Classic reminders of the baseball card bubble

How do you get a license to produce baseball cards without getting a licence to produce baseball cards? Get a licence to produce a tabletop game... that's composed of baseball cards. That's what Game Time did with their Classic Baseball game during the explosion of interest in baseball cards during the late 80s.

The first Classic cards were produced in 1987. 100 cards were shipped with the game and the company then sold expansion packs containing more cards. Tony had a card in the original set, which I blogged about here.

Classic released two more expansion sets in 1988, and the cards were sequentially numbered on from the original game. 

Card Number 698: Classic Baseball (blue expansion set), 1988; #220

This photo is at a slightly odd angle but features what looks like a batting cage and a prominent advert in the background for Jack in the Box resturants.

The back isn't particularly inspiring. There is a bit of player data, but the majority of the space is saved for the questions that would be used as part of the game. There is also a space for an autograph.

Trying to reverse engineer what the game looked like, I'm guessing it was a bit like Trivial Pursuit and questions were in different categories. That's an interesting factoid about Hall of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn.

Game Time carried on producing expansion sets each year for a few years into the early 90s. Having a limited checklist meant that only a few players from each team featured. However, Tony had a card in the 1990 set as well.

Card Number 699: Classic Baseball, 1990; #17

The three expansion packs released by Game Time in 1990 were different sizes - 150 cards, 99 cards, and 50 cards respectively. This card is from the first set released. Tony's brother, Chris Gwynn, was also in this set of cards.

With it's hot pink scribbles, I don't think the designers could make this card could look more like it was from 1990 if they tried. It's a great bunt photo of Tony, which makes it a bit special. I'm blogging this in quick succession to another bunt photo on an oddball card.

The trivia questions on the back includes a reminder of a time when Montreal had a baseball team. 

The Lou Brock Award is still given out every year. I have to admit, I hadn't heard of it. Vince Coleman won it six times in a row in the 1980s. No wonder he was labelled "the thief" on a baseball card. 

Given the restrictive monopoly on licenses for baseball cards at the moment, I'm surprised nobody has used a similar loophole to produce baseball cards that are ostensibly part of a game. That could be a way for another company to produce baseball cards that aren't really baseball cards.

In terms of this blog, I am tantalisingly close to blogging my 700th Tony Gwynn card. However, I am taking some much-needed time out next week. I'm also planning to watch some more games in the UEFA European Championships (which is another reason my blogging has been erratic of late!) 

I will be back blogging in early July to reveal card number 700 and also the few remaining cards in my yet-to-be-blogged folder. See you next month!

Total: 699 cards

Sharing the spotlight 1

Over the years Tony Gwynn appeared on a few cards with other players. This is the first in a series where I show those cards.

I've already posted one card on this blog, the Topps 1988 Padres Leaders, with Tony posing with Benny Santiago.

I pointed out in that blog post that Benny wasn't listed as a leader on the back of the card. In the comments, Fuji reminded me that Benny was Rookie of the Year in 1988. That was a fair point as it meant Benny was probably much more recognisable than most of Tony's other team mates.

The cards I'm including today are also from 1988, from the Fleer set. I've already included Tony's base card in my Sheer Fleer post.

Card Number 37: Fleer 1988, #631

The 'Superstar Specials' were a subset towards the end of the Fleer set. It paired a number of different players who excelled at different aspects of the game. Tim Raines was also a team-mate of Tony's in the All Star Games when he played for the Expos and was selected for the National League team.

Tim was one of Tony's main rivals for batting honours, winning the batting title in 1986. (Nowadays there would be some kind of fan movement calling on him to 'Make it Raine' or something like that, a bit like the Judge's Chambers in Yankee Stadium.)

There's a big write up on the card back.

After 13 seasons in Montreal, Tim moved to the White Sox and the Yankees, where he won two World Series (1996 and 1998). He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2017. He's also one of the very few Major League Baseball players to play in the same team as his son, after an October trade to the Orioles where his son Tim Raines Jr was playing.

Card Number 38: Fleer 1988, #634

Being called a thief on a baseball card isn't the most flattering thing really, even if it's referring to your talent for stealing bases. Tony stole a lot of bases, but Vince Coleman was incredible, stealing 752 bases over the course of his career. He is sixth on the all-time list of base-stealers. He also holds the MLB record for 50 consecutive stolen bases without getting tagged.

After several years with the Cardinals, Vince moved to the Mets and then a string of other clubs. He retired in 1998 after being demoted back down to triple-A. It's a bit of a sad end for a man described on this card as "the most wanted man in baseball" and "one of the most disruptive forces in the game". 'The Hitting King and the Disruptor' would have been a better title for this card. Nicer than 'Thief', anyway.

Total 38/394