Baseball's Wild Cards

As most grownups remember them, baseball cards were icons of wholesomeness and tradition. The cardboard heroes flashed all-American smiles and nearly always posed hitting, pitching or fielding. But now a touch of flamboyance is stealing into the baseball-card business (estimated sales: $45 million). While most cards retain the classic style, a few of the new designs might be enough to make Cubs Announcer Harry Caray blurt his famous "Holy cow!"

Fleer Corp., of Philadelphia, one of the three heavy-hitting companies in the business, sells a card picturing Glenn Hubbard, animal-loving second-baseman for the Braves, with a giant python draped across his shoulders. Donruss Co., of Memphis, has issued a card honoring the San Diego Chicken, former mascot of the Padres, complete with a bio on the back that tells when the big bird was hatched: April 9, 1974.

Baseball cards were first sold in cigarette packs in the 1880s and with bubble gum beginning in 1933. They began drawing more fans in 1981, when Fleer and Donruss started issuing cards to challenge Topps Chewing Gum Inc., of Brooklyn, the biggest manufacturer. Card production among the companies has zoomed like a pop fly, from an estimated 500 million a year in the late 1970s to 1.5 billion this year.

The competition has made cards a better bargain for its primary audience, boys ages 6 to 14. Each company offers a pack that costs 30¢ and contains 15 full-color cards plus a bonus.

Fleer throws in a team-logo sticker, and Donruss gives pieces to a baseball puzzle.

Only tradition-minded Topps, which also refrains from picturing players in off-beat poses, still includes bubble gum.

Of the estimated 200,000 serious collectors, many are adults who sell and trade the cards like rare stamps. For them, Topps has issued a 402-card reprint of its most famous set, circa 1952. Today an original set fetches about $7,500. The reprints, however, sell for $39.95.