The 1990 Fleer baseball card set featured some of the greatest rookies of all time. The rookie class of 1990 included future Hall of Famers like Greg Maddux, Ken Griffey Jr., and Frank Thomas. This rookie class went on to have immense success in their MLB careers and many are considered among the best players ever. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the top rookies from the 1990 Fleer set and their careers.
Greg Maddux: Maddux was one of the most decorated pitchers of his generation. His rookie card in the 1990 Fleer set showed promise of the dominance he would have. Maddux went on to win 4 Cy Young awards and capture 355 career wins. He posted a career ERA of 3.16 across 23 big league seasons. Maddux was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, receiving 97.2% of the vote in his first year of eligibility. He remains one of the best pitchers of all-time and his 1990 Fleer rookie card showing him with the Chicago Cubs is an iconic one.
Ken Griffey Jr.: Jr. quickly lived up to the hype of being the son of a major leaguer. His powerful rookie card depicts him launching a home run for the Seattle Mariners. Griffey Jr. went on to smash 630 career home runs, putting him in the top 10 all-time. He won 10 consecutive Gold Glove awards and was named to the MLB All-Century Team in 2000. Injuries hampered what could have been an even more dominant career, but Griffey Jr. is still considered one of the most exciting all-around players of his era. He received 99.3% of the vote when elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016, underscoring his legendary status.
Frank Thomas: Nicknamed “The Big Hurt” due to his mammoth home runs, Thomas proved on the diamond that his 1990 Fleer rookie was no fluke. He smashed 521 career home runs and captured back-to-back American League MVP awards in 1993 and 1994 with the Chicago White Sox. Thomas finished in the top-5 in MVP voting an amazing 7 times throughout his career. He was an imposing force at the plate who posted a career .301 batting average and .419 on-base percentage. After retiring, Thomas was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, his first year of eligibility, in recognition of one of the top careers of the 1990s and 2000s.
Moises Alou: While Alou didn’t achieve the same level of success as the players above, his 1990 Fleer rookie card showcased a budding superstar for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Alou went on to play 17 seasons in MLB, compiling an impressive .303 career batting average. He hit 284 home runs, stole 300 bases, and made 3 All-Star teams. Alou was a perfect example of a 5-tool player who could hit for average, hit home runs, and utilize his speed both offensively and defensively in the outfield. Though he never won a championship, Alou carved out a very respectable big league career based on the promise his rookie card foretold.
Terry Pendleton: Pendleton burst onto the MLB scene by winning the 1991 National League batting title with a .319 average as a member of the Atlanta Braves. His rookie card in the 1990 Fleer set highlighted him as somebody to watch. Pendleton went on to play 16 seasons in the majors, winning the 1991 NL MVP and 3 Gold Glove awards at third base. He was a linchpin for the dominant Braves teams of the early 1990s that won 14 straight division titles. Pendleton collected over 1,500 hits and finished in the top-10 of NL MVP voting three times, validating everything baseball fans saw when first observing his rookie card.
Darren Daulton: Drafted in the 1st round by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980, Daulton’s offensive prowess was already known when he debuted in the bigs in 1990. But his rookie card showed his defensive chops too – depicting him blocking home plate gracefully. Daulton went on to play 14 seasons in MLB, primarily with the Phillies. He made 3 All-Star teams as a catcher and was a feisty on-field leader who guided Philadelphia’s rise. Daulton’s career .245 average doesn’t jump off the page, but he provided key leadership that help the Phillies capture the 1993 National League pennant. His contributions validated his potential as a rookie in 1990.
Tom Glavine: Another Hall of Fame arm, Glavine’s rookie card with the Atlanta Braves offered a glimpse of the dominance he would have over a 22-year MLB career. Glavine crafted a 305-203 win-loss record to go along with a 3.54 ERA. He captured the 1991 NL Cy Young award and 2 additional Cy Youngs. Glavine also led the Braves to a 1995 World Series title while establishing himself as one of the top left-handed pitchers ever. His pinpoint control and crafty repertoire was a prelude to what fans could expect based on his promising rookie card in the 1990 Fleer set.
The 1990 Fleer baseball card set showcased a bountiful rookie class that went on to have Hall of Fame careers. Maddux, Griffey Jr., Thomas, Glavine and others validated the promise depicted on their rookie cards to etch their names amongst the all-time greats. They became towering figures not just of their playing days in the 1990s-2000s, but in baseball history as a whole. The 1990 Fleer set is remembered as one of the best ever for good reason – it introduced baseball fans to players that would become legends.
