I collected baseball cards just like you probably did way back in the 80s and 90s. In the 80s, you could buy packs of cards at Walmart or your local baseball card shop for $0.40 in 1988. Inflate that up to today’s world and packs of cards were $1.10. Reasonably priced and so fun for kids like myself to rip open a pack and get a piece of gum. Genius. And let’s not forget, each of those 15 baseball cards showed me cool photography of players and then flip the card over and I get to learn something about them and see their stats. It was honestly good for you… I didn’t read books but the backs of those baseball cards taught me math. And through baseball cards, I could learn more about a team the Padres were playing before they came to town. Watching on TV or listening on the radio and all of a sudden players like Vince Coleman were like okay… this dude is legit.
Baseball cards were rad… There was Topps, Fleer, and Donruss back then who were the baseball card brands found in most card shops and big box retailers. They were all kind of cookie cutter because you needed to keep costs down so the kids kept buying. So when you had a few bucks to spend, you really went off of the design of the card you liked most and understanding what rookie cards were out there to chase. and while a Barry Bonds rookie card was always nice to have in the collection, it wasn’t like a prized possession amongst collectors. I think the ‘85 Topps Olympic Mark McGuire is a gem though… The ‘86 Donruss Canseco is always a beauty. ‘87 Fleer had heaters with that Bonds…. Was Bo Jackson in that set too with a fresh card? I think right? Clemens ‘85 Topps btw… But in 1989, a new brand of trading cards came along and so did a new rookie player out of Seattle set to make his debut in 1989 by the name of Ken Griffey Jr.
And this new brand of trading cards was Upper Deck. Who? We knew Topps… Fleer… Donruss…. Leaf… Bowmann… Score… But then this new brand comes out and their packs of cards were $1 apiece and they had a foil wrapper which took the pack opening experience next level. They had this cool hologram on the back so people couldn’t bootleg them… genius… the cards themselves just felt premium too. I remember somebody opening packs in the shop and giving me the commons (the lame cards) and I was like whoa… I can’t wait to read about these guys and own some cards from this expensive AF set. Here are the 2 promo cards that were circulating prior to the launch. I actually have these somewhere in the collection and I really need to dig them up… These are special cards right here.
They chose Ken Griffey Jr. to be the first card of the set… That is a crazy gamble on The Kid but it was easy to see early that this was played perfectly. Groundbreaking set from a new player in the baseball card world and they come out the gate with Ken Griffey Jr. while Topps didn’t even have him in the original set… Do you know how hard Topps fumbled the bag on that? I mean, the Topps Traded was really dope but Upper Deck, Fleer, and Donruss had Griffey in the set but Topps?? Nah… They did come clean with the Topps Traded though later in the year… Griffey took over the hobby in ‘89 and the combination with Upper Deck bringing newness to the category was just as timely. Tell me you don’t see this sealed vintage treasure and not get at least a little hype.
What did it feel like in 1989 actually opening one of these packs and pulling a Ken Griffey Jr. Upper Deck rookie card? Nah really, I want to know because I never did it then and haven’t done it now.
The photo of Griffey showing him in the Mariners hat? Not even real… The picture was actually taken of him the year before on his minor league squad… Upper Deck used some pre-photoshop type tool to swap out the old logo and swap in the new logo of the Mariners and boom… classic card… great pic… card #1 of 1989 Upper Deck fam….
Let me paint a quick picture tho…. 1989 had that Griffey Jr. rookie being the top dawg in the hobby but Alf was killin em on the TV circuit… A 9 year old like myself had Alf on TV and Griffey on the mind. Pee Wee’s Playhouse was poppin in ‘89 as well so when I got that Griffey Jr. rookie card in early 90s, it was legit. Just imagine rocking some early Stussy gear or maybe some Vision Streetwear and sprinkle in some Powell Peralta and Bones Brigade designs… this is literally vibes on vibes on vibes. Jordan 4 dropped in ‘89 too… you literally started the year with Jordan 3s everywhere and then you slide right into those IV and dawg… it’s a wrap… 89 is goated from a culture or collectible perspective… those were some times.
Looking back, I think owning some Jordan 4s paralleled with having the ‘89 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card in your collection. Just to have 1 of those made you 1 lucky kid… I know some of yall had both too and that’s just unfair… And while Jordan is Jordan, Griffey was much cooler than Jordan. I remember in the early 90s, we would go to Spring Training and people would literally mob the Mariners bus just to get a glimpse of Griffey… if you were the luckiest kid you got his auto but I was never close enough… I laid in the cut way back just going whoa… Griffey is that guy.
I look my 1989 Upper Deck Griffey rookie still screwed tight in that case and it just makes me feel a certain way. I see Griffey and remember how rad that card was (and is) and think back to how great he was and how positive his vibes and energy were and you couldn’t help but to look up the The Kid. I see my Griffey Rookie Card and I just get all the 80s and 90s of feels from a goat in the sport of MLB. A goat in all of sports entertainment and a marketing HR. Ken Griffey Jr from the Seattle Mariners. Must see TV back in the good ole days.
