Fleer unveiled Ultra in 1991. Meant to be a premium release alongside their flagship Fleer set, 1991 Ultra simply did not stack up. Fleer learned their lesson, and made some big changes to their sophomore release in 1992. Gone was the boring 1991 design, replaced with high-gloss and gold foil, which became an Ultra mainstay. By 1993, Ultra was also becoming known for their insert sets.

1994 Fleer Ultra Baseball follows closely in the footsteps of the 1993 release. The set is split into two series, each with 300 base cards. Engulfed in the insert craze, every pack of 1994 Ultra has at least one insert card. Hobby boxes feature seven different insert sets and two tough autographs to chase, John Kruk and Darren Daulton.

Looking back at it now, the Rising Stars insert set was a sign of things to come. The look of the cards is very similar to Fleer Metal Universe, a set that wouldn’t come to market until 1996. 

1994 Fleer Ultra Series 2 Baseball Box Break

Cards per pack: 14
Packs per box: 36
Price paid: $28

Shop for 1994 Fleer Ultra Series 2 Baseball boxes on eBay.

Pack 1 highlights:

Curt Schilling, Jack Morris, John Valentin, Jim Abbott, Mark Grace & John Olerud Hitting Machines (1:5 packs)

The Hitting Machines inserts would evolve into tough pulls by 1996 where they were found just once in every 288 packs.

Pack 2:

Rickey Henderson, Edgar Martinez, Roberto Alomar & Matt Williams All-Stars (1:3 packs)

Pack 3:

Derek Bell, Kirby Puckett, Andres Galarraga, Don Mattingly & Carlos Delgado All-Rookie Team (1:10 packs)

Pack 4:

Lee Smith, Ryan Klesko & Jose Rijo Strikeout Kings (1:7 packs)

Jose Rijo put together an incredible 1993 season, finishing with a 2.48 ERA and 227 strikeouts, good enough for fifth place in NL Cy Young Award voting. 

Pack 5:

Carlos Baerga, Pedro Martinez, Eric Davis & Joe Carter Career Achievement (1:21 packs)

Pack 6:

Another John Olerud Hitting Machines (1:5 packs)

Pack 7:

Eddie Murray & Ryne Sandberg All-Stars (1:3 packs)

Sandberg would be named an NL All-Star 10 times during his Hall of Fame career. 

Pack 8:

Ray Lankford & Barry Bonds All-Stars (1:3 packs)

Pack 9:

Mike Greenwell, Jack McDowell & Darren Daulton Phillies Finest (1:10 packs)

Pack 10:

Will Clark, Brady Anderson & John Olerud All-Stars (1:3 packs)

After his 1993 ASG appearance, Olerud wouldn’t play in the midsummer classic again until 2001. 

Pack 11:

Ray Durham RC & Lenny Dykstra All-Stars (1:3 packs)

Pack 12:

Delino DeShields, Greg Vaughn & Mark Langston Strikeout Kings (1:7 packs)

Pack 13:

Manny Ramirez, Rafael Palmeiro, Chan Ho Park RC, Greg Maddux, David Wells & Darren Daulton Phillies Finest (1:10 packs)

Chan Ho Park made his major league debut in 1994, but pitched just four innings in the big leagues. He wouldn’t spend a full season in Los Angeles until 1996. 

Pack 14:

Ozzie Guillen & Jack McDowell All-Stars (1:3 packs)

Pack 15:

Mike Mussina, Alan Trammell & Barry Bonds All-Stars (1:3 packs)

Pack 16:

Mark Langston, Ozzie Smith, Bobby Bonilla, Bo Jackson & Juan Gonzalez Hitting Machines (1:5 packs)

Juan-Gone was an absolute beast during the ’90s. Overall for the decade, Gonzalez averaged 34 home runs and 107 RBI per season. 

Pack 17:

Craig Biggio, Robin Ventura & Greg Maddux Strikeout Kings (1:7 packs)

Pack 18:

Sammy Sosa, Carlos Delgado, Ken Caminiti & James Mouton All-Rookie Team (1:10 packs)

Pack 19:

Craig Biggio & John Smoltz Strikeout Kings (1:7 packs)

Smoltz was a strikeout king, indeed. He finished his career with 3,084 Ks.

