1988 Smokey Bear San Diego Chargers Set

     

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The San Diego Chargers were the subject of a "Smokey Bear" fire prevention set that was released in 1988. This was the second Chargers Smokey set issued over a a string of four consecutive years, from 1987 through 1990. All of these sets feature cards that are over three times larger than the standard size of 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches.

The '88 Smokey Chargers cards measure 5 by 8 inches. They are printed on thin cardstock (a stacked complete set measures less than 1/2 inch thick), and a set is complete at 52 cards. Incredibly, 17 of the 52 cards are shortptrints; cards would be withdrawn from distribution as players were injured or left the team. The entire fronts of the cards are filled by candid, game day photos, with the only borders being a rectangular pinstripe that frames each card edge. The only other graphics found on card fronts are all in the lower right corner; the subject's name and position, along with a small Smokey Bear head and Chargers football helmet. Backs each feature a prominent drawing that promotes fire safety, as well as a few biographical points for the person who is the subject of the card. The sponsors are listed across the back bottom, and include the Chargers, Forest Service, U.S.D.A., California Dept. of Forestry and Fire Prevention, and the Bureau of Land Management, U.S.D.I. Cards are not numbered except for player uniform numbers.

There is much to like about these cards, especially when one considers the landscape of the football collecting hobby back in 1988. Topps was still the only game in town in '88, though things would change quickly just one year later with the welcome arrivals of ProSet and Score... But until these two new football card makers would go on to forever raise the standard of action photography on every card front, collectors were stuck with the usual mediocrity of Topps and their endless parade of helmetless, sitting or standing player photos (look up any Eric Dickerson or Tony Dorsett "regular" Topps card released during the 1980s and you'll see what I mean). 

The Forest Service used this design for several sports-related sets over the course of roughly three years, from 1988 through 1990. This somewhat timeless design ranks among one of my personal all-time favorites, and was used for football, baseball, and even a small set of rodeo cards in 1990. A few months ago we featured the 1988 Smokey St. Louis Cardinals set, which shares a similar motif.

The fact that there are 52 different Chargers players and staffers found in this set makes it a must-have for fans who are looking to collect obscure names that were underrepresented in the nationally-released football sets. Two such names are Head Coach Al Saunders and Chairman of the Board Alex G. Spanos, since Topps did not include staff cards in their football sets. Quarterbacks Mark Hermann and Mark Vlasic are both pictured before their rookie cards were printed in national sets. Tight end Rod Bernstine is also pictured a year before his ProSet rookie card was released, and fan-favorite receiver Wes Chandler is pictured a year after his last Topps card was issued.

There is one known variation card found in the set, featuring Chairman of the Board Alex G. Spanos. The first printing of his card incorrectly states on the back that he purchased the team in 1987; the corrected version of the card gives the year as 1984. The incorrect version is the scarcer of the two and is one of the more valuable cards in the set.

The shortprints are obtainable, meaning a set must have them to be considered complete. Generally speaking, the '88 Smokey Chargers cards don't show up in any significant quantities on eBay; I would not consider these cards scarce, but similar to many other oddball sets from this era, the cards were dissipated to collectors and non-collectors alike many moons ago and tend to stay tucked away. When a set comes available, I'd expect the value to be in the $35 to $50 range.

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(2) Ralf Mojsiejenko, P

(9) Mark Hermann, QB (Shortprint)

 (10) Vince Abbott, K

(13) Mark Vlasic, QB

(14) Dan Fouts, QB

(20) Barry Redden, RB

(22) Gill Byrd, CB/S

(23) Danny Walters, CB (Shortprint)

(25) Vencie Glenn, FS

(26) Lionel James, WR

(27) Daniel Hunter, CB (Shortprint)

(34) Elvis Patterson, CB

(36) Mike Davis, SS (Shortprint)

(40) Gary Anderson, RB

(42) Curtis Adams, RB

(43) Tim Spencer, FB

(44) Martin Bayless, SS

(50) Gary Plummer, ILB

  (52) Jeffrey Jackson, ILB

(54) Billy Ray Smith, OLB

(55) Steve Busick, ILB (Shortprint)

