Group Break Round 3 - 1998 Fleer Sports Illustrated World Series Fever

These should be the last few packs of Fleer SI to open.  We've pulled at least one of each insert so far, but let's see what else we may find.

Pack 1
#124 Mo Vaughn (Red Sox)
#038 Jose Cruz Jr. (Blue Jays)

#041 Mark Grace (Cubs)
#040 Shawn Estes (Giants)

Pack 2

#029 Kirk Gibson / Magnificent Moments (Dodgers)
#126 Derrek Lee (Marlins)

#012 The Champs / SI Covers (Twins)
#114 John Smoltz (Braves)

I'm sure all Dodgers' fans are familiar w/ this shot of Kirk Gibson.  This photo makes a beautiful baseball card.

Pack 3
#002 1957 World Series / SI Covers (Braves)
#104 Paul O'Neill (Yankees)
#054 Todd Helton (Rockies)
#067 Chuck Knoblauch (Yankees)

Pack 4

#04RP Juan Gonzalez - Reggie's Picks (Rangers)
#130 J.T. Snow (Giants)

Another hit, but no Rangers fans?

Pack 5
#107 Rafael Palmeiro (Orioles)

#015 1991 World Series / SI Covers (Twins)
#097 Raul Mondesi (Dodgers)
#104 Paul O'Neill (Yankees)
#070 Eric Karros (Dodgers)
#069 Brian Hunter (Tigers)

Pack 6
#09MC John Wetteland - MVP Collection (Rangers)
#079 Ryan Klesko (Braves)

#003 1958 World Series / SI Covers (Yankees)
#090 Greg Maddux (Braves)

Pack 7

#025 Mookie Wilson / MM (Mets)
#072 Chipper Jones (Braves)

#016 Canada's Team / SI Covers (Blue Jays)
#081 Fred McGriff (Rays)

Pack 8

#008 Frank Robinson / SI Covers (Orioles)
#108 Alex Rodriguez (Mariners)

#065 Derek Jeter (Yankees)
#061 Chan Ho Park (Dodgers)

Pack 9
#045 Brady Anderson (Orioles)

#07MC Paul Molitor - MVP Collection (Blue Jays)
#088 Kerry Wood (Cubs)

#007 Frank Robinson / SI Covers (Orioles)

Another MVP Collection hit - this time of a hall of famer!  Like with most of these cards the player is pictured on the front and back in a different uniform.  Since he won the MVP award while playing w/ the Blue Jays it makes sense to me that this card goes in the Blue Jays stack.  If we get another one it will go to the Twins.

Pack 10
#027 Mickey Lolich / MM (Yankees)

#020 Edgar Renteria / SI Covers (Marlins)
#052 Roger Clemens (Blue Jays)

Pack 11
#103 Jeff Bagwell (Astros)
#075 Craig Biggio (Astros)
#085 Matt Morris (Cardinals)

Pack 12

#10MC Livan Hernandez - MVP Collection (Marlins)
#086 Paul Konerko (Dodgers)

#001 Mickey Mantle / SI Covers (Yankees)

We finish off this box with the last card in the last pack being a really nice looking Mantle card.  I've got to say I really enjoyed opening this box and I will be buying another as I want to build it now.  If anybody doesn't want your doubles from this set please let me know.  Collation was really good so I don't believe there were many doubles to begin with.  We've got a handful of packs left to go before the end of this month's break.

Group Break Round 2 - 1998 Fleer Sports Illustrated World Series Fever

After opening the first couple of packs of this SI product I've got to say I'll be buying at least another box as I really want to build this set now...the photography and clean design just begs to be collected!

Pack 1

#022 Joe Carter / Magnificent Moments (Blue Jays)
#044 Tom Glavine (Braves)
#095 Ken Caminiti (Padres)
#092 Moises Alou (Astros)

Pack 2
#135 Justin Thompson (Tigers)
#023 Carlton Fisk / MM (Red Sox)
#056 Tony Gwynn (Padres)

#094 Hideo Nomo (Mets)

Here's another team swap that I didn't know about.  Nomo a Met?

Pack 3
#099 Tino Martinez (Yankees)

#006 Lou Brock / SI Covers (Cardinals)
#138 Wade Boggs (Rays)

#5AEG Whitey Ford - Autumn Excellence Gold (Yankees)

Wow!  This Gold Autumn Excellence card was seeded 1:240 packs!  These have a shiny gold reflective foil that covers the entire front of the card.

