2008 Donruss Philadelphia Learn to Read Cards

American sports carte manufacturer

Donruss

Blazon	Private
Industry	Collectable
Founded	1954
Defunct	2009; 13 years ago  (2009)
Fate	Acquired by Panini Grouping in 2009, condign Panini America
Headquarters	Irving, Texas , U.s.a.
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Mark Warsop (CEO)
Products	Trading cards
Number of employees	50+
Parent	Pinnacle Brands (1996–98) [ane]

Donruss was a The states-based trading cards manufacturing company founded in 1954 and acquired by the Panini Grouping in 2009. The company started in the 1950s, producing confectionery, evolved into Donruss and started producing trading cards. During the 1960s and 1970s Donruss produced entertainment-themed cards. Its first sports theme cards were produced in 1965, when it created a series of racing cards sponsored by Hot Rod Magazine.^[2]

Its adjacent series of sports products came in 1981, when it produced baseball game and golf game trading cards. It was 1 of three manufacturers to produce baseball game cards from 1981 through 1985, along with Fleer and Topps. In 1986, Sportflics (Major League Marketing) entered the market place as the fourth fully licensed card producer, followed by Score in 1988, and Upper Deck in 1989. Since inbound the trading menu market, it has produced a variety of sports trading cards, including American football, baseball, basketball, boxing, golf, ice hockey, racing and tennis; and has acquired a number of brand names. In 1996 Donruss was acquired by rival Superlative Brands, makers of Score and Sportflix.

Donruss produced baseball game cards from 1981 to 1998, when and then-parent company Tiptop Brands filed for defalcation. Baseball card production resumed in 2001, when so-parent company Playoff Corporation caused the rights to produce baseball cards. From 2007 to 2009, Donruss released baseball card products featuring players that were no longer under MLB contract after MLB decided to limit licensing options in 2005.

Visitor history [edit]

1954 to 1998, Donruss [edit]

Douglas Thomas, Donald, and Russel Wiener founded the original Donruss company in 1954. At first, they were the owners of the Thomas Wiener Company located in Memphis, Tennessee. They manufactured hard candy, suckers and Super Chimera mucilage. Combining their outset names, Douglas, Don, and Russ, they renamed their company Donruss and continued to produce processed and gum. Donruss produced several amusement-themed trading cards, from such television receiver shows as The Addams Family, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Monkees and The Flying Nun from 1961 until 1969.^{[3] [4]}

That same yr, Donruss made national news with a $30,000 surtax dispute. Donruss paid its surtax merely sued to go the coin back. It won in U.S. Circuit Court but lost in U.Southward. Supreme Court.^[5] Donruss claimed its earnings did not laissez passer the "purpose test" to avert paying the taxes, and having lost it prevented whatever other corporation from using the purpose examination.^[4]

Later that yr, Donruss was purchased past General Mills. Donruss connected making entertainment-themed cards throughout the 1970s, calculation titles like The Dukes of Hazzard, Elvis Presley, Kiss and Saturday Night Fever to its product lines. Producing these cards was profitable; however, Donruss, looking for additional avenues of income, desired to enter the baseball card market. Unfortunately, Topps had exclusive rights and Donruss would accept to look until Fleer's lawsuit confronting Topps.^{[three] [iv]}

In 1975, Fleer sued Topps over its exclusive baseball rights. Afterwards five years a federal judge ruled that Topps illegally obtained Major League Baseball game Players Association rights. Donruss and Fleer negotiated deals with Major League Baseball and by tardily 1980 Donruss had acquired the rights to produce baseball cards. Its first baseball card set was produced and set up in time for the 1981 season. In August of that yr, an appellate court overturned the judge'south ruling. Quick to react, Fleer'southward lawyers found a loophole in Topps' contract that stated it had exclusive rights to sell baseball cards with gum or candy. So, Fleer started distributing its baseball cards with stickers, and Donruss started distributing its cards with puzzle pieces.^{[3] [4]}

