The 1989 Score baseball card set was a memorable one for collectors and fans alike. Issued at the tail end of the 1980s baseball card boom, the ’89 Score set featured major stars, rookie cards of future Hall of Famers, and innovative parallel inserts that added excitement for collectors. With 700 total cards in the base set plus inserts, the 1989 Score cards offered something for everyone and remain a highly regarded release to this day.
One of the biggest storylines of the 1989 baseball season was the historic home run race between Mark McGwire of the Oakland A’s and Kirk Gibson of the Detroit Tigers. Both sluggers eclipsed the coveted 40-homer plateau that year, with McGwire finishing as the American League home run leader with a career-best 49 longballs. Not surprisingly, McGwire and Gibson each received prominent spotlight cards in the ’89 Score set that highlighted their prodigious power. McGwire’s card showed him in mid-swing with the ball already clearing the fence, while Gibson’s depicted him rounding the bases after sending one out of the park.
Rookie cards of future Hall of Famers included Barry Larkin, Tom Glavine, and Greg Maddux, who all made their MLB debuts in 1988 but received their first baseball cards in the ’89 Score set. Larkin’s card showed promise of the shortstop greatness to come over his long Cincinnati Reds career. Glavine and Maddux, teammates on the Atlanta Braves staff, received cards foreshadowing the dominant pitching duo they would become for that franchise in the 1990s.
Beyond stars and rookies, the 1989 Score set also featured “Traded” parallel cards for players who switched teams in that offseason. Notable transactions included Frank Viola going from the Twins to the Mets, Rickey Henderson joining the A’s after starring with the Yankees and Mets, and Orel Hershiser moving within the NL West from the Dodgers to the Giants. These parallel “Traded” cards added another layer of interest for collectors.
Perhaps the most innovative and collectible inserts in the ’89 Score set were the “Diamond Kings” parallel cards, featuring superimposed jewel-encrusted designs on the players’ uniforms. Only 150 of each Diamond Kings card were produced, making them highly sought after by collectors looking to complete rainbow parallel sets. Stars like McGwire, Kirby Puckett, and Nolan Ryan received these regal treatments that really made their cards pop among the base issues.
In addition to future Hall of Famers, stars, rookies, and inserts, the 1989 Score set also provided a time capsule look at some other notable players who had career years that season. For example, Cleveland’s Candy Maldonado hit a career-high 25 home runs as an All-Star catcher. Seattle’s Spike Owen hit .321 in his first full season. And San Diego closer Mark Davis notched an MLB-best 44 saves before being traded to the Yankees. Their ’89 Score cards commemorated personal best seasons that otherwise may be forgotten.
When all was said and done, the 1989 Score baseball card set proved to be a true year to remember for both the players featured and the collectors who snapped up packs. Featuring future Cooperstown inductees in Larkin, Glavine, and Maddux getting their rookie cards, as well as McGwire, Gibson, and others starring in a memorable season, the ’89 Score release has stood the test of time. Add in the innovative parallel inserts like Diamond Kings, and it’s clear why this 700-card set remains a set that ’80s and ’90s collectors look back on so fondly today. Whether completing rainbow parallels or reminiscing about the greats of that era, the 1989 Score cards ensure that specific baseball year lives on.
