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HOW MANY CARDS IN 1990 FLEER BASEBALL SET

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The set featured cards for all 26 Major League Baseball teams that were active in 1990. This included cards for every player on each team’s 40-man roster as of Opening Day. In total, there were cards depicting over 700 individual baseball players. Some notable stars featured in the set include Ken Griffey Jr., Nolan Ryan, Cal Ripken Jr., Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, and Roberto Alomar.

In addition to player cards, the 1990 Fleer set included cards devoted to managers, coaches, retired players, league leaders, rookie all-stars, and team checklists. There were also special insert cards paying tribute to the past year’s League Championship Series and World Series participants. This gave the set a total of 792 uniquely numbered cards when all variations are counted.

The design and photography used for the 1990 Fleer cards was considered groundbreaking at the time. For the first time, all players were shot against a white backdrop rather than on the field. This helped the photos really pop and draw attention to the athletes’ faces. The black-and-white photography was also a change from the typical team color backgrounds seen in other contemporary sets.

On the front of each card was a large vertical photo along with the player’s name, team, and position in bold text below. Statistics like batting average from the prior season were included on the reverse. The back design utilized a dark blue background with white borders. Fleer also embellished the backs with interesting tidbits, career highlights, and fun facts about each player to add context and personality.

Released in packs of 11 cards each, the 1990 Fleer baseball offering was one of the most popular and collected sets of the entire junk wax era. Its novel photography approach, vast scope of inclusion, and visual appeal made it a standard in the hobby. The quality control was also an improvement over issues that had plagued some previous Fleer releases. Notable rookies like Griffey Jr. and Frank Thomas even appear on the cover of the factory set.

While common for the time, the sheer volume of over 790,000 copies of each card produced did nothing to hamper initial excitement. Affordability also meant sets could be easily completed by most collectors. Over the decades since, the 1990 Fleer cards have gained esteem as a creative high point and representation of the early 90s MLB landscape. Key rookie and star player cards now command premium prices in the secondary market.

Even with the abundance that was characteristic of the junk wax era, the 1990 Fleer set still managed to find a widespread audience and have staying power in the hearts of collectors. Its novel approach and comprehensive checklist made it one of the most ambitious and artistically praised baseball card releases ever. More than thirty years later, the set endures as both a seminal cultural artifact and showcase of immense athletes from a storied time in baseball history.

HOW MANY BASEBALL CARDS COME IN A PACK

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The number of baseball cards that come in a pack can vary depending on the specific brand and type of pack, but there are some general conventions that are typically followed by most major baseball card manufacturers.

Most modern baseball card packs for the mainstream brands like Topps, Panini, Upper Deck, etc. will contain somewhere between 10-12 standard size baseball cards per pack. The standard or most common size of pack is considered to be a “hanger” pack, which is meant to be hung from a baseball card holder or display rack. These standard hanger packs usually contain either 10 or 12 cards.

Some brands may produce “jumbo” size packs that contain more cards. For example, Topps usually includes 16 cards in their jumbo pack releases. And specialty or high-end products sometimes have fewer cards per pack, such as “blaster” boxes which contain around 5 packs of 8 cards each. But generally speaking, 10-12 cards is the baseline for standard size packs.

In the past, baseball card companies used to include more cards per pack. In the 1950s and 1960s when the modern baseball card hobby first began, packs commonly contained 15-20 cards. As production costs increased over the decades, card counts gradually decreased. By the late 1980s/early 1990s packs had settled into the range of 10-12 that is typical today.

Another factor that impacts card counts is whether the cards in a given product release feature traded (“T”) versions of players or non-traded (“NT”) versions. Traded player cards show the player wearing the uniform of the team he was traded to mid-season, while non-traded cards keep him in his original team’s uniform. Since producing traded cards requires additional photography, design and printing costs, brands will sometimes include fewer cards in packs (often 8-10 instead of the standard 10-12) for products heavy in traded content.

Within the standard 10-12 card count per pack, the exact breakdown can also vary. Most commonly there will be 1 “hit” or special insert card like a parallel, auto, relic, etc. mixed in with the remaining base cards. But some brands like Topps include 2 hit cards in their jumbo packs. And limited edition or high-end releases may put all hits or parallels in each pack.

