The 1983 Fleer baseball card set was the third issued by Fleer after they entered the baseball card market in 1981. It featured cards of major and minor league players from that season. Card #519 featured catcher/outfielder Brad Gulden from the Cincinnati Reds organization.

Brad Gulden was born in 1960 in Cincinnati, Ohio and grew up a Reds fan. He attended Finneytown High School where he was a star catcher and outfielder for their baseball team. Gulden committed to play college ball at the University of Cincinnati and had a solid career for the Bearcats from 1979-1981, hitting .300 his junior year to earn all-conference honors.

Going into the 1981 MLB draft, Gulden hoped to be selected early and start his pro career. He worked out for several scouts and showcased his strong arm and hitting ability. On draft day, Gulden was taken in the 8th round by his hometown Reds. Eager to sign, he quickly agreed to a contract and joined the Billings Mustangs rookie league team that summer.

Gulden had a strong debut season in professional baseball in 1981, batting .282 with 6 home runs and 45 RBI in 65 games for Billings. Showing he could handle catching duties as well as playing the outfield, Gulden impressed Reds scouts and moved up to the Tampa Tarpons high-A club for 1982. Though he struggled at the plate that year batting just .234, Gulden continued to receive praise for his defensive skills behind and his powerful throwing arm.

Entering the 1983 season, Gulden was featured on card #519 in Fleer’s set as a promising catching prospect in the Reds system playing for their AAA club, the Indianapolis Indians. At just 22 years old, 1983 would be a pivotal season for Gulden to prove he could hit at the higher minor league level and remain on the radar for a future call-up to Cincinnati.

Gulden got off to a hot start for Indianapolis in 1983, batting over .300 through the first two months of the season. In June he suffered a separated shoulder on a hard slide into home plate that sidelined him for over 6 weeks. Struggling to regain his timing upon returning, Gulden’s numbers dipped the rest of the summer and he finished with a .257 average along with 5 home runs and 34 RBI in 80 total games.

While his season was cut short by injury, Gulden’s defensive skills and leadership qualities continued to impress the Reds coaching staff. Going into 1984, he was still considered one of the organization’s top catching prospects and was invited to big league spring training camp to compete for a backup job. A crowded catching situation in Cincinnati meant Gulden started the year back at AAA Indianapolis.

The 1984 season turned out to be Gulden’s best offensive campaign. Staying healthy the whole year, he batted a career-high .291 with 10 homers and 68 RBI in 113 games for Indianapolis. His improved hitting and experience handling a pitching staff made him the Indians’ everyday catcher. Reds officials took notice of Gulden’s breakout season and added him to their 40-man roster that fall, protecting him from the upcoming Rule 5 draft.

In 1985, Gulden received his first invitation to the Reds major league spring training camp as a member of the 40-man roster. Competing with fellow catchers Bo Diaz and Bill Schroeder for a backup job, Gulden held his own but was sent to AAA to start the regular season. He continued to produce offensively for Indianapolis, batting .282 with 7 homers and 40 RBI in 75 games.

That June, the Reds suffered injuries to both their starting and backup catchers which opened up a spot on the big league roster. They called up the 25-year old Gulden for his major league debut. On June 15, 1985 in San Diego, Gulden entered the Reds-Padres game as a defensive replacement and pinch hitter, grounding out in his first MLB at-bat. He would go on to appear in 11 games for Cincinnati that season, getting occasional starts but mostly serving as a backup.

While Gulden achieved his dream of reaching the major leagues in 1985, it would be his only cup of coffee in the bigs. Facing more competition for playing time in Cincinnati the next spring, he was sent back to the minors to start 1986. That season with AAA Nashville, Gulden hit a career-low .236 in 66 games while also battling injuries. It became clear his offensive production had declined from his peak 1984 season.

In 1987 at age 27, Gulden decided to retire from professional baseball after seven seasons in the Reds organization. He finished his minor league career with a .265 batting average along with 62 home runs and 344 RBI in 649 total games played. Though he fell short of establishing himself as an everyday catcher in the majors, Gulden had lived out his childhood dream of playing for his hometown Reds even if only briefly in 1985.

After leaving the game, Gulden returned to the Cincinnati area to start a family with his wife. He got involved in youth and high school baseball as a coach. In recent years, Gulden’s 1983 Fleer card #519 representing his time as a top Reds catching prospect has become a valuable piece of memorabilia for collectors. It serves as a reminder of the promise he once showed that took him all the way to the major leagues, if only for a cup of coffee. Though his pro career was cut short, Brad Gulden achieved more than he could have imagined growing up a Reds fan in Cincinnati.