Overproduction and distribution was an early on problem for Donruss. In 1983 Huhtamäki Oyj purchased Beatrice US Confections, Donruss and Leaf Processed Visitor, merging the three companies into "Leaf, Inc." The company continued to use the "Donruss" name on baseball cards, which now benefited from Leaf'south established distribution network. The Leaf make was used from 1985 through 1988 on specially fabricated baseball cards distributed in Canada, and in 1990 on a premium series of cards distributed in the U.S.^{[3] [4]}

Donruss expanded its Memphis plant from 256,000 square feet (23,800 thouⁱⁱ) to well-nigh 400,000, grew from 550 employees to 720 and continued to make trading cards and chimera gum at the facility throughout 1991. In 1992 demand for college-quality cards rose, and standard card sales dropped. Donruss responded by reducing production, increasing price, upgrading card quality and randomly inserted express edition and autographed insert cards to its new foil packaged cards. Donruss also partnered with Coca-Cola, Cracker Jack and McDonald'southward to create special menu series, and created a less expensive line of cards called "Triple Play" targeted at young collectors.^[4]

In 1993 Donruss acquired the rights to produce hockey cards. With poor sales in 1994, due in part to a Major League Baseball strike and National Hockey League lockout, Donruss began producing new lines of entertainment cards, and a football collectible card game nether license from NXT Games, in 1995. In 1996, Pinnacle Brands acquired the Donruss/Foliage brands, as well as their baseball and hockey licenses, from Huhtamäki Oyj for about $41 one thousand thousand.^[i] The entertainment line was sold to United States Playing Card Company. Top used the Donruss and Leaf brands on baseball, football and hockey cards.^[iv]

In July 1998 Meridian Brands filed for Affiliate 11 bankruptcy protection.^[4]

1970 to 2001, Playoff Corp. [edit]

Playoff Corp. can be traced dorsum to as early on as 1970 with a company called Optigraphics. At the time, Optigraphics specialized in advanced printing technology. Its first sports work was seen in 1983 when seven-Eleven began distributing multiple-image discs utilizing the lenticular printing process which gave an appearance as though the image were moving, or changing –with purchases of Slurpee drinks.^{[4] [6]}

In 1985 the company obtained baseball licenses and started producing its unique style of cards under the name "Sportflics". This likewise marked the commencement time whatsoever company used full-colour photography on the back of sports cards. Minus "Magic Motion", but using the same style as its Sportflics cards, information technology released baseball game cards nether the Score brand in 1988 and football cards under the Score brand in 1989.^{[4] [6]}

In 1992 founders and owners Ann Blake and John Flavin divorced. Flavin maintained the Score brand. Blake left and founded a new company called Cardz Distribution, which later developed into Playoff Corp. and ultimately gained control of the Score brand, along with Donruss and Leaf, in 1998 when then parent visitor Pinnacle Brands, Inc. was under defalcation. Playoff could not obtain Pinnacle/Donruss' baseball and hockey licenses, however. Playoff was producing high-cease lines of football game cards, generating some $25 million in annual revenues. With its Pinnacle Brands purchase, Playoff began producing trading cards under the Donruss Aristocracy, Foliage and Score brand names.^{[four] [6]}

Playoff expanded its business in 2000 by calculation a 36,000-square-foot (3,300 m^two) distribution facility, and developed its Score Entertainment subsidiary to produce Dragonball Z trading cards.^{[four] [half-dozen]}

1988 to 1997, Activeness Packed [edit]

Action Packed manufactured trading cards from 1988^[seven] to 1997.^[viii] Complete sets consisted of few cards to keep collectors happy when opening packages.^[ix] Action Packed created a half-dozen-card embossed set in 1988 to prove its technique to Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. It was non awarded a license.^[10] Activity packed created a single set of basketball cards in 1995, produced football cards from 1990 to 1997, produced hockey cards in 1993 and 1995, produced racing cards in 1990 and from 1992 to 1997, and World Wrestling Federation cards in 1994 and 1995.

