Let’s Open a Pack of 1990 Fleer at a Nearby Cafe

Recently, in the midst of an auto trip from Chicago to Grand Rapids, the author opened (for reasons that remain mysterious) a pack of 1987 Topps at a Starbucks in Michigan City — and documented the experience for America. With a view to capitalizing cynically on the success of that first post, the author presents this hastily composed sequel, in which he opens a pack of 1990 Fleer at a cafe right by his tastefully decorated apartment in Madison, Wisconsin.

Opening this pack, we’re immediately invited to problematize our notion of what action is — and to consider that maybe it (i.e. action) is best represented by a line drawing of a close play at home:

On the reverse of that same card, we’re invited to answer four questions concerning the Kansas City Royals. The author has blacked out the answers, to provide the reader with Ultimate Mystery:

Among the secrets revealed by this pack of base-and-ball cards is how Moises Alou was originally drafted by Pittsburgh. (Upon further inspection, courtesy Baseball Reference, one finds, in fact, that Alou was sent to Montreal shortly thereafter as a player-to-be-name in a trade for Zane Smith.) Regard:

Likely the best feature of 1990 Fleer is how the cards document, with few exceptions, a player’s entire career — including his minor-league numbers, like these for Ellis Burks: