The summer of 1990 was an exciting time for baseball card collectors and fans alike. The sport was in the midst of a renaissance period that saw interest in the game and its cards surge to new heights. Several key storylines and rookie sensations dominated the sport and captured the attention of the hobby.
In July of 1990, collectors were eagerly awaiting the release of the new rookie cards for the up-and-coming stars who were making their mark on the major leagues. Ken Griffey Jr. had just completed his first full season with the Seattle Mariners in 1989 and was already being hailed as the game’s next great superstar. Griffey would go on to have one of the most decorated careers in baseball history, but in 1990 collectors were still hoping to get in early on this future Hall of Famer by finding his rookie cards in the new sets.
Another highly anticipated rookie was Sandy Alomar Jr. of the Cleveland Indians. Alomar had played well in his 1989 cup of coffee and was now the Indians’ starting catcher. His defensive prowess and ability to handle a pitching staff made him an instant star in Cleveland. Collectors recognized his talent and future all-star potential, driving the demand for his new rookie cards.
On the pitching side, collectors had their eyes on Oakland A’s flamethrower Bob Welch as he continued rejuvenating his career in 1990. After several injury-plagued seasons, Welch had a breakout year in 1990 by going 27-6 with a 2.95 ERA to win the American League Cy Young Award. His performance had collectors hoping to find his classic rookie card from 1978, which was in high demand that summer.
Two of the game’s biggest stars, Kirby Puckett and Roger Clemens, were also having monster seasons in 1990 to further increase interest in their existing cards. Puckett was coming off back-to-back 200 hit seasons for the Minnesota Twins and was well on his way to a third. Clemens, meanwhile, was dominating the American League with the Boston Red Sox and on his way to winning the first of his seven Cy Young Awards.
On the business side of the hobby, the three largest card manufacturers – Topps, Donruss, and Fleer – were in a fierce battle for collectors’ dollars that summer. Each company released multiple baseball card sets with distribution spread out throughout the season from March to August. Topps led the way with its flagship “Baseball Cards” set along with the “Stadium Club” high-end insert set. Donruss countered with its “Baseball” set and the enormously popular “Diamond Kings” insert set. Fleer also issued multiple standard and insert sets including “Fleer Baseball” and “Fleer Ultra”.
The competition between the manufacturers led to innovative new card designs and ever-improving production quality. Holograms, embossed logos, autographs and memorabilia pieces were some of the new premium card trends in 1990. Insert sets like Diamond Kings and Ultra featured glossy stock, die-cuts and embedded “relic” material. This push for premium products helped drive interest and sales of sets at the retail level.
On the secondary market, the summer of 1990 saw the sports card boom in full swing. Local card shops were overflowing with collectors browsing and trading their duplicates. The “Big Three” sports – baseball, football and basketball – dominated the hobby landscape. Within baseball, the hottest vintage cards that summer included the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, 1969 Topps Willie Mays, and 1975 Topps Fred Lynn rookie among many others.
The direct sales industry was also taking off, with companies like Pinnacle Brands and Fleer direct marketing sets right to collectors’ homes. This helped fuel even more interest in the growing hobby. Major league ballparks also got in on the action by selling exclusive stadium sets with player autographs and memorabilia only available at games.
By July 1990, the modern sports card era was in high gear. New stars were emerging, while vintage greats saw renewed popularity. Innovative products engaged collectors while heated competition drove the industry forward. It was one of the most exciting times in the history of the baseball card hobby.
