1991 Fleer Ultra Baseball is made up of 400 base cards. Included in the base set are a couple of subsets, Major League Prospects and Great Performances. Both look very similar to the rest of the set with just a simple logo change. The checklist has just a handful of Rookie Cards with Eric Karros being the best.

Remember Fleer Ultra and all of the insets you would expect to find in a box? I certainly do and I miss it. It was a mainstay baseball brand too, having been released every year from 1991-2007. Ultra wasn’t always loaded with inserts, though. The debut 1991 Fleer Ultra release has just one, Ultra Team. 

Also included in packs are team logo stickers for you to decorate your Trapper Keepers with.

1991 Fleer Ultra Baseball Box Break

Cards per pack: 14 cards plus 1 team logo stick
Packs per box: 36
Price paid: $17

Shop for 1991 Fleer Ultra Baseball hobby boxes on eBay.

Pack 1 highlights:

John Kruk, Dave Winfield, Travis Fryman, Ryne Sandberg Ultra Team (1:4.5 packs) & Dodgers sticker

Sandberg was a fitting Ultra Team choice coming off a monster 1990 season that saw him hit 40 home runs and drive in 100 RBI.

Pack 2:

Gregg Jefferies, Chris Sabo Ultra Team (1:4.5 packs) & Expos Sticker

Pack 3:

Ken Caminiti, Sammy Sosa, Eric Davis, Robin Ventura & Royals Sticker

Pack 4:

Omar Vizquel, Ruben Sierra, Marquis Grissom & Astros Sticker

Ah yes, the Astrodome.

Pack 5:

Ken Griffey, Jr., Dave Stewart, Dale Murphy, Jack McDowell & Cardinals Sticker

Pack 6:

Bret Saberhagen, Kirby Puckett, Will Clark Ultra Team (1:4.5 packs) & Pirates Sticker

Pack 7:

Len Dykstra, Eric Karros RC & Mets Sticker

Karros ended up winning the 1992 NL Rookie of the Year award. The only other player to receive any first place votes? Tim Wakefield. 

Pack 8:

Frank Thomas & Phillies Sticker

Pack 9:

Rick Aguilera, Fred McGriff, Darrin Fletcher & Cardinals Sticker

Pack 10:

Joe Carter, Tom Glavine, Mark Grace, Dennis Eckersley, Edgar Martinez & Padres Sticker

Now we are rolling! A three-Hall-of-Famer pack!

Pack 11:

Steve Avery, Andre Dawson, Barry Larkin, Ryne Sandberg, Paul O’Neill & Giants Sticker

Pack 12:

Darryl Strawberry, Terry Pendleton, Jimmy Key, Cecil Fielder & Orioles Sticker

Pack 13:

Dave Winfield, Ramon Martinez, Will Clark Ultra Team (1:4.5 packs) & Red Sox Sticker

These stickers certainly would have covered my elementary school folders. These days I keep them intact and file them away in my team card binder.

Pack 14:

Gregg Jefferies, Doug Drabek Ultra Team (1:4.5 packs) & Angels Sticker

Pack 15:

Ken Caminiti, Sammy Sosa, Sandy Alomar, Jr., Eric Davis & White Sox Sticker

Pack 16:

Andy Van Slyke, Jay Bell, Ruben Sierra, Omar Vizquel & Indians Sticker

Andy “Slick” Van Slyke won five straight Gold Glove awards 1988-1992. 

Pack 17:

Ken Griffey, Jr., Dave Stewart, Dale Murphy, Joe Girardi & Tigers Sticker

Pack 18:

Kevin Appier, Kirby Puckett, Barry Bonds Ultra Team (1:4.5 packs) & Brewers Sticker

Pack 19:

Len Dykstra, Eric Karros RC & Twins Sticker

Karros looks a bit perplexed here, probably wondering what he is still doing in the minors. He hit .352 with 18 HRs at the Double-A level in 1990. 

Pack 20:

Frank Thomas, John Franco & Reds Sticker

Pack 21:

Rick Aguilera, Fred McGriff & Braves Sticker

Pack 22:

Tim Raines, Vince Coleman, Kevin Brown & Blue Jays Sticker

Coleman stole a ton of bases his first six years in the majors. From 1985-1990, he stole a total of 549 bags. Even more impressive? Coleman stole more than 100 bases in each of his first three major league seasons. 

Pack 23:

Kenny Rogers, Ozzie Guillen & Cubs Sticker

Pack 24:

Tino Martinez, Julio Franco, Nolan Ryan & Reds Sticker

Pack 25:

Tom Glavine, Mark Grace & Braves Sticker

Tom Glavine card and Braves sticker — those go together like lamb and tuna fish, am I right?

Pack 26:

Andre Dawson, Barry Larkin, Ryne Sandberg & Blue Jays Sticker

Pack 27:

Albert Belle, Tony Pena & Cubs Sticker

Pack 28:

Tim Raines, George Bell, Kevin Brown & Pirates Sticker

I’ve never understood why Kevin Brown doesn’t get more love. He pitched 19 years in the big leagues, finishing his career with a 3.28 ERA.

Pack 29:

Ron Gant, Carlos Baerga, Cal Ripken, Jr., Craig Biggio, Kenny Rogers & Padres Sticker

Pack 30:

Tino Martinez, Nolan Ryan & Giants Sticker

Pack 31:

Greg Maddux, Eddie Murray & White Sox Sticker

Remember Steady Eddie playing for the Dodgers? Me neither. He set a personal career high for batting average in LA in 1990, hitting .330. 

Pack 32:

Alan Trammell, Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Bo Jackson, Wally Joyner, Paul Molitor & Orioles Sticker

Pack 33:

Albert Belle, Tony Pena & Red Sox Sticker

Pack 34:

Ozzie Smith, Lou Whitaker, Will Clark Ultra Team (1:4.5 packs) & Angels Sticker

Great action shot of Smith! The Wizard racked up 13 Gold Glove awards during his career.

Pack 35:

Andres Galarraga, Robin Yount, Don Mattingly, Doug Drabek Ultra Team (1:4.5 packs) & Tigers Sticker

Pack 36:

Carlton Fisk, Greg Vaughn, George Brett, Dave Justice, Jim Abbott & Brewers Sticker

Lastly, the Brett card back. I kind of like these backs. Three more player photos on each? Not bad. 

There’s not a whole lot going on with this one, but it was 1991 after all. What those early ’90s sets do have going for them, though, are the loads of Hall of Fame players. That is the main reason I still enjoy opening Junk Wax Era products. Sure, you can grab these cards in dime boxes at any time, but it is always better to pull it yourself.

Shop for 1991 Fleer Ultra Baseball on:

• Beckett Marketplace
• eBay

Want more installments of Shane Salmonson’s Cheap Wax Wednesday? Check out his other breaks in the archives.