The 1987 Fleer baseball card set was unique for featuring special award winner cards mixed in with the traditional player cards. This added element of surprise and prestige provided collectors with the opportunity to pull rare and valuable cards from packs. The inclusion of award winner cards in the 1987 Fleer set helped breathe new life into the baseball card market during the late 1980s.
Some background – 1987 was a transitional time for the baseball card industry. While the early 1980s boom was starting to fade, Fleer was looking for ways to make their product more exciting. They landed on the idea of including special short print cards spotlighting award winners from the previous season. This gave collectors a chance at finding hard to obtain chase cards in otherwise normal wax packs.
The award winner cards in 1987 Fleer paid tribute to the biggest individual accomplishments and performances of the 1986 MLB season. Some of the awards and honorees that received showcase cards included:
National League MVP – Mets 1B Keith Hernandez. His card had photo action from his MVP season and noted his .310 average, 121 RBI, and Gold Glove winning ways.
American League MVP – Red Sox OF Jim Rice. His card covered his prolific .325 average, 39 HR, 139 RBI season that led to his long awaited MVP recognition.
NL Rookie of the Year – Mets P Ron Darling. His impressive 13-6, 2.81 ERA rookie campaign with the 1986 Mets was chronicled.
AL Rookie of the Year – Angels P Chuck Finley. His breakout 17-8, 2.88 ERA season as a rookie pitcher was highlighted.
NL Batting Title – Phillies OF Juan Samuel. His .330 average winning performance of 1986 earned him an award card.
AL Batting Title – Twins OF Kirby Puckett. Puckett’s .356 batting average champ status was commemorated.
NL Home Run Title – Expos 1B Andre Dawson. His 49 long balls in 1986, while playing home games in a pitcher’s park, warranted a special card.
AL Home Run Title – Angels 1B Reggie Jackson. At age 40, “Mr. October” still had power, evidenced by his 41 homers to lead the AL.
NL ERA Title – Mets P Dwight Gooden. “Doc” dominated with a sparkling 2.84 ERA over 271 innings in 1986.
In addition to individual player awards, 1986 team champions were also honored through award cards including:
1986 NL Champions – New York Mets. Their World Series winning team got acard featuring highlight action from their postseason run.
1986 AL Champions – Boston Red Sox. Jim Rice, Roger Clemens and Co. received acard for capturing the AL flag.
These 12 total award winner cards could be pulled randomly among the 700+ traditional player cards in 1987 Fleer packs. Finding any of the coveted short printed award cards was a true thrill for collectors. They commanded premium values right from the start due to their rarity and prestige.
The decision by Fleer to add award cards containing recaps of previous season’s biggest statistical and team accomplishments helped 1987 Fleer bridge the past and future of the baseball card industry. It brought collector excitement from the early boom years directly into the late 80s. The award cards served as a special badge of honor for the featured players while giving fans a fun bonus potential in each wax pack.
Their scarcity and historical significance has kept the 1987 Fleer Award Winner cards prominently placed at the high end of the sports collectibles marketplace. Even 34 years later, examples that grade mint fetch prices ranging from $50-$5,000 depending on which award player is featured. For the hobby’s immense and dedicated collector base, pulling a 1987 Fleer Award Winner card from a pack all those years ago lives on as among the most thrilling baseball card memories imaginable. Fleer’s inspired innovation made the 1987 set one of the most fondly remembered in the entire hobby.
The 1987 Fleer Award Winner baseball cards were a true one-year wonder. They captured the exploits of stars from the 1986 MLB season in a unique, short printed format among the sea of traditional player cards. Providing collectors a chance at finding rare and valuable chase cards added collector excitement during a transitional time. Over three decades later, these award winner cards still spark nostalgia and demand high prices, cementing their place as some of the hobby’s true icons from the late 1980s era. The decision by Fleer to include them made the 1987 set truly memorable and unique among the thousands produced over the long history of the baseball card industry.
