The 1988 Donruss baseball card set was released during one of the most exciting seasons in baseball history. In 1988, fans were treated to incredible performances by superstars like Kirk Gibson, Orel Hershiser, Jose Canseco and more. It was also one of the most player-populated sets Donruss ever produced, featuring cards for over 800 players across the major and minor leagues.
Some key things to know about the 1988 Donruss baseball card set include:
Size: The base set contained 792 cards. Card numbers ranged from 1 to 792.
Design: The distinctive Donruss card design from the mid-1980s continued, with a white border surrounding each photo. Player names were printed in red at the top with team names in blue at the bottom.
Roster: In addition to all major leaguers, the set included players from the minors. Notable rookies included Ken Griffey Jr., Ben McDonald, and Jeff Bagwell.
Short Prints: No official short prints were in the base set, but several players had significantly lower print runs than others, making their cards more valuable.
Parallels: The standard yellow-bordered base cards were accompanied by emerald and ruby parallels with different borders/color schemes.
Key RCs: Ken Griffey Jr. (#1), Ben McDonald (#132), Jeff Bagwell (#350), Barry Larkin (#508), Tom Glavine (#633)
Rookies/Stars: Griffey, Canseco, Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Roger Clemens, David Cone, Nolan Ryan
Inserts: 3D, Poster, Team Logo
Now let’s look closer at some of the top rookie and star players featured in the 1988 Donruss set:
Ken Griffey Jr. – Card #1 is one of the most iconic rookie cards in baseball history. Griffey was one of the most hyped prospects ever and he lived up to it, winning Rookie of the Year. High-grade versions can fetch thousands.
Barry Bonds – As he entered his prime, Bonds’ power/speed combo made him must-have for collectors even back then. His card remains quite affordable for a future Hall of Famer.
Jose Canseco – After smashing 46 HR as a rookie in 1986, expectations were sky-high for the A’s slugger in ’88. His card remains one of the most famous from the late 1980s boom.
Ozzie Smith – Nicknamed “The Wizard” for his glovework, Smith was a fixture at shortstop for the Cards throughout the 1980s. His defense made him a fan favorite.
Mark McGwire – Just beginning to display his mammoth power, McGwire launched 24 HR for the A’s in ’88. Little did anyone know how much bigger he’d eventually get.
Nolan Ryan – Already in his late 30s, “The Ryan Express” was still dominating as the strikeout king for the Astros in the late stages of his HOF career.
One of the biggest storylines during the 1988 season was the Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson. After battling injuries for years, Gibson put together an MVP campaign that culminated in one of the most iconic home runs in World Series history.
In Game 1 of the ’88 World Series against the heavily favored A’s, Gibson hobbled to the plate against Dennis Eckersley with two outs in the bottom of the 9th with L.A. down 4-3. In incredible fashion, Gibson launched a walk-off home run on a seemingly impossible swing to lead the Dodgers to victory.
Gibson’s Game 1 heroics, combined with Orel Hershiser’s record-setting scoreless innings streak and the Dodgers’ upset Series win, cemented the ’88 season as one of the greatest ever. For collectors, it makes the 1988 Donruss set incredibly nostalgic and historical to own cards from.
While production quantities for the original 1988 Donruss cards were massive compared to sets from the 1950s-1970s, finding high-grade examples of stars and key rookies in pristine condition is still a challenge. Of course, being one of Griffey’s earliest RC’s makes his #1 the true crown jewel of the set. After over 30 years, cards from the 1988 Donruss Baseball set remain hugely popular with collectors today.