(56) Chip Banks, OLB (Shortprint)

(57) Thomas Benson, ILB (Shortprint)

(58) David Brandon, OLB

(60) Dennis McKnight, G

(61) Ken Dallafior, G

(62) Don Macek, C

(68) Gary Kowalski, T

(69) Les Miller, DE

(70) James Fitzpatrick, G/T

(71) Mike Charles, NT

(72) Karl Wilson, DE

(74) Jim Lachey, T (Shortprint)

(75) Joe Phillips, DE

(76) Broderick Thompson, G/T

(77) Sam Claphan, G/T (Shortprint)

(78) Chuck Ehin, NT (Shortprint)

(79) Curtis Rouse, G/T (Shortprint)

(80) Kellen Winslow, TE

(81) Timmie Ware, WR (Shortprint)

(82) Rod Bernstine, TE

(85) Eric Sievers, TE

(86) Jamie Holland, WR

(88) Pete Holohan, TE (Shortprint)

(89) Wes Chandler, WR (Shortprint)

(92) Dee Hardison, DE (Shortprint)

(94) Randy Kirk, LB

(96) Keith Baldwin, DE (Shortprint)

(98) Terry Unrein, NT (Shortprint)

(99) Lee Williams, DE

(NNO) Al Saunders, Head Coach

(NNO) Alex G. Spanos, CB/President (ERR, 1987)

(NNO) Alex G. Spanos, CB/President (COR, 1984)

1988 World Wide Sports 1933 National League All Stars Set

Legendary sports photographer Charles M. Conlon (1868-1945) snapped thousands of Major League Baseball photos during the first half of the Twentieth Century. Taking quality photos during this time was certainly no small feat, especially before the creation of the first practical reflex cameras in the closing months of the 1920s.

To this day, Conlon continues to be one of the most famous baseball photographers of all time. Many of his photographs have been used to create new card sets depicting classic players; over a dozen sets featuring Conlon's photos were produced between 1981 and 1995. 

One such set, produced in 1988, is the 1933 National League All-Stars (sets featuring the 1933 American League and Negro League All-Stars were released at the same time; Conlon did not take the Negro League photos). Registering the standard card size of 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches, the uncluttered fronts feature sepia-toned photos and a small "1933 National All-Stars" banner in the upper right corner. Twenty-four subjects are featured in the National League set, with the majority of the photos being closer portraits from the chest-up. Three players are shown in baseball poses: Dizzy Dean, John Frederick and Frankie Frisch. 

Cards backs feature fairly length bios, a 1933 stat line and birth/death dates. The listed sponsors of the set are The Sporting News, Baseball Superstars Inc. and World Wide Sports of St. Louis. The cards are not numbered.

Classic cards of this nature are not for everyone. Released well before the retro craze of the 2000s, these types of sets received cool receptions from most collectors, who still prefer to concentrate on the hot prospects and superstars of today.  One would assume that no set is loved by everyone, but this kind of release has always attracted a small but loyal following. As mentioned above, baseball sets featuring Conlon photos would continue to be produced through 1995. Most of them are inexpensive to purchase today, with the '33 N.L. A.S. set being valued in the $10 range.

Anyone wishing to learn more about the Conlon sets can follow this link to Alan's excellent blog, The Conlon Baseball Card Collector.

Random Fact: Four players featured in the set were still alive when the cards were released. Wally Berger and Carl Hubbell both died in November of 1988, right around the time this set was retailing in the market. Bill Terry passed away in January of 1989, and Hal Schumacher passed in April of 1993 at the age of 82.

