Fleer was an American manufacturer of sports and entertainment trading cards that saw great success with their production of baseball cards throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Among their most popular and iconic sets released during this time period were their Fleer All Star Baseball cards.
The first Fleer All Star Baseball card set was issued in 1965. Prior to this, Topps Chewing Gum Company had held the monopoly on baseball card production for over a decade. Topps’ dominance of the baseball card market at this time was soon to be disrupted by Fleer’s entrance into the trading card business. Building off the popularity of their Fleer Football cards launched in 1961, Fleer aimed to provide an alternative option for young collectors of baseball memorabilia.
For their maiden baseball card venture in 1965, Fleer produced a 132 card base set as well as additional parallel sets featuring players pictured in action poses or with team logos on their uniforms. While bearing similarities to Topps’ card designs of the mid-1960s, the photography, colors, and production quality of Fleer’s All Star cards were a stark contrast to what collectors had grown accustomed to seeing. This helped them gain notice and customer interest quickly despite competition with the long-established Topps brand.
In the years that followed, Fleer continued annual All Star Baseball card releases that helped solidify their standing in the industry. The 1966 set featured 132 cards with horizontal backs as opposed to the more traditional vertical design. For 1967, Fleer rolled out two separate variations of 165 card sets – one with a red, white and blue border and another utilizing a gray border. This dual release helped collectors build complete flagship sets more easily.
Throughout the 1960s, Fleer experimented with different photo sizes, borders, and card designs to keep their product fresh. This included the use of action shots, team emblems, and statistical callouts on certain cards. The production challenges of getting timely approval of photography rights with multiple MLB teams also impacted Fleer. But they maintained respectable annual release schedules despite such hurdles that Topps did not face as the long-reigning baseball card manufacturer.
As the “Daisy Age” of the late 1960s arrived, Fleer cards began showing psychedelic designs, foil stamping, embossed logos and other aesthetic flourishes. Their 1968 and 1969 sets featured unique color schemes, photography and card layouts. While still containing familiar elements of baseball stats and player information, Fleer branched out creatively to bring a new visual style to the cardboard collectibles. This pushed the artistic boundaries of card design further at the time.
Fleer’s success reached new heights in 1970 with their largest All Star Baseball card set yet comprising 220 total cards. Legal issues arose that threatened their presence in the baseball card market. Due to a restrictive agreement Topps had in place, Fleer and rival manufacturer Topps found themselves embroiled in the “Topps Baseball Card Anti-Trust Lawsuit.” Fleer’s production of baseball cards was halted after their 1971 release until the case was settled in 1981.
When Fleer returned to the baseball card field in 1981, the baseball card collecting culture had evolved along with production methods and card aesthetics. Their comeback sets sported vivid colorization, embossed logos, and boxier graphic designs matching the look of the early 1980s. Subsequent All Star Baseball offerings from 1982-1987 placed Fleer in periodic competition with Topps once more, this time under less exclusive market conditions.
Fleer baseball card sets from the 1960s and 1970s have attained iconic status among collectors today. Featuring classic photography of Hall of Fame players from the peak eras of baseball history, high quality construction and experimental designs, Fleer All Star cards defined an artistic renaissance period in the hobby. Through innovations in cardstock, photos and graphical branding, Fleer distinguished themselves as challengers to Topps’ reign. This paved the way for card manufacturers to push creative boundaries that have enriched the collecting experience ever since.
In summary, Fleer’s All Star Baseball cards delivered top-tier performances on the cardboard diamond from 1965 through their early 1970s dominance. While short-lived due to litigation, Fleer left an indelible mark and inspired new levels of quality, design concepts and collector standards within the sport collecting industry. Their innovative spirit and visual styles still enthrall fans and preserve precious baseball memories from yesterday on card fronts and backs. As such, Fleer All Star sets remain prized possessions in any vintage card collection.