Acme Brands acquired the brand in 1995.^[11]

2001 to 2009, Donruss Playoff 50.P. [edit]

In 2001 Playoff Corp. became Donruss Playoff Fifty.P., caused the rights to produce baseball game cards and established its headquarters in Arlington, Texas.^{[iv] [12]}

Donruss Playoff expanded its entertainment lines in 2002, with such trading cards as Buffy, The Vampire Slayer through its new Score Entertainment division. Donruss also produced the first Spanish-but baseball card set.^[4]

In 2003, Donruss Playoff stirred upwards controversy when it paid $264,210 at auction for a rare game-worn Babe Ruth jersey, which information technology and so cut up and turned into 2,100 memorabilia cards.^[iv]

In 2004, Donruss Playoff acquired the rights to Pacific Trading Cards Inc., a Lynnwood, Washington—based company, that had a major impact on sports cards in the mid-1990s and early 2000s.^[xiii]

From 2007 to 2009, Donruss has released baseball carte products featuring players that are no longer under MLB contract.

2009 and across [edit]

On March 13, 2009, Panini south.p.a. of Italy (which had previously acquired the exclusive license to produce NBA trading cards beginning with the 2009–10 flavour), appear that it had purchased Donruss Playoff. Effective immediately, the visitor was renamed Panini America, Inc. However, the company continued to operate out of Irving, Texas, with much of the existing upper direction.^[14]

During the 2010 Industry Summit Collectibles (a gathering where retailers tin can meet leaders in the trading cards industry, and mind to discussions virtually carte collecting), held in Las Vegas on Apr 11, Panini America announced changes to the visitor's distribution network. Vice president Mike Anderson and sales director Rodney Alsup outlined their goals to address retail store concerns over turn a profit margins, and how online sellers are having a negative impact. Only retail stores would be authorized to sell Panini products directly to consumers, and any retailer attempting to wholesale would lose its potency. Simply wholesalers would be authorized to sell Panini products directly to retailers, and any wholesaler attempting to retail would lose its dominance. "You are one, or yous are the other," Anderson said. Alsup noted they would reduce the current number of wholesalers from fifty to most four nationally.

Under Donruss Playoff the visitor sold to anyone. "We turned a blind eye toward those things, because, honestly, we had to. Our ownership needed the money, and we perpetuated the industry's problem," Anderson said. "But under Panini ownership, we piece of work for a CEO who is allowing us to do what should've been washed 10 years ago. Nosotros are well structured, well financed and committed to doing what is best for the brick-and-mortar stores who are the lifeblood of this hobby."

Panini besides outlined other initiatives: will continue to destroy returned NBA trading cards to protect "collectibility", willing to implement minimum advertised price if needed, formation of a brick-and-mortar standards committee, upgraded ordering systems and schedules, new football game and hockey trading cards and other products featuring autographs and memorabilia swatches from sports, history and pop culture.^[15]

Baseball cards [edit]

1981 to 1989 [edit]

Logo from 1980 to 1985. Information technology was revived for the 2002 retro-themed Donruss Originals prepare.

In the winter of 1980, on the heels of Fleer's historic court victory over Topps, Donruss rushed into product a 605-bill of fare set for the 1981 season.^[xvi] The first printings were riddled with errors (though Fleer'due south first set was fifty-fifty worse in this regard), nigh of which were fixed in subsequent runs. They were also printed on flimsy card stock and at that place were no factory sets; rather, the cards were shipped to dealers in 100-count lots and were so collated by paw. TCMA of Amawalk, New York handled dealer business. Goggle box personality Keith Olbermann was a lensman for some of the cards that were part of the 1981 Donruss ready.^[17]