Pack 20:

The Martinez Brothers; Pedro & Ramon, Eric Davis & Chris Hoiles All-Stars (1:3 packs)

Pack 21:

Mark Grace & Albert Belle All-Stars (1:3 packs)

Pack 22:

Alan Trammell, Mike Mussina, Rickey Henderson, Edgar Martinez, Darren Daulton Phillies Finest (1:10 packs) & Kirk Rueter Rising Stars (1:36 packs)

Rueter burst onto the scene in 1993, going 8-0 with a 2.73 ERA in 14 major league starts. Though he couldn’t quite match his hot start, he did go on to start 336 major league games with a respectable 4.27 career ERA. 

Pack 23:

Bo Jackson, Derek Bell, Kirby Puckett, Andres Galarraga, Barry Bonds Hitting Machines (1:5 packs), Mike Piazza Rising Stars (1:36 packs) & John Olerud Rising Stars (1:36 packs)

What a hot pack! After pulling the one-per-box Rising Stars card in Pack 22, and it being Kirk Reuter, I was pretty disappointed. But this one clearly made up for it. Two tough Rising Stars inserts in the same pack.

Pack 24:

Lee Smith & Tim Salmon Rising Stars (1:36 packs)

What in the world is going on? Rising Stars in three straight packs, and four total. I feel bad for the other three people opening boxes and missing out on their box hits.

Pack 25:

Ruben Sierra, Randy Johnson, Trevor Hoffman & Raul Mondesi All-Rookie Team (1:10 packs)

Mondesi would win the 1994 NL Rookie of the Year award after batting .306 with 16 home runs and 56 RBI. 

Pack 26:

Jack Morris, John Valentin & Tom Glavine All-Stars (1:3 packs)

Pack 27:

Roberto Alomar, Steve Finley & Juan Gonzalez All-Stars (1:3 packs)

Pack 28:

Don Mattingly & Frank Thomas Hitting Machines (1:5 packs)

Would it surprise you to know that Frank Thomas only made five All-Star Game appearances? He was selected five straight seasons 1993-1997, but would not make the AL All-Star squad for the rest of his career. 

Pack 29:

Ryan Klesko & Randy Johnson Strikeout Kings (1:7 packs)

Pack 30:

Bret Saberhagen, Jim Edmonds, Tim Raines & Kurt Abbott All-Rookie Team (1:10 packs)

Pack 31:

Otis Nixon & Andres Galarraga Hitting Machines (1:5 packs)

Though he looked much older, Otis Nixon was only 35 during the 1994 season. Regardless of how he looked, he was fast, stealing 620 bases during his career, including 26 during his age-40 season in 1999. 

Pack 32:

Mike Greenwell, Jack McDowell & David Justice All-Stars (1:3 packs)

Pack 33:

Chuck Finley, Bret Boone & Ken Griffey, Jr. All-Stars (1:3 packs)

Pack 34:

Will Clark, Mike Greenwell, Jack McDowell & Mark Langston Strikeout Kings (1:7 packs)

Mark Langston was a darn good pitcher, especially during the first half of his career. He would start over 400 major league games, before retiring in 1999 with a 3.97 career ERA. 

Pack 35:

Jim Abbott, Curt Schilling, Kirk Gibson & John Kruk Phillies Finest (1:10 packs)

Pack 36:

Jose Canseco, Omar Vizquel, Garret Anderson, MLB 125th Anniversary & Mike Piazza Hitting Machines (1:5 packs)

Lastly, the Vizquel card back. I don’t love seeing just one season’s worth of stats, but Fleer did make up for it with more gold foil, and three more player photos!

Now that was a hot box! What a run in packs 22-24. Four Rising Stars inserts, which are supposed to be found just once per box. Now do you see what I mean about Rising Stars being kind of a hint of what was to come with Metal Universe? There are a lot of similarities with the foil card fronts and planetary art.

I really enjoyed this one. The inserts make this product a must-grab if you can find it for the right price. Series 2 boxes can still be found for under $50 with a little patience.

Shop for 1994 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.