Pack mixing strategies also factor into card counts. To maximize the collector experience, brands intersperse different parallel and insert combinations across case breaks and box configurations. So while the average per pack may be 10 cards, the actual individual pack counts could range from 8-12 depending on their specific parallel/hit allocation. This variety adds to the gambling appeal of the hobby.

Another category of product that deserves mention are value packs – typically sold at a lower price point than traditional packs. Value packs from brands like Topps, Donruss and Panini typically contain between 20-30 basic base cards rather than the standard count of inserts and parallels. They are aimed at newer collectors or those looking to fill out sets more affordably.

And finally, the advent of modern digital sets and platforms from Topps, Panini and others are starting to blur traditional definitions of “packs”, as collectors can now purchase virtual “boxes”, “cases” or individual digital cards that are not physically packaged. But in terms of offline, physical cardboard products – the 10-12 card range per pack summary generally still applies across the baseball card category.

So in conclusion, while pack contents can vary in certain product lines or based on parallel/traded card strategies, the standard baseball card pack from major brands like Topps, Upper Deck and Panini will typically contain between 10-12 standard size base cards. Jumbo sizes may have more, value packs less, but this 10-12 card window represents the usual collectors can expect whether finding packs in stores, boxes or online pack breaks. It’s become an entrenched industry norm after decades of baseline standardization.

HOW MANY BASEBALL CARDS ARE IN A PACK

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The number of baseball cards contained in a pack can vary depending on the specific brand and type of pack, but there are some general standards across the hobby. The most common modern baseball card pack contains 10-12 cards. Here is a more in-depth look at average baseball card pack quantities:

Retail packs sold by Topps, the major licensed MLB baseball card producer, usually include 10 cards per pack. Their main flagship “Series 1”, “Series 2”, and update set packs will contain 10 cards each that are randomly inserted. Variations on the Topps flagship style of pack may include 11-12 cards instead of the standard 10.Examples would be special anniversary or insert heavy sets.

Other major licensed baseball card brands like Upper Deck, Leaf, and Panini also predominantly use the 10 card standard for their retail level hobby packs. These manufacturers have the MLBPA license too and distribute through the same baseball card retail outlets as Topps. Their core annual set packs for the most part contain 10 randomly inserted cards as well.

Occasionally for special premium offerings, packs from Topps and the other licensed companies may contain more cards. Examples include box toppers, award pack inserts, or specialty packs exclusive to retail case hits/loads. These premium packs can carry 15 cards or more as a bonus compared to the standard packs.

For unlicensed producers without an MLB/MLBPA deal, pack numbers can be a bit higher on average since they do not pay licensing fees. Companies like Donruss, Score, and Leaf History State tend to include 11-12 cards per pack, sometimes up to 15 cards for their lower priced, non-licensed sets sold outside of official hobby shops.

Beyond modern packs, pack sizes for vintage/retro baseball cards varied more widely throughout the earlier decades of production. Bowman packs from the 1950s usually contained 15 gum cards. Topps packs from the same era ranged from 12-16 cards depending on the specific year and series. Into the 1960s and 1970s as the market grew exponentially, Topps settled on the standard 11-12 cards per pack for their flagship cards sold in wax wrappers.

Certain oddball and specialty vintage packs had widely varying quantities. Promotional packs, test market packs, and experimental short print issues could contain anywhere from 3 cards up to 25 cards or more. Without licensing restrictions, promotions also sometimes included packets of reprints with 50 cards or more to entice new customers.

So in conclusion, while numbers can vary for certain premium and vintage products, the most common retail level modern baseball card pack contains 10 randomly inserted cards from licensed producers like Topps, Upper Deck, and Panini. Unlicensed manufacturers tend toward 11-12 cards on average due to not paying MLB property fees. For the casual collector just getting started, this 10-12 card standard is what can be generally expected from a fresh pack of today’s top baseball card sets. With thousands of different sets and variations produced over decades in the hobby, there are always exceptions, but this gives a decent overview of standard baseball card pack contents.

