The 1989 baseball card season was one of the most memorable in the history of the hobby. While sets from Topps, Fleer, and Donruss dominated the landscape as they had for decades, it was the special subsets and inserts focusing on baseball legends that really captured the imagination of collectors that year.
Topps led the way with their “Topps All-Time Fan Favorites” insert set, which paid tribute to some of the greatest players from baseball’s storied past. In total there were 25 cards in the set, with each featuring a black-and-white photo from the player’s prime seasons. Some of the legends highlighted included Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, and Honus Wagner. The cards had a retro design that paid homage to the early decades of the 20th century. These inserts were highly sought after by collectors both for their historical subjects and the fact that they were only available one per pack on average, making them quite scarce.
Donruss also wanted in on the legend theme in 1989. Their answer was the “Diamond Kings” subset, which focused on 12 all-time great pitchers. Each card featured a regal portrait of the hurler with their career stats and accomplishments. Stars like Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Tom Seaver, and Nolan Ryan were given the Diamond King treatment. What made these inserts particularly special was the use of embossed foil on the players’ faces, names, and positions, giving them a truly premium and prestigious feel. The limited print run and “one per pack” distribution enhanced their desirability.
But it was Fleer who arguably outdid their competitors with perhaps the most epic legend-themed release of 1989 – the “Baseball Immortals” set. Consisting of a whopping 75 cards, it was the largest and most comprehensive tribute to baseball icons ever seen in a modern set at that time. Everyone from Deadball Era stars like Nap Lajoie and Eddie Collins to more recent greats like Hank Aaron and Reggie Jackson were featured. The stylized black-and-white portraits came from the players’ prime years and were surrounded by beautiful artistic borders. Fleer also went above and beyond with the card stock, utilizing a high-quality, glossy finish and thick cardboard comparable to modern parallels and short prints.
The distribution method was also innovative. Rather than being inserted randomly like the Topps and Donruss sets, the Immortals cards were released in special themed packs. This included “Pitchers”, “Hitters”, “Early Stars”, and “Recent Greats” packs. It allowed collectors to laser-focus their hunt and more easily obtain subsets based on era or position. The limited print runs and structured release made these immortal tributes incredibly scarce and valuable at the time. They’ve only grown in esteem and price in the decades since.
While 1989 was dominated by the big three of Topps, Donruss, and Fleer, other manufacturers tried to get in on the legend nostalgia as well. Score released their “Hall of Fame” subset highlighting some of the game’s most acclaimed stars. And Upper Deck debuted on the scene with a subset called “All-Time Heroes” as one of the inserts in their inaugural baseball card set.
In the end, 1989 stands out as one of the hobby’s best years for paying tribute to the legends of the game through beautifully crafted trading cards. The Topps Fan Favorites, Donruss Diamond Kings, and especially the monumental Fleer Baseball Immortals set captured the romance of baseball history and enshrined iconic players and moments that are still revered today. They also proved to be astute business moves that generated huge collector interest and demand at the time. Over thirty years later, the legend-themed cards of 1989 remain some of the most coveted and valuable in the entire industry. They were a pivotal moment that demonstrated the timeless appeal of commemorating baseball’s storied past.