Click here to hunt for World Wide Sports Sets on eBay

(1) Wally Berger, Boston Braves

(2) Guy Bush, Chicago Cubs

(3) Ripper Collins, St. Louis Cardinals

(4) Spud Davis,  Philadelphia Phillies

(5) Dizzy Dean, St. Louis Cardinals

(6) Johnny Frederick, Brooklyn Dodgers

(7) Larry French, Pittsburgh Pirates

(8)  Frankie Frisch, St. Louis Cardinals

(9) Chick Fullis, Philadelphia Phillies

(10) Chick Hafey, Cincinnati Reds

(11) Carl Hubbell, New York Giants

(12) Chuck Klein, Philadelphia Phillies

(13) Fred Lindstrom, Pittsburgh Pirates

(14) Pepper Martin, St. Louis Cardinals

(15) Joe Medwick, St. Louis Cardinals

(16) Anthony Piet, Pittsburgh Pirates

(17) Wes Schulmerich, Philadelphia Phillies

(18) Hal Schumacher, New York Giants

(19) Riggs Stephenson, Chicago Cubs

(20) Bill Terry, New York Giants

(21) Pie Traynor, Pittsburgh Pirates

(22) Arky Vaughn, Pittsburgh Pirates

(23) Paul Waner, Pittsburgh Pirates

(24) Lonnie Warneke, Chicago Cubs

1988 St. Louis Cardinals Smokey Bear

The United States Forest Service has sponsored many sharp-looking sports themed oddball sets over the years. One particularly striking design was used for several sets in the late 1980s, of which one is the 1988 St. Louis Cardinals Smokey Bear set.

The majority of Smokey sets issued during this time were larger in size than standard cards, with the '88 Cardinals cards measuring 5 inches tall by three inches wide. Most of these card fronts feature player action photos which lack traditional heavy borders; a white pinstripe is found near the card edges and frames the photo subject quite nicely. The player's name and position is located at the bottom right of each card front, along with small Cardinals and Smokey logos.

Card backs are printed in black and give a few additional player facts along the tops. The middle of card backs feature safety tips and now-classic Smokey artwork. The U.S. Forest Service and National Association of State Foresters logos appear at the bottom left.

A complete set consists of 25 cards, which is roughly the same amount of Cardinals cards found in each of the nationally distributed sets from 1988 (Topps, Donruss, Fleer and Score). One advantage the Smokey set has over the other issues is the addition of newly-acquired players; names like Tom Brunansky, Bob Horner and Luis Alicea were not pictured as Cardinals in the national sets. In addition, the beauty of the Smokey set's photos cannot be understated, and Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith's best-looking card of the 1980s is arguably found here (Smith is pictured attempting to put a midair tag on a sliding Gary Gaetti at second). Newcomer Score entered the baseball card ring in 1988 and quickly provided the best looking national set of the year, but I'd still give this '88 Cardinals Smokey set the edge, both in photo quality and design.

These cards were distributed as complete sets at the home game versus the Dodgers on July 19, 1988. Even though 34,606 fans attended the game, a Cardinals representative at the time estimated that between 8,000 to 9,000 sets were given away (to fans 15 years of age and younger). The same team rep went on to say that any remaining cards were slated to be given to the players for use when answering fan mail.  Regarding the current value, my estimate for a complete set is in the $6 to $10 range. These cards aren't everywhere, but can certainly be found online with minimal effort.

Random Fact: Three catchers are included in the set. Veteran Tony Pena was the starter, appearing in 149 games (142 games at catcher) with 546 plate appearances. Rookie Tom Pagnozzi followed second, with 81 games (28 games at catcher) and 209 plate appearances. Rounding out the trio is Steve Lake, who took part in 36 games and had 59 plate appearances.

