The Five Essential Baseball Cards of 1991 Fleer
Can a baseball card set be so bad it's good? No, not really. But can it have a handful of cards that are outstanding, exceptional, and even essential? Absolutely! Wherever you place 1991 Fleer on your list of the worst sets of all-time, here are five cards from the set to upgrade the binders or shoeboxes of any collector!
To many collectors, the 1991 Fleer set is the exact opposite of Essential. Though 1990 Donruss may be a close ketchup to its mustard, 1991 Fleer may well be the most hated set of the entire Junk Wax Era. Okay, but here's the thing. It really is terrible!
First off, those garish bright yellow borders are irredeemable. Next, can the photo be any smaller? And about those photos...did Fleer not realize it was competing against Upper Deck? Still, despite the set's many flaws, the absolute truth remains that some of the decade's best looking—and Essential—cards came from packs of 1991 Fleer.
1991 Fleer Pro-Visions Eric Davis
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When Charles Dickens wrote "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times," he was clearly thinking ahead to 1991, where the same Fleer packs hopelessly awash in cardboard detritus might just serve up the Terry Smith masterpieces known as Pro-Visions. Though at first these awesome inserts seem the exact opposite of their flagship counterparts, the truth is that they veer only slightly from the standard 1991 Fleer design, begging the question, "Why didn't all the cards look like this?"
1991 Fleer Pro-Visions Dwight Gooden
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No, this whole article won't be Pro-Visions, even if it probably should be. Still, when packs give you lemons, why not make lemonade! Sure, Doc was a bit past his prime by 1991 (as was Eric the Red), but what a card! Hang it in the Louvre.
1991 Fleer "Second Generation Stars" Ken Griffey/Barry Bonds
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Pretend for a second that the other 719 cards on the checklist aren't bright yellow and that this is just some sort of cap logo color match. All of a sudden, the card ain't half bad. On top of that, you're looking at the first card to pair these two five-tool stars who would absolutely dominate the game's next decade.
1991 Fleer - World Series
Consider this card a stand-in for a truly exceptional and superstar-studded eight-card set commemorating the 1990 World Series. Player collectors might choose to grab the terrific solo cards of Eric Davis, Jose Canseco, or Rickey Henderson instead, not to mention a fantastic card of Dave Stewart. Just be warned before you head to eBay in search of cheap unopened wax. These "rarities" were only included with the factory set.
1991 Fleer Pro-Visions Rickey Henderson
True, the black borders added a "cool factor" to the Pro-Visions inserts, but how about the factory set-only white-bordered inserts of Rickey Henderson, Ryne Sandberg, Barry Bonds, and Dave Stewart? Collectors can't go wrong with any of the four, but it's the Rickey that gets the nod for the bad-ass pose, the color-match aurora, and—let's face it—for being the Greatest!
The biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah tells of God's destruction of two cities filled with sin. However, the annihilation is not total thanks to Abraham's intercession on behalf of a small number of righteous men dwelling there. In a sense, this is the story of 1991 Fleer, a set completely worthy of the figurative or literal dustbin of Hobby history if not for a small handful—a half-minyan if you like—of absolutely essential cards that at least somewhat (being generous here!) make up for the set's many sins. 1991 Fleer may truly be the worst baseball card set of all time, but that's doesn't make it all bad. Enjoy the good, and collect what you love.
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.