HOW MANY BASEBALL WILD CARDS ARE THERE

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The wild card was introduced to Major League Baseball playoffs in 1995 in an effort to add more teams and games to the postseason while still maintaining the traditional division winner format. Originally there was just one wild card team from each league that would play a single-game playoff to determine who would meet one of the division winners in the next round.

In 2012, MLB expanded the wild card format to include two teams from each league. This was done to both add more excitement with an extra layer of playoff games while also attempting to satisfy more fan bases by giving an additional city a chance at postseason baseball each year. Under the current system, the two wild card teams in each league face off in a newly created Wild Card Round that consists of a best-of-three series to determine who advances.

The top two division winners in each league receive byes directly to the Division Series round. In the American League, this means the East and West division champions avoid the single-elimination Wild Card Round. In the National League, the East and Central division winners receive byes. This geographical split was instituted when MLB re-aligned their divisions prior to the 2013 season.

At the conclusion of the 162-game regular season, the team with the best record in each division, by definition, is guaranteed to win that division and qualify for the postseason. The other teams in those four divisions, along with the other teams in the non-division winning leagues, are still battling for the wild card spots.

In each league, the three teams that did not win their respective divisions are considered for the two wild card slots. The team with the best record among the non-division winners automatically claims one of the wild card spots. If two teams are tied for the best non-division winning record, standard MLB tiebreaker rules are used to determine possession of that top wild card spot.

The other wild card spot goes to whichever non-division winner can claim the second-best record when compared to the other also-ran clubs. So in essence, whichever two teams playing outside of the divisions can boast having the absolute two best overall records, regardless of what division they play in, are awarded the league’s wild card slots.

Once the regular season concludes and the four division winners and two wild card teams per league are determined, the one-game Wild Card Round commences. In a new twist, MLB decided prior to the 2022 season that the top wild card team would host the second wild card club for their best-of-three series, thereby giving a slight advantage to the club with the stronger regular season record.

Historically, many have argued that a one-game wild card playoff was too high-pressure and subjected a team’s season to just one game of outcomes after a six-month regular season. Expanding it to a best-of-three format helped address those concerns by allowing the wild card teams to feel as if they have more control over their postseason fate rather than placing so much emphasis on a single game.

Not only does the wild card round create dramatic new games and exciting new matchups for fans to enjoy, it also has indirect financial and competitive benefits for MLB as a business. Cities and fanbases who may have been frustrated at their team missing the playoffs by a few games can still have postseason baseball to watch locally thanks to the wild card slots.

With the addition of more October games plus the promise of wild and unpredictable one-game and series-clinching scenarios in the wild card round, interest levels are higher. More interest translates to increased gate and ticket sales, along with TV viewership, sponsorship and merchandise value opportunities for all involved franchises and the league itself. Financially, the expansion and re-formatting of MLB’s wild card playoff structure has largely been viewed as a success.

Competitively, the wild card round gives more teams and cities a realistic chance to make a postseason run and avoid going home after 162 games. It creates new rivals and grudge matches, exciting beginnings and dramatic finishes that can spark interest for the rest of October. While not quite to the level of March Madness or other single-elimination tournaments, it does add a new do-or-die element to the early stages of MLB’s playoffs.

The current two wild card per league, three-game series format seems to have found a nice compromise between maintaining the divisional structure with byes for the top seeds while also extending the potential playoff field to reward more regular season success. It makes for must-see early action in October and allows situations where a Wild Card winner can ride momentum on a hot streak, upsetting division winners to reach later rounds. And after nearly a decade, the system remains popular with both fans and the sport’s business decision-makers as well.

In the future, some have proposed expanding to three wild cards or perhaps re-seeding teams after the Wild Card Round based on regular season record instead of sticking to an ALDS/NLDS bracket. But for now, the two wild card teams create just enough drama, excitement and reward for both deserving clubs and the league as a whole. As long as competitive balance and fan interest remain strong, Major League Baseball seems content with their current wild card playoff format.

HOW MANY WILD CARDS IN BASEBALL

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The Wild Card was introduced to baseball in 1995 to allow more teams that didn’t win their division a chance to make the playoffs. When it began there was only 1 Wild Card team from each league that would play a one-game playoff against the winner of a division that was not the best record in their league.

