Kmart Stores Inc. launched an ambitious and innovative baseball card promotion in the late 1980s called Stars of the Decades. The promotion was unusual in that it featured cards highlighting the careers of baseball stars from the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s rather than just current players.
Kmart partnered with Fleer Corporation, one of the largest baseball card manufacturers at the time, to produce and distribute the Stars of the Decades card sets between 1987-1990. Each decade was featured in its own 100-card wax pack and box, similar to modern card boxes released by Topps and others. The Stars of the Decades cards were undoubtedly some of the most visually stunning and detailed baseball cards ever produced.
The 1930s box featured 100 cards highlighting that decade’s greatest players such as Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Dizzy Dean. Each card contained vibrant color photos from the 1930s as well as thorough statistical and biographical information on the back. Fleer spared no expense in obtaining the rarest action shots and most compelling imagery available from the pre-World War II era to bring those legendary players to life for young collectors.
The 1940s box moved into the next generation of stars like Ted Williams, Stan Musial, and Bob Feller. By this decade, photography had advanced significantly. While black-and-white images still dominated, the cards captured the players and the era in finer detail than ever before seen on cardboard. Fleer worked closely with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Major League Baseball archives to access previously unpublished historic photos.
Kmart and Fleer truly raised the bar with the production values and attention to detail invested in the 1950s Stars of the Decades set. Full color photography was in full effect by this decade, allowing collectors to experience players like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron in vivid color just as they were during baseball’s Golden Age. Stats on the reverse of the cards were woven into mini biographical essays that transported readers back in time.
The 1960s box shone the spotlight on recent legends like Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, and Willie McCovey. By now, card designs were evolving beyond simple images to incorporate graphic elements and illustrations that further contextualized the players within the cultural milieu of their era. Fleer worked with top designers to create cards that were as much miniature works of art as vehicles to celebrate baseball immortals.
If the 1960s box pushed creative boundaries, the 1970s offering absolutely shattered them. Led by superstars like Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, and Reggie Jackson, this set saw Fleer bring radical card designs and avant-garde photo manipulation techniques to new heights. Many consider the ’70s box to be the most artistically groundbreaking baseball card release of all time based on its bold visual experimentation.
All that buildup made the 1980s Stars of the Decades box an instant blockbuster when it was finally released in 1990. Featuring over-the-top presentations of stars like Mike Schmidt, Nolan Ryan, and George Brett in their prime, it was arguably the most anticipated sports card product ever thanks to the reputation established by the previous decade boxes. The ’80s set proved a highly worthy crescendo that wrapped up a truly landmark card line.
Between 1987-1990, Kmart sold millions upon millions of these Stars of the Decades wax boxes, making it one of the most successful baseball card promotions in history and single-handedly transforming the formerly staid sport of baseball cards into a vibrant artistic medium. Stars of the Decades opened collectors’ eyes not just to vintage players, but to the possibility of innovative card designs that told deeper historical stories. Its influence can still be felt in premium card products today that push creative boundaries.
While Fleer no longer exists as an independent entity having been acquired by Upper Deck, the legacy of the Stars of the Decades lives on. Complete sets in near mint condition routinely fetch thousands of dollars at auction due to their historical significance and the sheer quality of their production. They also remain a treasured piece of many collectors’ childhoods who were first introduced to legendary players of yesteryear through Kmart and Fleer’s ambitious collaboration. Though decades have passed, the Stars of the Decades continue shining as one of the crowning artistic achievements in the history of sports cards.