and early 90s jumping into the $100 range. Today, it is hard to conceive. But because there are no rookie cards of current Hall of Famers in this set, the Jose Canseco rookie still is the most popular. Fred McGriff, Paul O'Neill and Andres Galarraga also have rookie cards in this set.
  

1987 Donruss - Greg Maddux Rookie

1987 Donruss - For 1987, Donruss continued with the theme of Rated Rookies. There were 2 Rated Rookies that through the 1990s and 2000s stood out. Greg Maddux and Barry Bonds. Maddux was such a dominant pitcher in the 1990s that it became too difficult to ignore the importance of having a rookie card in your collection. At one time, the Bonds card was more valuable but his reputation and perceived PED use tainted that.
  

1988 Donruss - Tom Glavine Rookie

1988 Donruss - Greg Maddux cohort Tom Glavine had several key rookie cards. This one houses a simple pose at Chavez Ravine. The other important rookie card in this Donruss set is Roberto Alomar. Because of the mass production of 1988 Donruss, there are so many of these rookie cards out there that it is easy to pick up 1, 2 or 10 of them for just a few bucks (total). Some collectors may like the card design but it also could be viewed as very-dated to its time (the late 1980s).
  

1989 Donruss - Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie

1989 Donruss - In all 1989 sets by and card brand, Ken Griffey Jr's rookie card rises above the other rookie cards. Ken Griffey Jr was such a popular figure among kids in the 1990s that he fostered a very loyal base of collectors desiring his cards. Most hobbyists are aware of his 1989 Upper Deck card as being his highest-dollar rookie card. But this Donruss card is definitely his most-colorful and visually-attractive.