With an entire offseason to prepare, Donruss shipped a much improved, more polished ready for 1982. The 1982 offer also saw the introduction of the Diamond Kings, the start 26 cards of the 660-carte set, made upwardly of oil paintings past noted sports artist Dick Perez. Another Donruss innovation for 1982 was the inclusion of jigsaw puzzle pieces with a pack of cards in place of gum. Babe Ruth was pictured equally "Hall of Fame Diamond King" when the 63-piece puzzle was assembled. (An entreatment of the 1978 Fleer v. Topps ruling in 1981 barred the 2 new card companies from using gum premiums; Fleer switched to team logo stickers in 1982). Donruss too began selling to dealers directly, the first of the major carte companies to offering factory sets for those buying in bulk. Notable bill of fare in this ready is Cal Ripken'south rookie card.^[18]

Donruss released three baseball carte sets in 1983. Its standard 660-carte ready (with just minimal changes; a glove replacing the ball on the front end and the dorsum switching from blue to yellow), a sixty-card "Action All-Star" set and a 44-card "Hall of Fame Heroes" set. "Action All-Star" were not the standard 2½" by 3½" card size, rather 3½" by 5" and included a 63-piece Mickey Pall puzzle (eight cards per pack and iii pieces on one menu per pack). The "Hall of Fame Heroes" set were standard sized cards issued in the same packs as the "Activity All-Star" cards, but rather than picturing photographs of the players Donruss used its Diamond King style and showed Dick Perez oil paintings. Notable rookie cards in their standard set include Ryne Sandberg, Tony Gwynn and Wade Boggs. Another card of notation is an error card of Ron Jackson where Donruss claimed he played for the A's rather than the Angels. Donruss did issue a card to correct the error. This twelvemonth's jigsaw puzzle inserted in wax packs featured Ty Cobb.^[nineteen]

The 1984 660-card base set was among the company's most successful; however, only 658 are numbered. A new feature introduced this twelvemonth were two "Living Legend" cards designated A (featuring Gaylord Perry and Rollie Fingers) and B (featuring Johnny Bench and Carl Yastrzemski). These were issued as bonus cards in wax packs just not issued in the factory set. Another new feature among the base set were labeling cards 27 through 46 as Rated Rookies (chosen by Neb Madden). This twelvemonth'south jigsaw puzzle inserted in wax packs is Duke Snider. Notable bill of fare in this set is Don Mattingly'southward rookie card. Donruss, again, produced the 60-card "Activeness All-Star" set, with this yr'due south 63-piece puzzle featuring Ted Williams, and created another three½" by five" threescore-carte du jour set called "Champions". The "Champions" featured the artwork of Dick Perez and were issued in cello packs along with pieces of the Duke Snider puzzle.^[twenty]

Donruss released six baseball card sets in 1985. The standard 660-carte gear up, lx-bill of fare "Activeness All-Stars", 56-card "Highlights", eight-carte "Hall of Fame Sluggers", 28-carte "Super Diamond Kings" and 263-menu "Leaf" set. The standard set contained final year's features, the starting time 26 cards are Diamond Kings with artwork by Perez-Steele Galleries and cards 27 through 46 as Rated Rookies. Lou Gehrig puzzle pieces were inserted in this year'southward wax packs. Notable carte du jour in this set is Roger Clemens' rookie card. The wax boxes, which held the wax packs, of the standard issue set up featured four standard-size cards, styled the same as the standard fix, on the bottom of the box and are numbered with a PC prefix.^[21]

"Activeness All-Stars" measured the usual 3½" by five", but rather than using a unlike puzzle for this prepare Donruss issued the standard gear up's Lou Gehrig puzzle pieces with the cards. The "Highlights" set, as the proper name would advise, features 54 highlights of players and pitchers of the month for the American League and National League. The terminal two cards of the set up were devoted to American League and National League Rookies of the Yr (chosen past Donruss). Dick Perez provided the artwork for the 3½" by 6½" "Hall of Fame Sluggers" set. Players for this gear up were chosen by their career slugging percentage, and the cards are numbered by the percentages. This is the showtime and concluding time Donruss would brand this type of set up. The "Super Diamond Kings" are enlarged, measuring approximately 4 fifteen/xvi past 6¾", versions of the beginning 26 cards of the standard prepare, and were obtained through mail-order. The other two cards featured a checklist card and i of artist Dick Perez. A Lou Gehrig puzzle piece was also included in the mail-guild.^[21]

