1986, 87, and '88 Donruss Pop-ups

From 1986 - 1988 Dunruss made pop-up cards. The dark part would bend backwards to form a horizontal "top" of a box with a corresponding rectangle on the back bottom folding to form the bottom of the box. The players upper half would not bend and instead would stand above the support box. the background moves to the back and creates a 3 dimensional effect. I didn't know how to get these at the time, except to trade with my piano teacher's son for his. But they came in packs. The 1988 packs had 1 pop-up All-Star, five All-star cards from the 64 card All-star set, and a puzzle piece from the regular puzzle for that year (Stan Musial). I'm not sure of the 86 and 87 pack configuration. The pop-ups contained the 9 starters from each league plus the manager.

The 1986 pop-ups were my favorite (these were of the '85 All-stars). There is no name on the front, which I preferred in this kind of thing. The background was the metrodome, which was cool at the time (the Metrodome was built in 1982). The 87s were no slouch. They had the bright lights of the Astrodome in the background. The 88s were smaller because they didn't include the All-star venue background to them. This was good in some ways (for one, the venue was the Oakland Coliseum), mostly because they were the same size as cards and can be put in the standard protective sleeves. Ultimately, the background is a key part of it and the pop-up suffered without it. It is part of the All-star set, after all, so they should be playing at the All-star game.

The 86 example is of Cal Ripken Jr. fielding. He was a mainstay of the All-star game for most of his career.

Brave great Dale Murphy appears for the National League All-stars on the 87 example (being of the 86 All-stars).

And Cardinals masher Jack Clark represents the National League as the starter at first base in 1987 here in the 88 pop-up.