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1. Whitey Herzog, Manager

2. Danny Cox, Pitcher

3. Ken Dayley, Pitcher

4. Jose DeLeon, Pitcher

5. Bob Forsch, Pitcher

6. Joe Magrane, Pitcher

7. Greg Mathews, Pitcher

 8. Scott Terry, Pitcher

9. John Tudor, Pitcher

10. Todd Worrell, Pitcher

11. Steve Lake, Catcher

12. Tom Pagnozzi, Catcher

13. Tony Pena, Catcher

14. Bob Horner, Infielder

15. Tom Lawless, Infielder

16. Jose Oquendo, Infielder

17. Terry Pendleton, Infielder

18. Ozzie Smith, Infielder

19. Vince Coleman, Outfielder

20. Curt Ford, Outfielder

21. Willie McGee, Outfielder

22. Larry McWilliams, Pitcher

23. Steve Peters, Pitcher

24. Luis Alicea, Infielder

25. Tom Brunansky, Outfielder

1988 Donruss Major League All-Stars Set

"Junk wax" was happening in 1988, and that year's Donruss Major League All-Star cards fit the bill quite nicely (as most of you know, the junk wax era of card collecting was roughly between 1987 and 1993, when baseball cards were waaaay overproduced). More on that later.

I have always liked Donruss, even though their unusual 1988 baseball design wasn't one of my personal favorites... Well, that design was simplified a bit and became the basis of the '88 Donruss Major League All-Stars set. Exactly as the name implies, the set features 64 cards and is loaded with the prior year's All-Star players and managers. There's even a card for the Oakland Coliseum, where the game was played on July 14, 1987. Pretty much everyone associated with the 1987 All-Star Game is included, from future Hall of Famers like Cal Ripken Jr., Mike Schmidt and Ozzie Smith to lesser known hometown favorites like Bruce Hurst, Bo Diaz and Ozzie Virgil.

The cards were issued in wax boxes that contained 48 packs. Each pack held five regular set cards, an All-Star "pop up" card, and a three-piece puzzle card. There are twenty different pop-ups in a set, and a total of 21 puzzle cards will make the exact same Stan Musial puzzle that was issued with the regular 1988 Donruss baseball boxes and factory sets.

Unlike Donruss' five prior All-Star sets, which had cards that were a larger postcard size, the decision was made to downsize to the standard card size of  2 1/2" by 3 1/2" in 1988. The pop-up cards, which are flat until unfolded, are also the size of a standard card.

These Donruss All-Star sets were never very popular during their seven-year run, which lasted from 1983 to 1989. Players were rarely featured during their rookie card seasons, and the larger postcard-sized cards from 1983 through 1987 were a turn-off for many collectors.  With more and more oddball sets to choose from every new year, these All-Star cards failed to gain much market share. 

To Donruss' credit, these cards were never intended to be an investment. They were intended to be fun, and indeed, fun they are. Collectors and speculators who were on the hunt for the hot rookies of the day (Mark Grace, Chris Sabo and Roberto Alomar) could pick up an '88 Donruss Rookies boxed set to satisfy those cravings.

These cards have the distinction of being both an oddball set and a junk wax product. Because the cards were issued in packs, and were grossly overproduced, they certainly qualify for junk wax status. While they may be a little scarcer than the regular 1988 Donruss baseball cards, that's not saying much. Lack of demand and lots of boxes equals cheap fun for the oddball collector. 

It may be difficult to find a buyer, but if you do the value of the All-Star set is around $3 to $5. A pop-up set is worth around $2, and the Stan Musial puzzle should probably be thrown into the deal for free. An unopened box can usually be found for $5 to $8, and they are pretty fun to open. The collation of the cards within unopened boxes is fair at best, but you can usually eek out a compete 64 card set from the 240 cards you'll get from the box. The 48 packs found in a wax box give you 48 chances to complete the 20 card pop-ups set, but you may wind up a card or two short thanks to the seven Terry Kennedys you'll inevitably get.

Click here to find cheap Donruss All Star Boxes on eBay

You can read about the inaugural 1983 Donruss Action All-Stars set here.

Circa 1988 New York Islanders PRIDE Set

Twelve sessions of safety. Twelve sessions of captive boredom. Twelve sessions of bribery.

Thus sums up the Nassau County Police Department's P.R.I.D.E. program of the 1980s.

Before I receive tons of hate mail for the above comments, I need to confess that I'm just being silly, and I was a police officer (and a kid) in the past... The NCPD is an excellent organization, the hockey cards they distributed these many years ago are also excellent, and the idea of having kids earn the cards was a good one.