Donruss produced a "Leafage" set to constitute themselves in the Canadian baseball game card market along with rival Topps' affiliate O-Pee-Chee. These cards are similar in appearance to the standard set, only are numbered differently and the backs are in both French and English. Card numbers 251 and 252 feature Dick Perez artwork of Dave Stieb and Tim Raines, respectively, and are not found in the standard fix. Wax packs of this set also contained Lou Gehrig puzzle pieces. Donruss released this set at a later date in the U.S.^[21]

Arguably Donruss' near-recognizable logo, used from 1986 to 1995

Donruss' 1986 baseball game carte du jour sets didn't deviate much from 1985. The standard 660-card set up featured Hank Aaron puzzle pieces inserted into wax packs. Again, Donruss issued cards on the bottom of wax boxes. The sixty-card "Activity All-Stars" changed slightly. The set was now chosen "All-Stars" and featured players that were involved in the 1985 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Cards were very similar to the standard set, and backs of the cards displayed each players All-Star game statistics. Similar to the 1985 and 1986 wax boxes, the All-Star Boxes featured four standard-size cards, styled the same as the standard ready, on the bottom of the box. The 56-carte du jour "Highlights" set were given a glossy-coating on the forepart side of the card. Again, the "Super Diamond Kings" prepare was bachelor by postal service-order and is an enlarged versions of the regular gear up. This yr'southward prepare featured an actress card, nonetheless. Carte 27 is Pete Rose "King of Kings". The other two cards featured a no numbered checklist card and a no numbered card depicting the complete Hank Aaron jigsaw puzzle. The 264-card "Leaf" set had the aforementioned differences as the previous year'southward set. However, this year card numbers 214 and 254 feature Dick Perez artwork of Jeff Reardon and Jesse Barfield, respectively, and are not found in the standard set up.^[22]

Two new sets were introduced in 1986. 18-menu "Pop-Ups" and 56-card "Rookies". The "Popular-Ups" measured 2½" by v" and features the first 18 players of the "All-Star" set. The cards were die-cutting and folded in a way that when nosotros unfolded, or "popped up", could stand on its ain and requite the advent of a actor in action in front of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome ballpark background. For the cards to remain in mint condition, card collecting guides recommend not unfolding the cards. The "Rookies" were issued in factory set class and came with fifteen-piece jigsaw puzzle of Hank Aaron.^[22]

All of the 1986 sets were used over again in 1987, with a few differences. The standard set put a checklist menu at #27, then the Rated Rookie cards now occupied 28 through 47. Roberto Clemente debuted equally the jigsaw puzzle pieces inserted into wax packs, and the 1987 manufactory sets contained a complete puzzle prepare. Perez-Steele Galleries started using repeats of the Diamond King (1-26) sections, to avoid depleting their limited pool of bachelor players. At that place was no change to the "All-Stars" set. 1987 marked the concluding year Donruss issued cards on the lesser of the regular set up and "All-Stars" boxes, and the final year Donruss released a "Highlights" set up. "Pop-Ups" increased from an 18-card to 20-card gear up. "Rookies" replaced last twelvemonth's 15-piece jigsaw puzzle with Roberto Clemente. "Super Diamond Kings" decreased from a 29-card fix to a 28-carte set, excluding card 27 this time. Again, the other ii cards featured a no numbered checklist menu and a no numbered card depicting the complete Roberto Clemente jigsaw puzzle. This year'southward "Leaf" set featured artwork past Dick Perez on bill of fare numbers 65 and 173, Floyd Youmans and Mark Eichhorn, respectively. Again, those cards were not in the U.S. ready. 1987 was the final year Donruss released enlarged versions of the "All-Stars" and "Pop-Ups" sets.^[23]

