Older Minor League Cards

One of my favorite sets is coming out in a few weeks.  Topps Pro Debut is scheduled to be out on May 22.  Along with Heritage Minor League, I love using these 2 sets for in person autographs.  Long before Topps produced either of these 2 sets, companies like CMC, Team Best, and Just Minors were cranking out the minor league cards.  My latest trade package from TCDB member WallyCub featured quite a few of these cards.

CMC put out a massive 880 card set in 1990.  There are 32 cards of Cardinals minor league players, most from the Triple A team that was located in Louisville at the time.  A few of these guys pictured made it to the Majors, but only for a season or two.  Ray Lankford was the most successful Cardinal with a card in the set.  I am do not care for the green and yellow border.  It makes me think I have an Oakland A's card.

Also part of the same CMC set were 3 cards of Savannah Cardinals.  Not as classy as the 1987 Topps wood border, but much better than the Louisville cards.  The 2003 Justifiable card by Just Minors was a pretty poor effort.  No mention of the major league affiliate anywhere on the card, and no stats either.

These Team Best cards are from 1999.  I love the logos on the front of the card, much like what Pro Debut cards feature.  The background could use a lot of work.  Why go to the trouble of taking out the actual background?  It just goes to show you how far minor league cards have come in the last 20 years.