In 2012, MLB expanded the Wild Card playoffs to 2 teams from each league to add more excitement and playoff games. This meant that instead of 1 game, the two Wild Card teams would now play a best-of-3 series to determine who advances to the Division Series round.

Then in 2022, MLB did another expansion of the Wild Card and made it 3 teams from the American League and still 2 from the National League. This was done partly because the AL has 3 divisions to the NL’s 3 divisions, but also to allow an additional team from each league to compete in the postseason each year.

With the new single Wild Card format prior to 2012, it did provide more playoff races down the stretch as teams tried desperately to finish with a better record than the other Wild Card contender. But it also received criticism for essentially making the long 162-game regular season boil down to just 1 single game for a playoff spot. Many felt that was unfair to a deserving Wild Card team if they lost just 1 game.

The new best-of-3 Wild Card series addressed that concern to an extent by giving the two teams a set of 3 games to battle it out. It still maintained high stakes and excitement for the winner-take-all games, but did present more opportunities than a single game. Critics could still argue it wasn’t a large enough sample size versus a best-of-5.

When MLB expanded to 3 Wild Card teams in the AL in 2022, it further grew the playoff field and increased the number of games in the Wild Card round. Now instead of two best-of-3 series, there would be 1 best-of-3 series and 1 new best-of-1 Wild Card game. This gave 3 AL teams a chance to play in the postseason, while also addressing concerns about too small a sample size by incorporating at least 1 best-of-3.

Some people prefer more of a best-of-5 format for all Wild Card series to better determine the superior team. But MLB has to weigh playoff format changes with broadcast rights, scheduling complexities and desires to speed up playoff series. More best-of-3 or best-of-5 series would lengthen the total postseason, which many fans may enjoy but goes against MLB’s priorities.

The Wild Card expansion has mostly been viewed as a success by fans and the sport. It has delivered many classic do-or-die games and series over the years that extended playoff races and gave more cities a reason to be invested in the September stretch run. Every extra playoff spot and game helps MLB grow engagement and revenues from its postseason product.

There remains debate around possible future changes, such as MLB matching the AL’s 3 Wild Card spots by adding a third in the National League as well. Some purists argue it diminishes the importance of winning a division. But the overall consensus seems to be that the Wild Card game/series format has worked well for MLB by extending its “second season” and delivering on drama. Fans largely approve of more competitive teams getting a shot in October.

The introduction and subsequent expansions of the Wild Card spots over the past 27 seasons have played a big role in growing Major League Baseball’s popularity and business model. They have given fans of more franchises a reason to invest in late-season division races and young emerging talents in their clubs a chance to shine bright on the sport’s biggest October stages. While debate will surely continue around potential future tweaks, it’s clear the Wild Card spots have been a big win for players, teams and the league that help grow the game.

So in summary – there are now 5 Wild Card spots total with 3 in the American League (AL) and 2 in the National League (NL). The single Wild Card format began in 1995, expanded to 2 per league in 2012, and the AL grew to 3 teams in 2022. This continued progression has helped engage more fan bases beyond just division winners and deliver many memorable do-or-die performances over the years stretching MLB’s competitive season further into October. Debate will likely persist around potential future changes, but overall the Wild Card spots have benefitted baseball greatly since their inception.

HOW MANY BASEBALL CARDS IN A PACK

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The number of baseball cards contained in a single pack can vary depending on the specific brand and type of pack, but there are some general tendencies. The most common type of modern baseball card pack for basic set cards is the hanger box or blister pack. These generally contain 18-24 total cards per pack. Insert cards or shortprints may only be found around 1 in every 12 packs or so for these basic packs.

For set builder packs which contain the entire base card set across multiple packs, the numbers can vary more. Examples include Topps Series 1, 2, and Update packs which usually contain 11 cards each. These allow buyers to collect a full base set by purchasing multiple packs. Conversely, high-end brands like Bowman tend to have fewer cards per pack to increase the chase for rookies and parallels. Bowman Draft and Bowman Platinum packs commonly hold around 5 cards each.

