The 1990 Fleer baseball card set was the second major issue of cards produced by Fleer that year. Following the success of their 1989 set which featured rookie cards of future Hall of Famers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, Fleer looked to build on that momentum with another popular release in 1990. The complete 1990 Fleer baseball card set contains 330 total cards and featured a diverse array of players, managers, and even umpires from both the American and National Leagues.
Some of the notable rookie cards included in the 1990 Fleer set were pitcher David Cone of the New York Mets, outfielder Joe Carter of the Cleveland Indians, and third baseman Gary Sheffield of the Brewers. Cone would go on to have a very successful 19 year career winning 194 games and capturing the 1993 World Series MVP award. Carter slugged over 300 career home runs and was a key member of the 1992/1993 World Series champion Toronto Blue Jays teams. Sheffield was an elite power hitter who smacked 509 career home runs and was a five-time All-Star.
In addition to rookie cards, the 1990 Fleer set highlighted many of baseball’s biggest stars of the late 1980s/early 1990s such as Ken Griffey Jr., Nolan Ryan, Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, and Roger Clemens. Griffey was in his early prime with the Seattle Mariners and his sweet left-handed swing made him one of the most exciting players in the game. At age 43, Ryan was still overpowering hitters as the Texas Rangers ace and was on the verge of breaking yet another pitching record. Boggs was in the middle of his incredible decade-long batting average title streak with Boston. And “The Wizard” Ozzie Smith was dazzling fans with his acrobatic defensive plays for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Clemens took home the American League Cy Young Award in 1990 after going 21-6 with a 1.93 ERA for the Boston Red Sox. His card shows “The Rocket” mid-windup, capturing his intimidating over-the-top delivery that was baffling hitters throughout his 24-year career. A few other notable star players featured were sluggers Mark McGwire of the Athletics, Will Clark of the Giants, and Ryne Sandberg of the Cubs. Sandberg was coming off an MVP season in 1989 and his smooth left-handed swing made him one of the most complete players in the game.
In addition to current players, the 1990 Fleer set paid tribute to baseball legends with “Turn Back The Clock” retro style cards of Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Walter Johnson. Ruth’s card shows the legendary home run king posing in his classic New York Yankees pinstripes. Cobb, considered by many as the greatest hitter who ever lived, is depicted in a Detroit Tigers uniform. And “The Big Train”, Walter Johnson, regarded as one of the best pitchers of all-time, is featured on his card in a Washington Senators jersey. These throwback cards were a nice touch that connected today’s fans with the rich history of the national pastime.
Organizationally, the 1990 Fleer set was broken down into American League and National League sections with teams arranged alphabetically within each league. The design theme featured a white border around each card with team logo depicted at the top. Player names, positions, and vital stats were listed on the front along with a bright, colorful action photo. On the back, more stats and a short biography provided additional context on each player. The card stock was of high quality and had a nice glossy finish which allowed the vivid photos to really pop.
Completing the 1990 Fleer baseball card set proved to be a challenge for collectors as the 330 cards included several tough short prints and error cards. Some of the scarcer regular issue cards included cards #221 Dave Martinez of the Expos and #301 Bob McClure of the Giants. Two of the biggest chase cards were the ultra-rare Rod Beck error card which was missing the San Francisco Giants logo on the front and the elusive Ken Phelps short print card which was only printed in very limited quantities. Collectors would spend hours sorting and searching through wax packs, boxes, and cases of 1990 Fleer trying to track down all the cards to finish their set.
When completed, the 1990 Fleer baseball card set stands out as one of the most visually appealing issues of the early 90s due to its sharp photography, colorful team logo design, and salute to baseball history with the “Turn Back The Clock” cards. Featuring future Hall of Famers, perennial All-Stars, and a strong rookie class, the 1990 Fleer set captured a great snapshot of America’s Pastime during a transitional decade. For collectors, building this 330 card set provided the challenge of tracking down some scarce short prints and errors while enjoying the journey of reliving the 1990 MLB season one card at a time. To this day, the completed 1990 Fleer baseball card set remains a highly coveted piece of sports collectibles memorabilia.
