Insert Card Craze: Fleer Smoke ‘N Heat
No one rolled out inserts quite like Fleer during the 1990s, and we’ve already featured a number of different insert sets that were a staple of the Fleer product line for years. Smoke ‘N Heat inserts that did not enjoy quite as long of a run as many others, but it does offer some great inserts of pitchers at a time when home run hitters were often the focus.
1992 Fleer Smoke ‘N Heat
Cards: 12
Hall of Famers: 4
The first Smoke ‘N Heat inserts were actually not available in packs. Instead, they were found as a bonus in retail factory sets. Hobby factory sets contained the first iteration of the Lumber Company inserts.
The first 12-card Smoke ‘N Heat checklist is headlined by Hall of Famers Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Tom Glavine and Lee Smith, who was the only reliever included alongside 11 starting pitchers. The cards feature a black border with the words “Smoke ‘N Heat” along the side and a fire-colored back.
Jim Abbott, Steve Avery, Andy Benes, Roger Clemens, David Cone, Scott Erickson, Dwight Gooden and Jack McDowell make up the remainder of the 1992 set.
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1994 Fleer Smoke ‘N Heat
Cards: 12
Hall of Famers: 5
The Smoke ‘N Heat inserts returned in 1994 when Fleer dove head first into inserts with a whopping 12 different insert sets. Only Award Winners that were found in 1:37 packs were a tougher pull than the Smoke ‘N Heat cards, which landed 1:30 wax packs.
The 12-card checklist focused solely on starting pitchers in and the cards had a foil background that again played up the fire theme.
Only four players returned from the 1992 checklist: Roger Clemens, David Cone, Randy Johnson and Nolan Ryan. They were joined by three other Hall of Fame newcomers in Greg Maddux, Mike Mussina and John Smoltz. Juan Guzman, Pete Harnisch, Mark Langston, Jose Rijo and Curt Schilling rounded out the checklist.
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1996 Fleer Smoke ‘N Heat
Cards: 10
Hall of Famers: 4
After another one-year hiatus, the Smoke ‘N Heat inserts returned again in 1996 with a trimmed back 10-card checklist. A relatively easy pull at 1:9 packs, they leaned into the fire theme more than ever with a black background adorned by a massive flame.
Roger Clemens, David Cone and Randy Johnson made the cut for a third time, while Hall of Fame teammates Greg Maddux and John Smoltz also returned from the 1994 checklist.
The biggest name among newcomers was Pedro Martinez, while Kevin Appier, Chuck Finley, Hideo Nomo and Todd Stottlemyre were also first-time inclusions in the inset.
The Smoke ‘N Heat inserts would return a decade later in the 2006 Fleer set, with Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson once again included as a testament to the longevity of their success in the big leagues.
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