The 1987 Fleer baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic and popular modern issues in the hobby. For collectors of the era, certain stars and memorable rookie cards really stand out from the larger 640-card checklist. One of the most recognizable names from that ’87 Fleer release would be Atlanta Braves slugger Dale Murphy, featured on card #681.
Dale Eugene Murphy was a true homegrown star for the Braves franchise in the 1980s. Born in 1954 in Portland, Oregon, Murphy grew up a huge baseball fan and was drafted by the Braves out of Rancho Cordova High School in 1972. After working his way through the minor leagues, he made his MLB debut in 1976 at age 21. Murphy quickly established himself as the heart and soul of those Atlanta ballclubs for over a decade.
By the time the 1987 season rolled around and his corresponding Fleer card was released, Murphy had already accomplished quite a bit in his career. He had won back-to-back National League MVP awards in 1982 and 1983, capturing the first of those MVPs unanimously. In those peak seasons, Murphy absolutely dominated NL pitching by batting .333 with 36 home runs and a league-leading 121 RBI in ’82, then hitting .302 with a career-high 49 homers and 150 RBI in ’83.
Those eye-popping stat lines from Murphy’s MVP years made him one of the most feared sluggers in baseball during the early 1980s. He regularly finished near the top of the league leaders in both home runs and RBI each season. Defensively, Murphy also played gold glove caliber center field for Atlanta and possessed one of the strongest throwing arms in the NL. Behind his consistent production and leadership, the Braves were perennial contenders in the NL West division throughout that span.
By 1987 Murphy’s offensive numbers had started to decline from those astronomical MVP peaks of a few years prior. He was still a productive player at age 32, but was no longer in the same superstar echelon. That season, Murphy hit .268 with 26 home runs and 83 RBI – solid production, yet a step back from his world-beating heights of the early 1980s when he was regularly cranking 40+ homers and driving in over 100 runs a year.
The 1987 design perfectly captures Murphy in his later Atlanta prime. The orange and blue color scheme meshes well with the Braves uniform colors. The photo shows a clean-shaven Murphy in his characteristic batting stance, holding the bat up high with his knob pointed toward the camera. His intense, focused stare meets the eyes of the viewer. The Fleer logo and team name are neatly above with stats like “.268 BA” listed below. It’s a classy and memorable visual representation of one of the franchise’s all-time greats.
For collectors, Murphy’s ’87 Fleer card holds plenty of nostalgic appeal as well. Many people who followed baseball in the 1980s vividly remember this dominant Atlanta slugger mashing home runs on a regular basis. Even after his offensive numbers dipped later in his career, Murphy remained a respected veteran leader for the Braves. His workmanlike mentality and tireless dedication to improving exemplified the blue-collar values synonymous with the franchise. For kids growing up in Atlanta or elsewhere during that era, Murphy was an athletic icon and one of the biggest stars in the game.
Interestingly, Murphy himself seemed to recognize the cultural staying power of his ’87 Fleer card. Years later after his retirement in 1994, he participated in various baseball card autograph signings for collectors to get cards signed in-person. This included specific signings for his 1987 Fleer card. In addition to the card’s aesthetics and timely subject matter capturing an Atlanta legend, the ability to obtain Murphy’s autograph also adds substantial cachet and collectors value to the piece over thirty years later.
In the ensuing decades since his playing days ended, Dale Murphy’s on-field exploits and respected image have continued to keep him prominently featured in Braves franchise history. He remains one of only four players to have his number “3” retired by the organization. Murphy also went on to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, albeit through the more modern Today’s Game era committee vote rather than the traditional BBWAA ballot. But his two-time MVP career and exemplary leadership cement his status as one of the all-time Atlanta greats. And for collectors and fans of a certain era, his 1987 Fleer baseball card evokes wave of nostalgia and stands as a true historic sporting icon from the 1980s.