In 1988, Nestle released its popular series of baseball cards, part of an annual tradition dating back to the 1970s. The Nestle cards have become a nostalgic favorite for many collectors for capturing a specific moment in time each season through memorable photography and player stats. The 1988 set in particular showcases the late 1980s MLB landscape with rising young stars and familiar veteran faces.
One highlight of the 1988 Nestle baseball card set was the rookie cards featured. Among the top rookies that season grabbing their first Nestle cards were Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser, Expos outfielder Tim Raines, and A’s slugger José Canseco. Canseco would go on to win the American League Rookie of the Year award that season, smashing 33 home runs and stealing 30 bases, a feat that earned him the nickname “Bash Brother.” His rookie card today remains one of the most sought after from the 1980s.
Another rookie who had a breakout season in 1988 was Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden. Though “Doc” Gooden had debuted in 1984 and won the ROY and Cy Young awards that year, Nestle still counted him as a rookie in 1988 since it was the first season he really re-emerged as an ace after injuries hampered his previous two years. Gooden’s return to form, winning 17 games with a 2.87 ERA, made his Nestle rookie card a valuable one for collectors.
Veteran stars adorned many of the Nestle cards as well. One of the most iconic was the Reggie Jackson card, showing the soon-to-be 5-time World Series champion in a Yankees uniform with his signature home run pose. Other veteran sluggers featured included George Brett near the tail end of his Hall of Fame career with Kansas City and Tony Gwynn of the Padres in the early days of his over 3,000 hit tenure.
Pitching greats of the era also received memorable Nestle cards. Nolan Ryan’s card pictured the ageless wonder in mid-windup for the Astros at age 41 after surpassing 5,000 career strikeouts. Meanwhile the Dodgers’ Orel Hershiser, who would go on to win a career-high 19 games that year, also earned a card in his breakout season. Roger Clemens’ monster season of 20 wins and a 2.97 ERA for the Red Sox also merited an excellent Nestle portrayal.
Regional stars were also well-represented. For example, the Nestle issue gave Cubs fans cards of talented young hitters Ryne Sandberg and Mark Grace. And in Oakland, the Bash Brothers tandem of José Canseco and Mark McGwire were beginning to excite A’s fans with their prodigious home run power, immortalized on their Nestle cards. Even franchise player Don Mattingly earned a card despite the injury-shortened campaign for the Yankees first baseman.
The photography and card design of the Nestle series remains top-notch. Subtle yellow borders frame crisp action shots on a blue background. Detailed player stats are listed on the back along with career numbers. Gum or candy in Nestle product wrappers were included with each pack as an added bonus. This helped make the Nestle cards enormously popular with both seasoned collectors and kids just starting their hobby in the pre-Internet era.
While the junk wax era diminished overall collectible value of late 1980s and early 90s cards, 1988 Nestle issues retain nostalgia and premiums due to capturing a distinct period in baseball history. Rookie cards of breakthrough talents like Canseco, Raines and Hershiser remain quite valuable compared to other players from the set. Regional favorites and all-time greats immortalized in their Nestle portraits also maintain collector interest decades later. The 1988 Nestle baseball card set celebrates not just a single season, but an entire era of baseball that still resonates strongly with fans today.
