1989 was a special year for baseball card collectors as it marked the 75th anniversary of the modern era of baseball cards that began in 1914 with the release of the iconic E398 T206 cardboard collectibles. To commemorate this milestone, the major baseball card companies of the time really stepped up their production of the 1989 sets. Topps, Donruss, and Fleer all had flagship rookie card laden releases while Score even joined the fray with a beautifully illustrated premier set of their own. The collector excitement was high for 1989 and building a complete master set from any of the brands was a challenging and rewarding task that has stood the test of time. Let’s take a deeper look at the notable 1989 baseball cards from each manufacturer.
Topps led off in 1989 with their flagship “Topps Baseball” release. The design featured solo player portraits against a simple white cardstock background with gold borders and accents. Topps had the big rookie class of Ken Griffey Jr., Gregg Olson, Ben McDonald, and Langston among many others. Griffey’s astonishing rookie card would go on to become one of the most iconic and valuable modern baseball cards ever issued. The set totaled 792 cards with additional parallel photo variations adding to the challenge of completion. Topps also produced high-numbered mini-variations and oddball trader cards to tantalize collectors. The photographic techniques and image quality was top-notch from Topps that year.
Donruss followed suit with their popular “Donruss Baseball” set containing an equally massive 756 base cards along with traded parallels and insets. The design featured a more elaborate white and blue color scheme along with “D-shaped” borders enclosing clean tight crops of the players. The strong rookie class for Donruss included Moises Alou, Gary Sheffield, Bobby Witt, and Jim Abbott among the stars of tomorrow showcased. Add-in additional insert sets like “Diamond Kings”, “All-Star Records”, and “Top Prospects” and collectors had their work cut out to finish the full Donruss master. The photo and production quality was likewise excellent with the venerable brand.
Fleer wasn’t far behind with their traditional “Fleer Baseball” set containing a very workmanlike 660 cards without oddball extras cluttering completion. The design was simple and effective with solid colors, good photos and straightforward horizontal layouts. Of course Fleer had star rookies too like Todd Van Poppel, Mark McGwire, David Justice, and Tim Burke waiting in the wings. The Fleer quality was as respected as always with a refined and classic look revered by collectors both then and today.
The relative newcomer Score also had a formidable 1989 baseball card offering with their innovative “Score” brand release. The design broke the mold with dramatic vertical crop portraits and visually striking geometric borders. Overall it contained an above average 752 cards including tough pull parallels. Prominent rookies like Willie Blair, Randy Johnson, and Darrin Jackson helped add to the lure. Score had really started to dial in high quality printing and imaging too by 1989. Collectors loved the new-look Score set for its artistic risks and rewards.
Completing the master of any of the major 1989 brands was a true test, but also a very satisfying accomplishment that is remembered fondly to this day. Securing all the base cards, tough parallels and oddball extras across 756 to 792 cards required tenacity, trading skill and not a small amount of luck and cash along the way. But having the finished product in hand with the enormous rookie presence plus the historic 75th anniversary elements made 1989 a very special year to collect baseball on cardboard in the modern era. The stars of the future have held their value exceptionally well to this day too, further cementing 1989 as one of the true classic years that will live on in the hobby.
While the 1990s would see the rise of oddball subsets, inserts galore and parallel variations up the wazoo from the manufacturers, 1989 still represented a pivotal crossroads campaign where the tradition and modern approaches merged uniquely. Sets from Topps, Donruss, Fleer and Score were all at a peak in terms of production standards, photographic quality, rookie presence and design aesthetics. Being able to check off the completion of any full 1989 baseball card masterpiece would offer collectors of any generation a true sense of pride and accomplishment in this hobby even today. The best of both retro and modern sensibilities combined to make 1989 a truly stand-out year for collecting on cardboard.
