Derek’s (Re)collections A half-decade of innovative design came to a screeching halt as the 1988 Donruss offering featured a rather bland format on the card fronts. The photography remained on par with previous efforts but the border and overall layout…

Derek’s (Re)collections Topps incorporated a “retro” wood grain border design in ‘87 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 1962 Topps set. While I was not a big fan of this set at the time, I appreciated the concept. As…

Derek’s (Re)collections While the changes from the previous year’s effort were subtle, I immediately appreciated the design of the 1987 Fleer baseball cards. I made multiple attempts to acquire the cards but they were very difficult to track down. My…

Derek’s (Re)collections Hands down, the ‘87 Donruss cards are one of my favorites from the Eighties. I’m a fan of the company’s regular season issues from 1984 to 1987 but this particular set delivered rookies by the dozens and the…

Derek’s (Re)collections It’s possible that the Topps’ brass were in denial but their competition made significant strides in the first half of the Eighties while the “leader of the pack” seemed to stagnate in terms of design and innovation. Looking…

Derek’s (Re)collections My collecting days began as Fleer really hit their stride. Following an uneven debut in ‘81 and a lackluster ‘82, Fleer ironed out the rough spots and delivered a solid effort through the next half-decade. The ‘86 effort…

Derek’s (Re)collections Impressed with both the standard and subsets of Donruss products from the two previous years, I anxiously awaited the release of the 1986 cards. They did not disappoint! I rushed to my local card shop and other vendors…

Derek’s (Re)collections Topps came through again with another stellar effort in ‘85. Consistently delivering the largest checklist of the “Big 3” (Topps sets numbered 792 in those days), the inclusion of the 1984 Olympic baseball team along with a bumper…

Derek’s (Re)collections I remember having great expectations for the 1985 Fleer baseball cards after their previous effort garnered my attention and fed my obsessive need for order. Not only did Fleer offer quality photography and a legible table of player…

Derek’s (Re)collections The calendar turned to 1985 and I was knee-deep in my baseball card collection. I subscribed to the Beckett Baseball Monthly Price Guide and purchased several binders with sleeves to display nine cards per page along with hard…