Team MVPs: 1981 Fleer

 

One thing that I know is happening in 2023 is my 40th high school reunion. At least I think that's the case. I still don't know if I'll attend, but at any rate, I graduated from high school 40 years ago this year. Wow.

Would I go back to high school if I could? Absolutely not. I think I have lots of company in that thought. But there are two things that I still like about that time.

1. I was younger. 2. The baseball cards.

I have mentioned many times that the advent of three card companies issuing baseball sets all at the same time, was mind-blowing behavior for us youngsters. In 1983, the concept had lost a bit of its novelty -- I still hadn't completed anything two years into this new landscape. But two years prior, wow, the possibilities.

In 1981, I was in 10th grade, still clinging to my kid ways. Cards at that time could be found at the drug store down the street, at the mini-mart down the block and at various delis and candy stores, gift shops, hardware stores, etc. You had to keep your eyes open, because you never knew where packs would pop up.

My discovery of all three sets -- Topps and new competitors Donruss and Fleer -- came all at once at Monroe Market, which I've mentioned many times. As a veteran collector at that point (I had bought Topps cards for six years by then), I wasn't impressed with Donruss and Fleer. But I bought them anyway, because that's what you did with cards then, bought them and tried to complete sets. What else were we supposed to do with them?

 

That 1981 set from Fleer looked rushed, even to my youthful 15-year-old eyes. More than half the photos were either off-kilter or mind-numbingly the same. But looking back more than 40 years later, the quirkiness of the set cancels out all that other stuff.

However, when you're trying to figure out the "best card" for each team in the set, which is the objective of these series of posts, it's pretty difficult.

So, we're at 1981 Fleer in this exercise to examine all of the sets that I have completed. As a reminder, I'm going back in time with this project. I began way back in 2011 with 2010 Topps. 

 

Let's give it a try.

Remember, these are assembled by the divisions effective in Major League Baseball at the time.

 

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Orioles: Jim Palmer; Red Sox: Dave Stapleton; Indians: Bo Diaz; Tigers: Sparky Anderson; Brewers: Lary Sorernsen; Yankees: Bucky Dent; Blue Jays: Roy Howell

Team with the best cards: Tigers. It's not easy to evaluate which team has the top cards with 1981 Fleer because with most teams it's a whole lot of stand-and-shoot or bizarre crops, with a couple decent shots. But the Tigers seemed to have 3 or 4 candidates.

Team with the worst cards: Indians. What is that I just chose? Does Diaz have a cramp?

Team I should go back and review: Red Sox. I like the Butch Hobson card but it seemed too much like the Bucky Dent, so I chose Stapleton for some variety.

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

Angels: Freddie Patek; White Sox: Harold Baines; Royals: John Wathan; Twins: Jerry Koosman; A's: Steve McCatty; Mariners: Joe Simpson; Rangers: Richie Zisk

 

Team with the best cards: Royals. You just saw two of them and the one George Brett card where he's at the plate is good, too.

Team with the worst cards: Mariners. Not much to choose. 1981 Fleer liked batting cage shots, fortunately.

Team I should go back and review: White Sox. I like the Baines-in-the-dugout photo but that pipe is bugging me.

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

 

Cubs: Bruce Sutter; Expos: Ellis Valentine; Mets: Bill Almon; Phillies: Pete Rose; Pirates: Manny Sanguillen; Cardinals: Garry Templeton

Team with the best cards: Probably the Phillies. Pirates are decent, too.

Team with the worst cards: Mets. I don't remember picking the Almon card. I probably did it instinctively as there are so many cropped-at-the-mid-section shots.

Team I should go back and review: Cardinals. I enjoy Templeton Cardinals cards a bit too much.

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

Braves: Glenn Hubbard; Reds: George Foster; Astros: Jeff Leonard; Dodgers: Bob (Robert) Welch; Padres: Dave Cash; Giants: Larry Herndon

Team with the best cards: Giants, I guess. A couple to choose from.

Team with the worst cards: Astros. Just one mug shot after another.

Team I should go back and review: Padres. This was the era of fun Padres unis and I pick a guy who's covering it up with a jacket.

That's the end.

I'll try to get to another one of these before my actual graduation anniversary in June.

But unless I complete one of those mid-'80s Fleer sets like I want to, next up is 1981 Donruss and that will likely be even more difficult than the Fleer set.

(P.S.: I still haven't tackled 2015 Topps either).