Going back in time, earlier era packs such as those from the 1980s and prior contained significantly more cards per pack on average. For example, a classic 1980s Topps pack contained 17 cards including a large “booklet” style card containing stats and ads. Donruss packs from that time contained 21 total baseball cards each. Fleer packs held 20 cards including the “Traded” subset which showed players who had been traded since the previous season’s issue.

The number of cards per pack has trended downwards over the decades for a few key business reasons. First, as production and printing technology evolved, cardboard/paper costs became a larger part of total expenses. Slimming down the number of cards allowed manufacturers to keep prices stable for consumers despite rising input costs. Secondly, packs with fewer cards increase the chase and excitement factors as hit cards become scarcer. This drives more sales volume across multiple boxes/packs to complete collections.

Another modern factor is the rise of inserted “hits” like autographs, memorabilia cards, and shortprinted parallels. These desirables take up real estate that may have gone to base cards in past years. Popular brands devote around 1-2 spots per pack on average solely to shortprinted inserts now. Premium high-end releases have an even greater proportion of their pack contents focused on flashy insert cards these days over the typical base cards.

Pack configurations also serve other business purposes. Having set builders like Topps Series packs contain 11 cards enables exactly 1 full base card set to be obtained on average from a full box. Bowman’s 5 card packs allow for more boxes to be consumed in chasing down the top prospects. Meanwhile, pack-a-day offerings such as Donruss Optic contain fewer cards (8) but are sold individually rather than in boxes.

While individual pack assortments vary today from 5 cards to over 20 historically, most mainstream modern baseball card packs aimed at set building hold 18-24 base cards. This optimized structure balances production costs, collecting excitement factors, and desired box/case yields for manufacturers and retailers moving forward. Specialty insert cards have also played a key role in reshaping assortments in recent decades.

HOW MANY HONUS WAGNER BASEBALL CARDS ARE THERE

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The Honus Wagner baseball card is one of the most famous and valuable collectibles in the world. Produced between 1909-1911 by the American Tobacco Company as part of their infamous T206 baseball card set, it is estimated that only 50-200 genuine Honus Wagner cards still exist today in various conditions. Because so few of these historic cards were printed over a century ago and have survived in different states of preservation since then, determining an exact number is impossible but most experts believe the amount of authentic Honus Wagner T206 cards left ranges between 60-100.

The story behind why so few of these cards were printed begins with Honus Wagner himself. As one of the greatest shortstops in baseball history who played for both the Louisville Colonels and Pittsburgh Pirates at the turn of the 20th century, Wagner was featured as one of the 512 total players in the monumental T206 set. Unbeknownst to the American Tobacco Company at the time, Wagner had strong objections to having his image used to promote tobacco products due to his anti-smoking and chewing stance. Once discovering his likeness was being used on baseball cards to market sweet cigarettes and chewing tobacco to children, it’s said Wagner demanded his card’s production be halted. As a result, far less Honus Wagner cards made it to market compared to the other players in the set.

It’s also possible other factors led to the card’s low numbers, such as quality control issues disqualifying defective prints or the cards simply not selling well and being destroyed. No definitive records exist of exactly how many sheets of cardboard containing the Wagner card image were printed by the American Tobacco Company in the early 1900s before production ceased. Over the decades since, natural disasters, fires, floods, wear and tear have destroyed untold numbers of any Wagner cards that may have originally been out there.

So in the over 100 years since the cards were new, the combination of their limited initial production coupled with the inevitable losses of time, has left experts estimating that somewhere between 50-200 authentic examples could still be in collections or yet to be discovered. Finding an intact Honus Wagner has become exponentially more difficult as the card population decreases with each passing year. The last known census of Wagner cards conducted by the Sporting News in 1999 determined there were only 57 known at that point, compared to over 100 estimated to have originally been printed.

In terms of their individual conditions, the degrees and states that the surviving Honus Wagner cards are in varies greatly as well. Some are merely fragments while others remain in completely intact near mint condition protected by holders and storage over a century. The highest graded example that was once part of the famed Mile High Collection sold in 2016 is a PSA 8, just two points away from gem mint. Other less well preserved specimens may have issues like creases, stains or fading and grade considerably lower. Condition is absolutely critical to a card’s potential worth considering their great age.

