Forgotten Fleer - Tony the Gamer

Happy Halloween! No tricks here, just some treats of the cardboard kind!

Fleer cards from the start of the 21st century are always slightly surprising when they appear in job lots (like most of these did for me), mainly because they released a large number of sets that only lasted for a year. In 2000 they released a range called "Gamers". That's a term that's become far more common in the intervening twenty years and it feels odd that the Gamers range isn't linked to computer games. 

It was a reasonably pricey range ($3.99 for 5 cards) and had lots of bat relics to collect. It also had short printed rookie cards and a 15-card insert series dedicated to Cal Ripken Jr. There were two other 15-card insert series as well and Tony had a card in each.

Card Number 447: Fleer Gamers, 2000; #90

Tony's base card in the set. I think this does look like the cover of a computer game.

The cardback is laid out a bit differently to a lot of cards. The career totals are easy to read. It's also very orange.

Card Number 448: Fleer Gamers, 2000; #120

The last 10 cards in the set were players in the "Fame Game" (whatever that was). Tony actually had the final card in the set, #120. 

The filmstrip edging up the side are a rare design element on a baseball card. It's a foilboard card hence the dark scan.

Tony's credentials for Cooperstown on the back took a slight dent when his career batting percentage dropped by .01 after his final season. He has also since been passed by 4 players on the all-time hits total ranking.

Card Number 449: Fleer Gamers, 2000; #10CG

"Change the Game" was one of the 15-card insert series, along with "Dominators". Tony actually had a card in both series.

This card is a shiny foilboard that scans blue. I like the effect.

It has a very simple (and very orange) cardback. It references Tony's batting style. He was well known for swinging at the first pitch, and often connecting. The hours of preparation studying video of pitchers paid off and he often knew exactly where the ball would be thrown.

He also was a "tough out" - Tony very rarely struck out and only ever struck out three times in a game once in his entire career.

And a bonus card...

Card Number 450: Fleer Game Time, 2001; #49

Gamers got changed to Game Time in 2001 (but kept the font for the logo). This 121-card set was another relic-heavy expensive set. There were two insert series as well (including the bizarrely-named "Sticktoitness" insert series), but Tony didn't feature in either one. This base card was his sole appearance in the set, although there was a memorabilia card with a game-worn uniform patch.

There was an unusual choice of photo montage on the front with a small version of Tony dwarfed by a large version of the same image of Tony. A small cameo shot is obscured behind a grid.

The back, by contrast is more traditional, with a truncated stats box and no write-up.

Fleer have added the year under their logo as well, which gets this card a bonus point, but otherwise there is very little to make this card stand out.

Total: 450 cards