How a 19th-century candy maker became a titan of sports card collecting
In short: Before it was a household name in sports memorabilia, Fleer was a confectionery pioneer. From inventing the world's first successful bubble gum to breaking a massive industry monopoly, the company's journey from candy to collectibles shaped the modern hobby forever.
Founded in 1885 by Frank H. Fleer in Philadelphia, the company began as a confectionery business. In 1906, Fleer developed Blibber-Blubber, a gum that could blow bubbles but was otherwise inferior to standard gum. It wasn't until 1928 that employee Walter Diemer perfected the formulation for Dubble Bubble, the first commercially successful bubble gum, which established the pink color that remains a tradition for the industry.
Fleer's influence on sports extends back to 1923, when they released baseball cards tucked into 'Bobs and Fruit Hearts' candy. For decades, the company faced intense competition and legal battles. In the 1960s, Topps held a dominant position through exclusive player contracts. After years of litigation, a 1980 ruling by federal judge Clarence Charles Newcomer finally broke Topps's monopoly, allowing Fleer and Donruss to enter the baseball market in 1981.
The company reached a cultural peak in the 1980s. In 1986, Fleer helped revive the basketball card industry with an officially NBA-licensed set featuring rookie cards of legends like Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon. This era also saw the infamous 1989 Bill Ripken card, which featured an accidental expletive on a bat knob. The error, which led to various corrected versions, turned the card into a highly sought-after collector's item.
The company's trajectory shifted through massive acquisitions and financial struggles. Marvel Entertainment purchased Fleer in 1992 for $540 million, but Marvel entered bankruptcy in 1996. By 2005, Fleer was liquidating assets to repay creditors, eventually seeing its name acquired by Upper Deck for $6.1 million.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Fleer
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