Eric Davis was a star Major League Baseball outfielder from 1981 to 1998 who was known for his power, speed, and defense. As one of the premier five-tool players of the late 1980s and early 1990s, Davis assembled a collection of baseball cards that any collector would covet.
Davis made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 1981 at just 19 years old. His rookie card from 1981 Donruss is one of the more sought after rookie cards from that era, as it captured a young superstar in the making on one of the game’s biggest stages. While Davis struggled early in his career as he adjusted to major league pitching, collectors knew they had their hands on a potential future star every time they held that iconic cardboard rookie.
It was in 1987 that Davis truly broke out and established himself as one of baseball’s brightest talents. That season, he batted .293 with 37 home runs, 100 RBI, and 50 stolen bases for the Reds, finishing third in MVP voting. Naturally, his baseball cards from 1987 exploded in popularity as collectors rushed to obtain representations of this five-category contributor in his prime. Topps, Donruss, and Fleer all featured Davis prominently that year.
The 1988 season brought even more accolades for Davis as he was named an All-Star for the first time and won the National League home run title with 49 long balls. His 1988 Topps card shows Davis launching a home run with his signature smooth left-handed swing. This card remains one of the most iconic of Davis’ career due to capturing his peak offensive prowess in one frozen moment. Upper Deck also joined the baseball card game in 1988 and featured Davis in their inaugural set.
Injuries would begin hampering Davis in 1989, limiting him to just 89 games. When healthy that season he was as dangerous as ever, batting .295 with 13 homers and 38 RBI in only 256 at-bats. His perseverance in the face of mounting physical ailments added to his legend and collector interest in his 1989 cards remained high.
After signing a massive free agent contract with the Reds’ bitter rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in 1990, Davis’ cards took on new intrigue. Now starring for one of baseball’s glamour franchises in Southern California, Davis’ cardboard became must-haves for Dodger fans and collectors on the west coast. Unfortunately, more injuries would prevent Davis from maximizing his prodigious talents in Dodger blue.
Amidst all the injury setbacks, Davis still managed to author some of the greatest clutch postseason moments in baseball history as a member of the 1990 Reds. In the 1990 NLCS against the Pirates, he launched two iconic home runs to lead Cincinnati to a series victory. Naturally, his 1990 Leaf and Score cards from that postseason shoot straight up collector want lists to this day.
Traded to the Baltimore Orioles for the 1992 season, Davis enjoyed a renaissance, batting .295 with 33 homers and 101 RBI en route to another All-Star nod. His 1992 Orioles cards became a hot new commodity for collectors on the east coast. Upper Deck even produced an “All-Star” parallel card of Davis that year to commemorate his midsummer classic selection.
After the 1992 season, Davis signed as a free agent with the Reds once again. He enjoyed two more solid seasons back in Cincinnati before injuries forced his retirement after the 1998 season at age 37. Along the way, Davis continued generating new and nostalgic cardboard for collectors with each uniform change and solid campaign.
In the end, Eric Davis amassed over 16 seasons in Major League Baseball despite an injury history that would have ended many careers. Through it all, he produced baseball cards that remain fan and collector favorites to this day, chronicling the highs and lows of one of baseball’s most gifted five-tool talents. From his iconic rookie to defining 1988 Topps smash, to pivotal 1990 postseason heroics, Davis’ cardboard captures all the thrills of a Hall of Very Good career.