The New York Islanders were the subject of at least a couple of these "P.R.I.D.E." sets produced during the '80s. Based on the players pictured, the cards featured here were printed in 1987 or 1988. The twelve cards are standard sized and showcase borderless action shots on the fronts, with player names appearing in small font across the bottoms. Card backs are less attractive but informative, specifying one of twelve learning sessions and giving useful childhood tips (Just keep saying "NO" and give them the cold shoulder). Drug abuse was the main focus of the twelve sessions, with minors in self-esteem, healthy eating and exercise. According to the backs, the cards were printed by Penny Lane Graphics Inc. of Hempstead, Long Island.

Hockey fans are well aware of the legendary Islander lineups of the 1980s, with LaFontaine, Sutter and Trottier headlining an impressive group of skaters in the set. Twelve bona fide Islanders are found here, with defenseman Steve Konroyd being the short-timer of the group... Konroyd played in 169 contests for the Islanders during parts of four seasons.

From what I can tell, these P.R.I.D.E. cards are hopelessly rare. Little to no information can be found about them on the interwebs, and the set we own came from a guy who actually attended the twelve sessions as a lad back in the 1980s. It would be silly to quote a value for the set, and my quota for silliness was already filled at the beginning of this post.

Session One: Randy Wood (My Rights)

Two: Steve Konroyd (Drug Use and Misuse)

Three: Jeff Norton (Consequences of Drug Use)

Four: Kelly Hrudey (Resist Pressures to Use Drugs)

Five: Pat LaFontaine (Ways to Say "NO")

Six: Gerald Diduck (Building Self-Esteem)

Seven: Brent Sutter (Assertiveness)

Eight: Greg Gilbert (Managing Stress Without Drugs)

Nine: Alan Kerr (Alternatives to Drug Abuse)

Ten: Bryan Trottier (Role Models)

Eleven: Mikko Makela (Taking A Stand)

Twelve: Bob Bassen (Culmination)

1988 Tastykake Philadelphia Phillies Set

The Tasty Baking Company, otherwise referred to as Tastykake, partnered with the Phillies for many years and their logo can be found on pocket schedules dating back to at least the early 1960s. The relationship arguably peaked in the 1980s, with Tastykake sponsoring stadium giveaways such as baseball gloves, Phillie Phanatic dolls, different styles of tote bags, and of course... Baseball cards.

From what I can tell, the Tastykake Phillies card sets were issued yearly from 1982 to 1989. The cards were always larger than the standard baseball card size, and were particularly large in 1988, measuring a whopping 4-7/8 by 6-1/4 inches -- if they were any larger they might be considered photos instead of cards, but these do have player statistics and other information printed on the backs. While the methods of distribution may have varied over the years, we're thinking the cards issued from 1984 to 1989 were primarily given away or sold at The Vet (the Phillies' ballpark, not the place where Toto is taken with a fever). We also believe that most of these sets were issued complete and shrink-wrapped in clear plastic, a form in which these sets can still be readily found today.

True fans and collectors should love sets of this nature, as they not only go deep into the team rosters, but also include a few special cards as well -- i.e. all of the team coaches, a team photo, and the Phillie Phanatic riding a four wheeler. Another interesting find in the '88 issue is a "Phillies Prospects" card, which features eight up-and-comers in the Philly system. In hindsight, we now know that none of these guys would achieve much at the Major League level, with outfielder Ron Jones winning the MLB longevity prize (97 Games, 264 PA, 13 HR, 40 RBI, .272 BA). Another card that caught our attention features veteran infielder Bill Almon, who is shown at the end of his fifteen-year MLB career. He was traded to Philadelphia shortly before the season began, and managed to sneak in to 20 games with the Phillies before being released on June 16; this might be the only card made of Almon in a Phillies uniform.

As mentioned before, card backs do feature player statistics and biographical information -- did you know that catcher Darren Daulton was chosen in the lowly 25th round of the June, 1980 draft? The thirty cards found in this set are not numbered except for uniform numbers, and were printed on thin, soft white card stock. Because most of these cards were tightly shrink-wrapped, many of them may show some wear on their unreasonably finicky corners.

