Things were much more simpler back in 1986. There was no “1 of 1″, high-end products, or thirty releases per year to try to keep up with. If by chance you were a Cecil Fielder collector, you had a whopping three cards to bring into your collection which were considered rookie cards.
If you only know Cecil as being Prince’s deadbeat, degenerate gambling father… I feel bad for you. He was without a doubt, the ultimate baseball underdog of his era. By the beginning of the 90’s, Cecil had four seasons under his belt, cracking double digits in home runs just once (14). By the end of 1990, he was a full-blown superstar who hit 51 home runs after coming from Japanese baseball the year prior.
Although Cecil was never that great again, he was always good for 25-35 home runs each and ever year up until his very early retirement, at 34 years of age. Had he hung around with guys like Jose Canseco & Barry Bonds, he might have cracked 500+ home runs.
Below is every Cecil Fielder rookie card. First you have the ugly 1986 Donruss, which will forever belong to Jose Canseco and his “Mexi-Stache”. Fortunately, the colors of the border works well with Cecil’s Blue Jays uniform.
After that you have the iconic and very unique 1986 Topps, which once again fits perfectly with Fielder’s Blue Jays uniform. Unfortunately, the batting practice photo with just two fans in the stadium kills it.
The 1986 Fleer once again features “Big Daddy” behind a huge section of empty seats. Sharing the baseball card with Cecil is Cleveland Indians rookie, Cory Snyder. Once again, the Canseco from this set dominates and once sold for over $50 dollars.
I give the win to the Donruss card, simply for featuring a great photograph. Today, we can all laugh at the design but I imagine it was considered great by many collectors in 1986.
So what is the perfect Cecil Fielder rookie card?
Way back in 1992 when I could have never talked my parents into buying a entire box of packs. I had saved my money up to buy the Fleer Cecil Rookie. I spent $20 for the card at a card show at my local mall in Detroit. Probably had to pay the home increased price. But I was so so proud of that card. I put it in one of those 4 screw down holders and showed everyone I knew. It was my centerpiece then I discovered Boobs and my cards went to the back of the closet till I got married 12 years later.
I’d go with the Donruss, for the same reason. I like game action shots. Batting practice doesn’t really cut it. And the Fleer? Nothing says, “I’m gonna make it.” like feigned indifference.
The 1986 Donruss design always made me queasy. All those horizontal lines. And Fleer’s automatically out because Fielder’s sharing the card with a Dodger bust. So I’ll take ‘86 Topps by default.
I like that ‘86 Topps card, but Cecil and Cory on the same card is late ’80s perfection.
I like the ‘86 Donruss the best, it’s actually an action shot. Looks like it was the NBC game of the week! =) Half of the ‘86 Topps Blue Jay cards were taken during one game of batting practice (check it out). The Fleer is cool because you get a rare shot of Cory Snyder with the old “C” on his hat which kicks ass. As a kid I was always humbled by the presence of any ‘86 Donruss or ‘86 Fleer as you could only get Topps in the small town I grew up in. And I would have fainted if I saw a Canseco. I did a small commentary on the ‘86 Topps Fielder card a while back…
I’m picking the Topps card. It’s one of the classic 80s card designs, and shows us the form that would eventually hit like a stud. The Fleer gets an honorable mention–mostly because that card’s had two lives. Once upon a time, Cory Snyder was supposed to be a galactic hero of all time, and Cecil was the one looking like a Biff Pocoroba.
By 1992, Snyder was the chump, and the balance of power on this card shifted to the left. Now, all these years later, they’re both a nickel, together.
The Donruss is just weird. It looks like Max Headroom made it.
I’m stuck between Donruss and Topps. Wish the Donruss photos was on the Topps design. You knw, I actually really really like that Topps design . Man I wish they bring that back…Lol
I always liked the rookie cards featuring 2 or more players. We would have never heard of Bob Bonner without them. Peace.
The Topps card was one of the first cards I owned that showed a substantial increase in price after I pulled it from a pack. When he came back from Japan, that card went from being worth a nickel to $7 (according to Beckett). So its the Topps card for me.
I really like the 86 Donruss design.
Maybe I love that set b/c like Mario I collected Canseco cards and COVETED that 86 rated rookie card.
Sorry, I can’t vote for any card with a pube on it (chin level, left border)–no matter how fantastically retro the ‘86 Donruss is.
The ‘86 Topps wins hands down.
Cecil!! Back in the day it was 86 Donruss for me, today it’s Topps.
PS- Is it just me or does Cory Snider look a bit too much like “John Baker” from CHiPs?
Gotta go with 86 Topp’s. There’s something about that solid black border…
Topps was the card. I remember that was the one that costed the money, not the others.
The topps because it has that classic topps photography. I love those 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s pics of guys that were taken at some practice facility that could have been a little league field for all we know.
I think I bought one pack of 1986 Topps, and lucked out and got the Fielder rookie, which was probably the biggest “pull” at the time. Of course, I’m sure it’s “worth” less than what I paid for it.
Cecil is the man. He’s the field manager for the Atlantic City Surf and very fan friendly for anyone who field themselves in the Atlantic City area in the summer.
The actualy play on the field is terrible, but Big Daddy is in the house.
Wow, he sure packed on the pounds after his rookie year.