Donruss introduced ane new 272-card set this year chosen "Opening Mean solar day". The set featured a card for every player in the starting line upwards on Opening 24-hour interval. Like the "Rookies" set, the "Opening Day" set up contained a 15-piece jigsaw puzzle of Roberto Clemente. Notable card in this prepare is a Barry Bonds' mistake carte du jour with Johnny Ray pictured instead of Bonds. Donruss did issue a card to right the error. 1987 was the just year Donruss issued an "Opening Day" set.^[23]

In 1988 Donruss started distributing a new set within its standard 660-card fix. In addition to finding the usual jigsaw puzzle piece, this twelvemonth'southward existence Stan Musial, bonus cards, numbered with a BC prefix, were randomly inserted into wax packs. These cards had an MVP logo on the face of the card to distinguish them from the regular set; and created a new 26-card "Bonus MVP" set, featuring the most valuable role player from each Major League Baseball team. This did, nonetheless, create a problem for both sets. Rather than producing extra packaging materials to ship the actress cards, Donruss pulled cards from both sets to make room. This meant 26 cards from the regular set were in shorter print, cards 648 through 660 more and so than the other thirteen; and cards BC14 through BC26 were in shorter impress from the "Bonus MVP" set. The short printed cards did non have a significant effect on the cards values.^[24]

Also new to 1988 is a 336-carte du jour set chosen "Baseball's All-time" and 27-card "Team Books" of the A'south, Cubs, Mets, Red Sox and Yankees. "Baseball game's Best" was issued late in the flavour and sold in big-box stores as a complete mill ready. Six fifteen-piece jigsaw puzzles of Stan Musial are included in every factory ready. Each "Team Volume" was issued with 27-cards (3 pages with nine cards) and a big, perforated total-page puzzle of Stan Musial. These cards are identical to the standard fix cards, but copyrighted 1988 rather than 1987, distinguishing the cards from the regular set up. Donruss did not issue "Team Books" once more.^[24]

Donruss produced their "All-Stars", "Pop-Ups", "Rookies", "Super Diamond Kings" and "Leafage" sets once more in 1988 with a few differences. Previous years "All-Stars" and "Pop-Ups" enlarged sets were now produced in the standard 2½" by iii½" card size. "All-Stars" increased from a 60-card set to a 64-bill of fare set. No other changes to the "Pop-Ups" fix. The "Rookies" set replaced this yr'south 15-piece jigsaw puzzle with Stan Musial. Donruss did not include actress cards in "Super Diamond Kings", making this a 26-carte gear up. Dick Perez artwork is used, once more, in the "Leafage" ready on ii cards, George Bong (213) and Tim Wallach (255), which were not issued in the U.S. prepare. Two "Bonus MVP" cards, Tim Raines (211) and George Bong (214), were issued in both the Canadian and U.S. versions of the "Leaf" set. 1988 was also the last year Donruss issued a "Leaf" set produced specifically for a Canadian, and subsequently U.S., release.^[24]

Donruss released many of the same sets in 1989, and three new sets. The base of operations ready remained 660-cards. Once again, Donruss released "Bonus MVP" cards randomly inserted into regular fix wax packs, forth with a jigsaw puzzle piece of Warren Spahn. Donruss did not short print any cards this year. The manufacturing plant set contained 672-cards. A 12-card "1000 Slammers" set accompanies the regular 660-carte gear up as an added incentive to purchase a manufactory set up. The "Grand Slammers" set contained players who hitting i or more g slams in 1988. "Grand Slammers" were too establish in cellophane-wrapped packaged (cello pack) cards.^[25]

The other new sets for 1989 were a 12-bill of fare "Bluish Chips" and a 56-bill of fare "Traded" set. The 12-card "Bluish Chips" prepare is identical to the "One thousand Slammers" set, except in the identify of the "Grand Slammers" logo is a "Blue Chips" logo with a Donruss or Leafage trademark. These cards were not issued in factory sets, and are not commonly found among collectors. The "Traded" set up was issued in factory form, featured players that traded teams and card numbers began with a T prefix. 1989 was the first and last fourth dimension "Blue Fries" and "Traded" sets were produced.^[25]