While these cards may be under appreciated by the majority of the collecting universe, there are of course the contrarian, die-hard fans who love 'em.  Count me in. The Tastys are not rare, but they're somewhat hard to find when compared to the glut of other late 1980s baseball releases one must trudge through whilst on the hunt. With the spotlight being long since unplugged, you can grab a shrink wrapped set these days for ten dollars or less.

Click here to find Tastykake Phillies Cards on eBay

(4) Lee Elia, MGR

(8) Juan Samuel, 2B

(9) Von Hayes, 1B

(10) Darren Daulton, C

(13) Lance Parrish, C

(15) Bill Almon, INF

 (16) Luis Aguayo, INF

(18) Chris James, OF

(19) Mike Young, OF

(20) Mike Schmidt, 3B

 (21) Greg Gross, OF/1B

(22) Bob Dernier, OF

(24) Milt Thompson, CF

(27) Kent Tekulve, P

(28) Shane Rawley, P

(29) Phil Bradley, OF

(30) Steve Jeltz, SS

(31) Jeff Calhoun, P

(38) Wally Ritchie, P

(40) Steve Bedrosian, P

(42) Don Carman, P

(44) Mike Maddux, P

(45) David Palmer, P

(46) Kevin Gross, P

(47) Bruce Ruffin, P

(52) Todd Frohwirth, P

Phillies Prospects (Tom Barrett, Brad Brink, Steve DeAngelis, Ron Jones, Keith Miller, Brad Moore, Howard Nichols, Shane Turner)

Coaching Staff (Claude Osteen, Del Unser, John Vuckovich, Dave Bristol, Tony Taylor, Mike Ryan)

The Phillie Phanatic

The 1988 Philadelphia Phillies (Team Photo) 

1988 Cal Cards San Bernardino Spirit Set (Ken Griffey Jr.)

I'll never forget the first time I read the name "Ken Griffey Jr." and saw his picture. As a matter of fact, I'll show you. It was in this advertisement for Tuff Stuff magazine, which was featured in a mid-1988 issue of Sports Collectors Digest. Here it is:

That's right. If you subscribed to Tuff Stuff magazine during this promotion back in 1988, this gem of card, as well as the rest of the 1988 Cal Cards San Bernardino Spirit set, was yours. Looking back now, we must applaud the Tuff Stuff marketing department for choosing an all-but obscure set in 1988, a year before Griffey made his first appearance in the majors with Seattle... After all, Gregg Jefferies and Roberto Kelly were much more popular with speculators at the time.

But enough about me and Roberto Kelly. 

Cal Cards produced a modest run of California League team sets from about 1988 to 1991-ish, snagging a few future superstars along the way (Pedro Martinez and Mike Piazza come to mind). The designs were a bit basic, and maybe even quietly classic. Minor League cards and their collectors had been enjoying steady growth since the early 1980s, and some Minor League teams even had three different sets produced for them in one season. The '88 Spirit team were carded by two companies, Cal Cards and Best. Best produced two versions of their set, with their special "Platinum" edition being limited to just 1,300 numbered sets. At the height of Griffey mania, an example of this Best Platinum set was known to sell for $650.

But enough about Best Platinum sets.

The 1988 Cal Cards Spirit set consists of 28 cards, which are actually numbered from 28 to 55 on the backs. Though each team set was sold separately, Cal Cards adopted the numbering method used by most Minor League card producers at the time, which was to number their cards among the team sets to reflect one large complete set. Each team set produced that year was given it's own border color, and San Bernardino was assigned a dark blue border. Though Griffey is obviously the big name in the set, others from this "A" level club went on to have varying degrees of success in the majors. Rich DeLucia, Dave Burba, Jerry Goff, Jim Bowie and Pat Rice all made it to the bigs. Pitcher Jeff Nelson stuck around the majors for fifteen seasons, including an All-Star appearance with the Mariners in 2001, and four World Series rings with the Yankees (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000).

