1991 Ballstreet Journal Full Panel Insert

Year: 1991

Manufacturer: Ballstreet Journal

Card Number: 58

Card Type: Magazine Insert

Issue: #6, November 1991

The internet is pretty amazing.  Yes about half of it is filled with crap and advertising, but when you have a question the answer is usually out there to be found.  It's also a nice juxtaposition for the card featured today.  Because 25 plus years ago before the internet and at the height of the trading card junk wax/speculation era there were a lot of magazines that catered to the hobby.  There were magazine specifically for the speculators, which cards and products were hot, what rookies should you invest into send your kids to college?  And of course there were the price guides.  In 1991, I was still in high school and living overseas so I didn't have access to all the great publications that were being put out to help collector's.  But that's why the internet is so great, with a few key strokes not only did I find what issue of the Ballstreet Journal that this card came out of I found a few photos.  

With so many magazines competing with one another they tried to offer gimmicks to entice you into buying their issues and free cards was the main enticement.  From what I found each issue of Ballstreet Journal came with 10 of these insert cards that you could pull out and cut out the card.  Lucky for me I have an intact panel from the issue.  The other great thing about researching this card is I found something else to go after for my collection.  I also collect Frank Thomas cards and he just so happens to be featured on the issue that Robin's card is in.  

Another fun fact,  the back of the cards feature a trivia question about the feature player and the answer on Robin's card is wrong, Robin was still 18, not 19, when he broke into the majors.  The write up is also wrong with the same age mistake and the wrong year that Robin broke into the majors.  While Robin didn't get his first baseball card till 1975, he played his first major league game  April 5th, 1974.   

Baseball Digest September 1991

Year: 1991

What: Baseball Digest, September 1991

I can still remember buying this magazine right off the rack.  It's a little dirty and the cover is scuffed up, but still a great reading copy.  

Baseball Digest is still around although it's bigger now and in full color, and  now only publishs 6 issues a year and digital content. It's also kind of pricey.  Anyways Robin was featured in this fall issue and gets a 3 page spread talking about his accomplishments and his run up to his 3000th hit.

Baseball Cards Magazine - Sept. 1990

Year: 1990

What? Baseball Cards Magazine with Robin on the Cover

Date: Sept 1990

One of my goals this year is to add more Yount reading material to the collection.  As it is I have a few magazines and programs, but it's an area I have a ton of room to add to.  This gem comes from 1990 and I can remember buying this right off the rack.  I've mentioned this before, but my father was in the Army right up until I graduated High School and his last post was in Berlin, Germany.  I worked on the compound that housed the commissary, PX, Burger King, and bookstore.  So on my way home from work, I worked at Burger King in high school, I would stop by the base bookstore, which was close to where I picked up the bus to my housing area and peruse the comic books and magazines.  Baseball Cards was one of my favorite magazines to pick up and I was pretty religious about picking up the newest issue.  I still have most of them squirreled away somewhere. The bookstore didn't get Beckett, so this was my price guide and it had great articles.  Plus the magazine was the thickness of a small towns telephone book.  It was full of mail order advertisments.  This issue was great for a couple of reasons.  First of course it features Robin on the cover and secondly there is a great checklist for Robin that's not too shabby for 1990 and a great article.  Baseball Cards also had baseball cards!  In every issue there were 6 cards, two 3 panel sheets inserted into the magazine and this issue featured rookie cards of Sammy Sosa and Robin Ventura. (Sorry I didn't scan them)

I really do love those old mail order ads and looking at what stuff was going for back then.  Crazy what some of the prices were.

Here's the obligatory look what Robin's rookie card was going for in the price guide.

Beating George Brett in 1990!