"All-Stars", "Baseball game'south Best", "Pop-Ups", "Rookies" and "Super Diamond Kings" were produced again in 1989, with a few items of annotation. No changes to the "All-Stars" set, but Donruss would not make this particular gear up once more until 1995. Once again, "Baseball game's Best" was sold in large-box stores as a complete factory fix. Notable menu in this set is Sammy Sosa, Donruss was the merely visitor to release a licensed major league baseball card of him in 1989. Donruss would non produce a "Baseball'south Best" gear up again until 2001. "Popular-Ups" increased from a 20-carte to 42-card set, and was the last year Donruss produced the set. The "Rookies" set replaced this year's 15-piece jigsaw puzzle with Warren Spahn. There were no changes to the "Super Diamond Kings" set up.^[25]

Increased competition and marketplace saturation [edit]

Throughout the 1980s, the baseball menu market boomed, with new collectors getting into the hobby as well every bit speculators hoarding cards in hopes of selling them off later for a tidy profit. Unfortunately, as the "Big Three" ramped up their production numbers, new brands like Sportflics, Score and Upper Deck crowded the marketplace.

Donruss baseball cards were produced continuously from 1981 to 1998, when its then-parent Summit Brands filed for Chapter 11 defalcation. Playoff Inc. and so purchased the Donruss name and produced Major League Baseball sets again from 2001 to 2005, when Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association revoked the company's production license. It likewise produced NHL hockey cards from 1992 until 1998, and NFL football cards since 1996. Today, Donruss Playoff LP produces NFL football cards and NBA basketball game cards, along with a line of baseball draft picks products and entertainment cards.

Stop of an era [edit]

In the late summer of 2005, Major League Baseball created new license criteria for cardmakers in response to collectors' complaints that: 1) the market had get too fragmented and confusing; and two) rookie cards were becoming as well deficient, with diminished importance due to the race between makers to characteristic unknown players beginning. MLB chose to renew simply its licenses with Topps and Upper Deck, tacitly sealing the fate of Donruss and Fleer. The last baseball product shipped by the company was the third serial of the Playoff-branded Prime Cuts memorabilia cards.

Today, Donruss is exclusively a football and basketball game bill of fare producer. The Score brand was revived in 2005 for the flagship set, while Donruss and Leaf be equally premium brands and Playoff as a memorabilia-oriented brand.

In late 2007 nonetheless, Donruss did release Donruss Elite Actress Edition, which is its start production outside of the NFL. This product was a multisport release that included cards of the top 30 picks in the 2007 MLB Amateur Draft. Since this production was not licensed by Major League Baseball game, the players from the 2007 MLB Amateur Draft were pictured in their high school or college Uniforms and existing Minor Leaguers had their uniforms airbrushed to remove all marks. In addition, in that location are a number of collegiate themed cards as well as soccer themes.

In Oct 2008, Donruss released Donruss Threads Baseball, featuring a balance of Hall of Famers and young stars. Over again, players were either featured in their loftier school/higher uniforms or were photographed so every bit to make the squad logo not visible. The cards also included just the city of the ballplayer, with no mention of the team associated. Donruss used its reward of not having an MLB license to include baseball cards of both Joe Jackson and Pete Rose, who were banned from baseball for allegedly throwing the Globe Series in the Black Sox Scandal and betting on the game, respectively. The production included game-used bat cards for Jackson as well as autographed and memorabilia cards from Rose. Equally of September 28, 2008, Donruss had completely sold out the product to distributors.^[26]

Summary of baseball cards [edit]

Donruss Hall of Fame Diamond King puzzle inserts (1982–92) [edit]

• 1982 Donruss: Babe Ruth
• 1983 Donruss: Ty Cobb
• 1983 Donruss Action All-Stars: Mickey Curtain
• 1984 Donruss: Duke Snider
• 1984 Donruss Action All-Stars: Ted Williams
• 1985 Donruss: Lou Gehrig
• 1986 Donruss: Hank Aaron
• 1987 Donruss: Roberto Clemente
• 1988 Donruss: Stan Musial
• 1989 Donruss: Warren Spahn
• 1990 Donruss: Carl Yastrzemski
• 1990 Leaf: Yogi Berra
• 1991 Donruss: Willie Stargell
• 1991 Leaf: Harmon Killebrew
• 1992 Donruss: Rod Carew

