The Five Essential Donruss Diamond Kings of 1985
If you were a die-hard collector in the 1980s, good chance that forty years ago today you were on your way to a card shop, card show, or corner store ready to hand over whatever bills and change you had in your pocket for as many packs as you could afford. You may have been 8, 10, or 25, but most of all you were an investor, lucky enough to be part of the Hobby at a time when every dollar spent would easily deliver five to ten more when it came time to sell. Who needed college or even a job when money was practically growing on trees for anyone with an ounce of pluck, the Beckett hot list, and some screw-down holders!
Rocking the Ton Sur Ton sweatshirt, acid wash denim, and K Swiss sneakers, Huey Lewis mixtape blasting through the Sony Walkman headphones, you were living the high life of an apex cardboard predator, though you knew just how much your fate hung in the balance of the four words you were about to utter: "Do you have Donruss?"
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Topps may have had tradition, and Fleer brought the fun (Holland Tunnell, anyone?), but it was Donruss that offered collectors the two things they wanted even more: Rated Rookies, the brainchild of legendary sportswriter Bill Madden, and--for the fourth straight year now--the colorful and creative Diamond Kings, brought to life by world-class baseball artist Dick Perez.
With the April 25 release of the Dick Perez biopic, "The Diamond King," nearly upon us, "Collectibles on SI" has been counting down the essential Diamond Kings of the 1980s and 90s. Matching the evolution of the Hobby itself, the selections for 1985 will showcase a pivot from the game's elder statesmen to its rising stars.
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1985 Donruss Diamond Kings Ryne Sandberg #1
John Parr may have taken "St. Elmo's Fire" to the top of the charts, but Ryne Sandberg was undoubtedly Chicago's "Man in Motion" in 1985. Coming off an MVP season and NL East division crown, not many players had ascended to the top of Hobby faster than Ryno. Donruss took notice by not only crowning Sandberg the Cubs' latest Diamond King but also assigning the Gold Glove second baseman the coveted top spot on its set's overall checklist.
1985 Donruss Diamond Kings Don Mattingly #7
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Much like the band Survivor, many a Yankee fan could be heard rejoicing, "The Search Is Over," when Donnie Baseball took over first base duties in the Bronx. If a 1984 batting title complete with down-to-the-wire finish wasn't enough to send Mattingly to the top of the charts, his absolutely torrid start to the 1985 season had fans and collectors believing "Things Can Only Get Better." With a base card, a Diamond King, and a "Two for the Title" card in the set, buying packs of Donruss in 1985 was pretty much "Money for Nothing."
1985 Donruss Diamond Kings Cal Ripken, Jr. #14
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When Ashford & Simpson sang "Solid," they no doubt had in mind the young Oriole shortstop who would not miss an inning for over a decade and go on to play 2,632 consecutive games. In the early 1980s, collectors simply couldn't get enough of Cal Ripken (or brother Billy, as it turned out!), and his 1985 Donruss Diamond Kings card was just one more card to take straight to the screw-down!
1985 Donruss Diamond Kings Tony Gwynn #25
Glenn Frey took "You Belong to the City" to number two on the pop charts on the strength of the hit television series "Miami Vice," but it was on the opposite coast that a different hit maker would bond with a city like never before. It sounds like hyperbole for a player with only three seasons under his belt, but by 1985 Tony Gwynn was already the most beloved--if not the greatest--San Diego Padre of all-time. Go ahead and throw in other sports as well if you like. Gwynn was not just Mr. Padre but Mr. San Diego as well. His Diamond King card merely made it official.
1985 Donruss Super Diamond Kings 5x7 Dick Perez NNO
1985 was neither the first nor the last time Diamond Kings artist Dick Perez would earn himself a card in the Donruss set, but the black borders and red racing stripes make this oversized premium the best of the bunch. Tears for Fears reminded us in 1985 that "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," but Dick Perez knew that not everyone could be King. Such an honor was reserved for only 26 players per year, one player per team. As for the rest of the "Boys of Summer," they needed to take it from New Edition and "Cool It Now." In the immortal words of Jermaine Jackson, just "Do What You Do" and your "Lonely Ol' Night" will give rise to "Glory Days" soon enough.
Jason A. Schwartz is a collectibles expert whose work can be found regularly at SABR Baseball Cards, Hobby News Daily, and 1939Bruins.com. His collection of Hank Aaron baseball cards and memorabilia is currently on exhibit at the Atlanta History Center, and his collectibles-themed artwork is on display at the Honus Wagner Museum and PNC Park.