I should probably mention that an unlicensed Griffey card was made to look like his 1988 Cal Cards issue. It began showing up in the hobby around 1990, and has unfortunately fooled more than a few collectors. Thankfully, the card features a photo of Griffey that is completely different than the one found on a legit Cal Card. In addition, the information found on the back of the bogus card was completely re-typed, as opposed to being photocopied. The differences can be easily seen when comparing the two backs side by side, with the card number "34" being much fatter and mushed-together on the fake. Here's a look at a legit and fake Griffey, compared next to each other:

The set can be found today with little trouble for $40 or less... Keeping an eye open for "auction" formats on eBay can net you one for considerably less.  When you compare the relative scarcity of this Griffey versus the number of his rookie cards printed in 1989 by Donruss, Fleer, and even Upper Deck, you'll be wise to slip one of these sets in to your collection.

Just make sure Ken Jr. isn't wearing a white jersey.

Click here to find 1988 Spirit Sets on eBay

28. Bryan King

29. Steve Murray

30. Jim Bowie Jr.

31. Dan Disher

32. Clay Guinn

33. Jerry Goff

34. Ken Griffey Jr.

35. Joe Kemp

36. Jose Tartabull

37. William Diaz

38. Ted Williams

39. Steve Hisey

40. Mike Brocki

41. Ted Eldredge

42. Jody Ryan

43. Pat Rice

44. Keith Helton

45. Howard Townsend

46. Tim McLain

47. Jim Blueberg

48. Jeff Nelson

49. David Burba

50. Rich DeLucia

51. Todd Hayes

52. Rich Doyle

53. Ralph Dick

54. Bobby Cuellar

55. Don Reynolds

1988/89 B.Y.U. Cougars Basketball

The Oddball Card Collector gets excited when he finds serial numbered sets from the 1980s. He gets equally excited when he finds sets from the 1980s that had a limited run of 5,000 or less. When he finds a set from that decade that is serial numbered and limited to 5,000 or less, he buys early and buys often.

The 1988/89 Brigham Young University Cougars basketball issue is of course one of these forementioned sets. Featuring 25 cards and sold in a clear PVC pack, a serial number is found on the backside of the packaging header (as pictured). The last card in the set states that "BYU has authorized 5,000 sets printed for the 1988-1989 season." The cards are numbered on the backs, along with a substantial amount of personal info, statistics and a team schedule. We assume these sets were sold on the B.Y.U. campus and basketball games, and possibly through local-area card shops.

Pretty much all of the bases are covered with this issue as the players, coaches, a team photo and several action cards add to the 25-card roster. Star Michael Smith can be found on fours cards; his "regular" card, two action cards and the team photo. He would go on to play for the Celtics and Clippers in the NBA, and today is a color commentator for the Clippers with fellow announcer Ralph Lawler.

Junior guard Marty Haws is featured on five cards, thanks to his inclusion on three action cards. Heavily recruited by several football schools, the talented Haws ran the 40-yard in 4.4 seconds. His son, Tyler, recently finished his junior season with the Cougars and has passed his dad on the B.Y.U. all-time scoring list.

Ladell Andersen is represented during his final year as the head coach, a position he held since the 1983/84 season. A card is also here for longtime assistant Roger Reid, who would succeed Andersen as head coach the following year and hold the position for the next seven seasons.

This set does not appear very often; but like most sets of this nature, the waiting game usually pays off with a little patience and regular searching. Our educated guess puts the value of an unopened set in the $10 to $15 range.