As the rarest and most coveted of all trading cards, an unprecedented public mania surrounded one of these classic Honus Wagner portraits when it became the most expensive collectible ever sold at auction. The now infamous “Grette Card” that was part of the legendary 1957 find fetched $2.8 million USD in an August 2007 online sale. Other prized examples that come to market sell in the multi-million range as well depending on condition. With so few believed left in the world and the hysteria that ensues whenever one surfaces, the collectibles market may never know for certain how many of these precious relics from the early days of American pastime truly still exist in private hands or waiting to be revealed after over a century since their creation.

HOW MANY TYPES OF BASEBALL CARDS ARE THERE

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Baseball cards can be categorized in several different ways based on factors like year, manufacturer, set, player, and more. Here is a more detailed overview of the main types of baseball cards collectors encounter:

By Year: Cards are often grouped together by the year they were produced and released. This is one of the most common ways collectors classify cards in their collections. Some notable early years for baseball cards include 1869, 1871, and 1887 which featured some of the very first baseball cards ever made. The modern era of mass-produced cardboard cards began in the late 1800s with companies like Allen & Ginter. Key years that saw many high-profile sets released include 1952, 1961, 1987, 1993, and 2009.

By Manufacturer/Brand: Different companies have produced baseball cards over the decades under various brand names. Some of the most prolific and popular manufacturers include Topps, Bowman, Fleer, Donruss, and Upper Deck. Cards are often identified based on which company printed them. For example, people may refer to “1987 Topps cards” or “1992 Bowman cards”. Each brand had distinct designs and included varying levels of photograph and statistical quality over the years.

By Set: Within each year, manufacturers released multiple unique sets featuring different designs, photo variations, player selection, and bonus inserts. Famous sets span all eras like Topps’ flagship “Base Set”, Bowman’s “Pro Debut/Prospects” rookie sets, and high-end releases like Topps Finest. Sets are distinguished by their official names printed on packs and boxes. Identifying a card’s specific set provides collectors important details about its rarity, appeal, and value.

By Player/Team: Enthusiasts are often interested in assembling collections centered around certain athletes across different years or gathering complete sets featuring specific franchises. Cards can therefore be classified based on the individual depicted or organization in the imagery, stats, or as part of special inserts. Popular stars that attract collector interest include Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Mike Trout and more recent rookie stars. Beloved teams like the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox also inspire dedicated collections.

By Level/Rarity: Within each set, manufacturers print cards with different production levels ranging from extremely common to ultra-rare. Parallel/refractor versions, autograph/relic patches, and 1-of-1 serial numbered cards command significant scarcity and value premiums over standard issue base cards. Classifying a card as common, short print, insert, autographed, or rookie/prospect helps determine its demand and price in the marketplace. Factors like centering, edges and condition further affect individual card grades.

By Size/Dimensions: Card sizes have evolved over the decades with early cardboard issues featuring varying shapes and formats before standardization emerged. Modern sportscards predominantly measure about 2.5 × 3.5 inches, however brands have experimented with everything from large photo cards to tiny mini and micro-sized editions in recent years to mixed reception. Identifying typical “pops” or more novel dimensions aids accurate product knowledge.

By Medium: While paper/cardboard cards continue to represent the mainstream collectible format, recent years have seen baseball memorabilia expand into other mediums. These include high-end lithographs, on-card autographs, relic material cards with swatches of jersey or used equipment, premium magazines/books with embedded collectibles, and digital/NFT versions. Tracking the evolution of the hobby requires an awareness of its diversifying mediums.

I hope this overview provided a detailed examination of the various types of baseball cards collectors may encounter based on key classification factors like year, manufacturer, set, player, size and more. The hobby remains vibrant as it has expanded far beyond the standard cardboard issue into new frontiers while respecting beloved traditions. Staying informed about developments helps fans engage more deeply with the rich history and expanding future of the baseball card industry.

HOW MANY WILD CARDS IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

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Each of the two leagues, the American League and National League, are divided into three divisions – East, Central, and West. At the end of the 162-game regular season, the team in each division with the best win-loss record wins that division and earns an automatic berth in the postseason. This means there are three division winners in each league that qualify for postseason play each year.

