As an aside, I don't know how anyone put together complete sets for the police departments outside of Milwaukee in any honest way. By honest way, I mean by not knowing someone on the police force or being on the police force. We are talking about a 30-card set (at least) that was being given away ostensibly in two-card lots. Who saw (or wanted to see) a police officer every week during the summer?
This was especially true where I grew up 35 miles outside of Milwaukee. We didn't see a sheriff's department car more than maybe once or twice a month, and the deputies tended to frown on 12-year-old kids flagging them down on the highway so that the kids could ask for baseball cards.
All that said, the cards through the 1980s and into 1991 were odd-sized, on thin cardboard, and carried safety messages apparently written by a kindergarten teacher trying to tell high school kids what to do. To give an example, let's look at an example: the Robin Yount card from 1985.
This was signed in person by Yount at a public appearance in the mid-1980s. |
But, the real joy is reading the backs of these cards. Take Yount's "statement" to the kids, and let's ignore things like teammates having "special feelings" for each other:
Special feelings? |
Anyway, I have this longing desire to find a list of every single police department from 1982 through 1986 who gave out these cards and, then in masochistic fashion, I would like to attempt to complete sets from all of them. If you can help, shoot me an e-mail or comment on the thread below.
Couldn't track down your email. You emailed me about a 1989 mini Justin Verlander. Would the gold Gomez and Red Foil Segura work in trade? Drop me an email and let's work something out. Thanks, Adam (arpsmith)
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