Donruss "King of Kings" [edit]

In addition to their trademark Diamond Kings subset/insert set, Donruss recognized several "King of Kings" for extraordinary achievements. They include:

• 1986: Pete Rose, for breaking Ty Cobb's career hits record.
• 1990: Nolan Ryan, for his 5,000th career strikeout.
• 1994: Dave Winfield, for reaching both iii,000 hits and 400 abode runs.
• 1996: Eddie Murray, for becoming only the 3rd player to reach both three,000 hits and 500 home runs.
• 1996: Cal Ripken, Jr, for breaking Lou Gehrig's consecutive games record.

Meet also [edit]

• Panini Group
• Fleer
• Topps
• Upper Deck
• Superlative Brands
• O-Pee-Chee
• Trading card

References [edit]

1. ^ ^{a b} Pinnacle Brands to Acquire Donruss Trading Cards on AP News, April 18, 1996
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4. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j grand 50 m n o} "Company History: Donruss Playoff L.P." Answers.com. Retrieved April 11, 2010.
5. ^ "United States v. Donruss Co., 393 U.S. 297 (1969)". FindLaw.com . Retrieved Apr 11, 2010.
6. ^ ^{a b c d} "Menu Company Profiles: Playoff Corporation". Becket.com. Archived from the original on Jan 23, 2011. Retrieved Apr eleven, 2010.
7. ^ "Activity Packed 1980s". Beckett. Retrieved May 13, 2010. ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
8. ^ "Activeness Packed 1990s". Beckett. Retrieved May 13, 2010. ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
9. ^ Sadler, Ruth (December 12, 1993). "Action Packed believes less is more". The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved May thirteen, 2010.
10. ^ "1988 Action Packed Test Carte du jour Collection". Beckett. Retrieved May 13, 2010. ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
11. ^ Angilly, Paul (September five, 2005). "Flashback: Manufacturers of Football Cards in 1992". Trading Card Central. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
12. ^ "Donruss baseball game cards make a comeback". USA Today. Feb twenty, 2001.
13. ^ "Do You Know Identify Valuable Sports Cards".
14. ^ "Panini Buys Donruss". CNBC. March 13, 2009. Retrieved March thirteen, 2009.
15. ^ "Panini Vows Sweeping Changes to Distribution Procedures". Beckett.com. Retrieved April 13, 2010. ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
16. ^ "1981 Donruss Baseball game". Beckett.com. Retrieved April thirteen, 2010. ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
17. ^ http://petapixel.com/2016/01/25/keith-olbermann-was-the-photographer-behind-bad-photos-on-1981-baseball game-cards/
18. ^ "1982 Donruss Baseball". Beckett.com. Retrieved April 13, 2010. ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
19. ^ "1983 Donruss Baseball". Beckett.com. Retrieved April xiii, 2010. ^{[ permanent expressionless link ]}
20. ^ "1984 Donruss Baseball". Beckett.com. Retrieved April 13, 2010. ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
21. ^ ^{a b c} "1985 Donruss Baseball". Beckett.com. Retrieved April 13, 2010. ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
22. ^ ^{a b} "1986 Donruss Baseball game". Beckett.com. Retrieved April 13, 2010. ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
23. ^ ^{a b} "1987 Donruss Baseball game". Beckett.com. Retrieved Apr 13, 2010. ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
24. ^ ^{a b c} "1988 Donruss Baseball". Beckett.com. Retrieved Apr thirteen, 2010. ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
25. ^ ^{a b c} "1989 Donruss Baseball". Beckett.com. Retrieved April xiii, 2010. ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
26. ^ Donruss Threads Sold Out

External links [edit]

• Panini America, Inc., Donruss' successor

sharpwabiagre.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donruss

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