However, Major League Baseball realized in the 1990s that it was unfair for teams with strong records to not make the postseason simply because they happened to be in the same division as another team with an even better record. To address this, in 1995 the league instituted a “wild card” system to allow more teams with playoff-caliber seasons to continue competing into October.

Initially, there was only one wild card slot per league. So in each league, the team with the best record among the non-division winners would qualify for a new single-game playoff called the “Wild Card Game.” The winner of this game would then go on to face the league’s number one seed in the Division Series round. This single wild card format remained in place through 2011.

As more teams and fanbases wanted an opportunity to take part in the lucrative postseason, baseball expanded the wild card system again in 2012. Now, both the American League and National League have two wild card slots, with the top two non-division winning teams in each league qualifying for the Wild Card round.

When the current format was implemented, it brought the total number of playoff teams from 10 to 12, with three division winners and two wild card teams in each league. The two wild card teams in each league now play a new best-of-three games Wild Card Series, with the higher seeded wild card team hosting all the games. The winners then go on to face the top seeded division winners in the Division Series round.

This allows more teams and fanbases to stay engaged late into the season by keeping their playoff hopes alive longer. It also creates more potential playoff matchups and drummed up increased fan interest in teams not in direct contention for their division title by giving them another pathway towards a World Series championship.

Some argue it diminishes the importance of winning the division, while others counter that it simply provides more teams the chance to prove themselves under playoff pressure. Either way, the expansion to two wild cards per league has been very popular with MLB fans and a financial boon for the league and teams. It’s established itself as the standard format for deciding the American League and National League postseason qualifiers beyond just the three division winners.

To ensure more teams with strong seasons can take part in the MLB postseason without being at the mercy of divisional opponents, each league now grants two “wild card” slots on top of the three division winners, for a total playoff qualifier count of five teams in both the American and National Leagues each season thanks to this wild card system. It adds further excitement down the stretch and has been lauded as a success since increasing the wild card number to two over a decade ago.

HOW MANY CARDS IN 1991 FLEER BASEBALL SET

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The 1991 Fleer set was notable because it marked the return of Fleer to producing official MLB licensed cards after a one year absence. Sets produced without an MLB license in previous years, such as the 1990 Score set, were unable to use player names on the cards. So collectors were excited to see Fleer back with photographer approved images and players’ proper names listed.

The base card design for the 1991 Fleer set showed the primary player image on a light gray background with their name, team, and position listed underneath. The rear of the cards featured individual player stats from the 1990 season. There were 669 total base cards, with one card dedicated to each player on a MLB team’s roster as of opening day 1991.

In addition to the base cards, there were several specialty subsets included. There were 42 rookie cards featuring first year players like Jeff Bagwell. There was also a 9 card Franchise Famous Feats subset highlighting iconic moments in baseball history, such as Hank Aaron’s 715th home run. Fan Favorites was a 50 card subset voted on by readers of The Sporting News to showcase some of the most popular players among fans.

Fleer also debuted two new autograph subsets in 1991. A 10 card autographed rookie subset included signed cards of rookie stars like Chuck Knoblauch. There were also 11 total autographed cards obtained from various Fleer signings that featured signed cards of veterans and stars of the day like Nolan Ryan. These autographed inserts helped drive interest in the set from collectors.

The design and subsets in the 1991 Fleer set helped make it a fan favorite among the many issues released that year. The 780 total cards matched the high water mark that some of the larger sets had achieved. And collectors were happy to see baseball’s tradition of a new Fleer offering continue after a one year lapse. The player images, full names and individually customized backend stats also allowed this set to achieve the level of authenticity that collectors had come to expect from the premier manufacturers like Fleer and Topps.

While some individual cards have gained higher values in the secondary market due to certain players’ careers, overall the 1991 Fleer set remains an affordable and fan-pleasing issue for collectors of all levels today. It marked the return of one of the great names in the hobby at a time when interest in the baseball card market was intensifying. Fleer’s first post-licensing set helped solidify them once again as a leader in the industry and a preferred brand for both established and new collectors getting involved in the pastime of amassing complete baseball card sets from the early 1990’s era.