Click here to find BYU Cougar Cards on eBay

1. Team Photo

2. Michael Smith, Fwd/Ctr

3. Alan Frampton, Guard

4. Alan Astle, Guard/Fwd

5. Mike Herring, Guard

6. Mark Heslop, Guard

7. Steve Andrus, Ctr/Fwd

8. Steve Schreiner, Fwd/Ctr

9. Andy Toolsen, Guard/Fwd

10. Vince Bryan, Forward

11. Marty Haws, Guard

12. Kevin Santiago, Guard

13. David Wolfe, Fwd/Ctr

14. John Fish, Fwd/Ctr

15. Carl Ingersoll, Asst. Coach

16. Roger Reid, Head Coach

17. Ladell Andersen, Asst. Coach

18. Alan Astle (Action)

19. Marty Haws (Action)

20. Michael Smith (Action)

21. Michael Smith (Action)

22. Marty Haws (Action)

23. Andy Toolsen (Action)

24. Marty Haws (Action)

25. 1988/89 BYU Basketball Header

1987 and 1988 New York Giants Police Sets

Click here to find Giants Police Cards on eBay

With a variety of NFL teams releasing local "police sets" as early as 1979, the New York Giants finally decided to release a few sets of their own, with the first two being in 1987 and 1988. Both sets feature twelve cards and measure approx. 4 1/8 by 2 3/4 inches in size. The year of issue is NOT mentioned on either set. We are mentioning both together due to their similarities, but when pictured side by side they are easy to differentiate.

The inaugural 1987 Giants Police set features color action photos on the fronts, with nothing above them but white border. All subject matter is found below the photos, to include the player's name, height, weight, position, college and a small Giants helmet near the middle. Head Coach Bill Parcells is featured on his first-ever card, pictured in a closeup studio portrait, with his name, title and small Giants helmet printed below the photo. Cards are not numbered. For reasons unknown, the photo used on running back Joe Morris' card is considerably smaller than those used on the other cards.

Here's a look at the front and back of Maurice Carthon's 1987 Giants Police card:

It is estimated that 10,000 of the 1987 sets were printed and distributed by the New Jersey State Police. The twelve-card roster features the majority of the stars found on those mid-1980's Giants powerhouse teams, with the exception of linebacker Lawrence Taylor. Here's the lineup, listed in order of uniform number:

(5) Sean Landeta, Punter

(11) Phil Simms, Quarterback

(20) Joe Morris, Running Back

(44) Maurice Carthon, Running Back

(53) Harry Carson, Linebacker

(58) Carl Banks, Linebacker

(60) Brad Benson, Tackle

(64) Jim Burt, Nose Tackle

(70) Leonard Marshall, Defensive End

(75) George Martin, Defensive End

(89) Mark Bavaro, Tight End

Bill Parcells, Head Coach

 The 1988 cards can be quickly identified on the fronts by locating two small Giants helmets and the "NEW YORK GIANTS" team name across the tops of the cards. The color photos are more centered towards the middle of the cards, and the player names, uniform numbers, height, position and weight are found on the bottoms. Coach Parcells and seven of his star players make another appearance in 1988, meaning only four "new" players are featured in the second set (center Bart Oates and wide receiver Phil McConkey being the most notable).

Here's a look at the front and back of Leonard Marshall's 1988 Giants Police card:

It is estimated once again that approx. 10,000 sets were printed and distributed by the New Jersey State Police. Lawrence Taylor is nowhere to be found, but the lineup is impressive nonetheless. The cards are listed by uniform number:

(11) Phil Simms, Quarterback

(20) Joe Morris, Running Back

(44) Maurice Carthon, Running Back

(53) Harry Carson, Linebacker

(63) Karl Nelson, Tackle

(64) Jim Burt, Nose Tackle

(65) Bart Oates, Center

(67) Bill Ard, Guard

(70) Leonard Marshall, Defensive End

(75) George Martin, Defensive End

(80) Phil McConkey, Wide Receiver

Bill Parcells, Head Coach

Both of these sets are somewhat difficult to find today, but I have noticed over the years that the 1987 set sells for more than the 1988 issue. The Bill Parcells "rookie card" in the '87 set is doubtlessly the main reason for this, with perhaps a bit of support from fan-favorites Sean Landeta and Mark Bavaro. We'd estimate the value of a complete 1987 set in the $40 to $50 range, and the value of the 1988 follow-up set closer to the $25 to $40 range.

Click here to find Giants Police Cards on eBay