Pack 4
#036 Andres Galarraga (Braves)
#024 Bucky Dent / MM (Yankees)
#100 Mike Mussina (Orioles)
#048 Dante Bichette (Rockies)
#062 Charles Johnson (Dodgers)

Pack 5

#018 1995 World Series / SI Covers (Braves)

#073 Barry Larkin (Reds)

#13RP Mark McGwire - Reggie's Picks (Cardinals)
#082 Javier Lopez (Braves)

I think this SI covers card of the Braves winning the World Series has got to be one of my favorite Braves cards - what memories this brings back!  I had to scan in this card of Barry Larkin as I swear it looks like he is just floating in mid-air.  This is the first Reggie's Picks insert we've pulled.  McGwire's name, image and the small image of Reggie in the bottom corner are all slightly raised while Reggie gives his insight on the said player on the card's back.

Pack 6
#112 Gary Sheffield (Dodgers)

#019 New York Yankees / SI Covers (Yankees)
#111 Henry Rodriguez (Cubs)
#074 Mike Lansing (Rockies)

I'm not a Yankees fan, but I do like John Wetteland and the excitement in this photo is fantastic.

1998 Fleer Sports Illustrated World Series Fever

The break of this product is just in time as the World Series is right around the corner! The base set consists of 150 cards featuring 20 Cover Collection (Sports Illustrated covers) and 10 Magnificent Moments

There are 2 sequentially numbered parallel sets - Extra Edition numbered to 98 sets and First Edition limited to 1 of each card. The other inserts sets: 10 MVP Collection (1:4), 15 Reggie Jackson's Picks (1:12), 10 Autumn Excellence (1:24) and 10 Autumn Excellence - Gold (1:240)

Pack 1
#042 Nomar Garciaparra (Red Sox)
#146 Tony Womack (Pirates)

#028 Bobby Richardson / Magnificent Moments (Yankees)
#095 Ken Caminiti (Padres)
#078 Randy Johnson (Mariners)
#089 Roberto Alomar (Orioles)


Pack 2

#117 Mike Piazza (Mets)
#032 Kevin Brown (Padres)
#131 Magglio Ordonez (White Sox)
#098 Denny Neagle (Braves)
#071 Edgar Martinez (Mariners)
#080 Mark McGwire (Cardinals)


I love the photography in this set.  It reminds me of some of the better Stadium Club or Upper Deck sets.  The full bleed photos are really nice.  For those of you that love to have the team's logo pictured on the cards they are on the back.


Pack 3
#026 Enos Slaughter / MM (Cardinals)
#120 Brad Radke (Twins)

#5AE Whitey Ford - Autumn Excellence (Yankees)
#102 Vinny Castilla (Rockies)
#109 Andy Pettitte (Yankees)
#096 Pedro Martinez (Red Sox)


The scan doesn't do the Autumn Excellence card justice.  The leaves in the bottom right corner are done in a copper foil while the player's image is glossy on a flat background w/ more autumn leaves.


Pack 4
#139 Chuck Finley (Angels)
#063 Rusty Greer (Rangers)

#08MC Tom Glavine - MVP Collection (Braves)
#003 1958 World Series / SI Cover (Yankees)
#077 Barry Bonds (Giants)
#087 Ray Lankford (Cardinals)


Another hit!  The MVP Collection inserts tell the tale of that player's post season feat that earned them MVP honors.


Pack 5
#132 Bobby Bonilla (Dodgers)
#060 Darryl Kile (Rockies)

#02MC Brooks Robinson - MVP Collection (Orioles)

#009 the California Series / SI Cover (A's)
#034 Ron Gant (Cardinals)
#033 Brian Rose (Red Sox)


Another MVP Collection, this time of a Hall of Famer.

Pack 6
#134 Jim Thome (Indians)
#058 Bobby Higginson (Tigers)
#09MC John Wetteland - MVP Collection (Yankees)

#005 1962 World Series (Yankees)
#046 Tony Clark (Tigers)
#059 Bobby Jones (Mets)

Finally some Tigers!  I was beginning to wonder if we'd get any.  The Wetteland MVP Collection card is odd as it features in holding the MVP trophy in a Yankees t-shirt while the photo on the back shows him in his Rangers uniform.  This one is going in the Yankees stack.