The 1979 baseball card season marked a transition period for the hobby. While the 1970s had seen tremendous growth in the popularity of collecting cards, 1979 cards reflected both the enduring traditions of the past as well as innovations that pointed to the future of the industry.
Topps remained the dominant force in 1979, producing their standard design featuring a single player photo on a colorful background. However, Topps also began experimenting with new sets beyond the traditional flagship release. They issued high-number cards with action shots and team logos as well as Traded and Record Breaker subsets highlighting milestones and trades. But their most notable new product was Topps Stickers, the company’s first major foray into the sticker card trend that would soon take off.
Though they maintained the standard card design, Topps’ 1979 set is most remembered today for several iconic rookie cards that have become extremely valuable. Cal Ripken Jr., Don Mattingly, and Wade Boggs all made their MLB card debuts in the 1979 Topps set. While not considered true rookie cards at the time since they had prior minor league cards, these players went on to have Hall of Fame careers and their 1979 Topps cards are now highly sought after by collectors.
Fleer continued their challenge to Topps’ dominance with their 1979 release. Like Topps, Fleer’s design maintained the traditional look with a single player photo and team logo. However, Fleer began differentiating their sets more through the use of action shots and creative photography compared to Topps’ basic poses. Fleer also gained notoriety for obtaining licenses for active players’ likenesses, unlike Topps who primarily used headshot photos at the time.
In 1979, Fleer gained the NFL license and produced football cards for the first time. Their baseball offerings were still limited due to legal issues surrounding their licensing. The 1979 Fleer set only contained 198 cards compared to Topps’ 660. But Fleer was making progress in establishing themselves as a serious competitor through innovation, even if production numbers lagged behind Topps.
Donruss entered the baseball card market in 1981, but 1979 marked their first foray into the sports card industry with an American Basketball Association set. Like Fleer challenging Topps in baseball, Donruss aimed to disrupt the duopoly in basketball cards dominated by Topps and Leaf. Their innovative design featured color action photos and a glossy finish that set them apart.
While the 1970s were the golden age of expansion and optimism in Major League Baseball, the late 1970s saw the dark clouds of a potential strike looming. Labor issues became a hot topic in 1979 and cards began reflecting this storyline. Both Topps and Fleer included cards highlighting the labor negotiations and potential work stoppage. This presaged the darker tone some 1980s cards would take regarding steroids and other controversies affecting the national pastime.
In terms of technical production, 1979 saw card manufacturers experimenting with new materials and techniques. Topps began producing their traditional paper stock cards with a glossier, smoother finish. Fleer took this further by using a semi-gloss stock with a unique texture that set their cards apart visually and tactilely. Both companies also began incorporating color separations and spot gloss effects that added depth and pop compared to the flat designs of the early 1970s.
While the 1979 season saw many baseball legends in their prime, such as Mike Schmidt, Nolan Ryan, and George Brett, it also represented a passing of the torch to a new generation. Rookies like Cal Ripken Jr. and Don Mattingly got their cardboard introductions and would define the 1980s. The 1979 season was one of transition as the 1970s boom years ended and new innovations like oddball sets, stickers, and non-sports licenses laid the groundwork for the modern sports card industry’s evolution. Both enduring classics and harbingers of the future could be found in the 1979 cardboard, making it a pivotal year that bridged baseball card eras.
The 1979 baseball card season marked a transition period where traditional designs endured but the seeds of innovation were sown through new product types, photography styles, licensing approaches, and materials. Icons like Ripken Jr. and Mattingly had their rookie cards debut alongside legends entering their primes. Both the optimism of baseball’s past and challenges facing its future could be seen in 1979 cards. They represent the crossroads between the explosive growth years of the 1970s and the new directions the industry would take in the coming decades.
