1997 Phillies Team Issue

I updated this post here in December 2023 and this original post is now outdated.

 
Number of Cards:  36
Card Size:  4" x 6"
Description:  The fronts feature full color photos with the player's, coach's or manager's name in grey letters against a red stripe background.  The Interleague Play Inaugural Year logo is also featured on the fronts of the cards.  The card backs feature biographical information along with complete career statistics.

How Distributed:  The 36-card set was available for sale at Veterans Stadium throughout the season.  The 2001 Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards notes that the set was sold for $10.  For the third year in a row, there was no update set issued.

Complete Standard Checklist:  The cards are unnumbered, but I've presented them below ordered by uniform number.

2 - Rico Brogna 3 - Chuck Cottier CO 7 - Terry Francona MG 8 - Mark Parent 9 - Brad Mills CO 10 - Darren Daulton 12 - Mickey Morandini 14 - Rex Hudler 17 - Scott Rolen 18 - John Vukovich CO 19 - Kevin Stocker 21 - Mark Portugal 22 - Ron Blazier 23 - Kevin Jordan 24 - Mike Lieberthal 25 - Gregg Jefferies 29 - Wendell Magee, Jr. 31 - Mark Leiter

31 - Kevin Sefcik 33 - Scott Ruffcorn 34 - Derrick May 35 - Bobby Munoz 37 - Ruben Amaro 38 - Curt Schilling 40 - Reggie Harris 41 - Erik Plantenberg 42 - Galen Cisco CO 45 - Danny Tartabull 47 - Michael Mimbs 48 - Jerry Spradlin 50 - Calvin Maduro 51 - Ken Ryan 52 - Ricky Bottalico 56 - Hal McRae CO 59 - Joe Rigoli CO Phillie Phanatic

One and Done (2):  Harris, Plantenberg
First Appearances (14):  Blazier, Brogna, Hudler, Leiter, Maduro, Magee Jr., May, Parent, Portugal, Rolen, Ruffcorn, Sefcik, Spradlin, Tartabull
Returning Players (12):  Amaro, Bottalico, Daulton, Jefferies, Jordan, Lieberthal, Mimbs, Morandini, Munoz, Ryan, Schilling, Stocker

Change was in the air in 1997, as less than half of the players or coaches featured in this set had appeared in previous team issued sets.  Relievers Harris and Plantenberg make their first and last appearances on Phillies baseball cards.

The First Appearance designation is for players who have never before appeared within a Phillies team issued set.  These players may have already appeared on other Phillies baseball cards.  (And I'm not including the rare 1996 Rolen team issued card documented within the 1996 Phillies Team Issue post.)

Manager (1):  Francona
Coaches (6):  Cisco, Cottier, McRae, Mills, Rigoli, Vukovich
Phillie Phanatic (1):  The Phanatic is once again pictured riding his ATV.
Broadcasters (0)
Commemorative Cards (0)

Variations/Rarities:  I wasn't aware of any variations or rarities to be found in connection with this set . . . until (once again) Rick weighed in with his comment below.  The following cards were available at the 1997 ALS Phillies Phestival:

• 55 - Matt Beech
• 58 - Wayne Gomes

Trivia:  Sefcik's card shows his uniform number as #31, even though Sefcik had switched to #11 at the start of spring training to accommodate veteran Leiter who took over the #31.  The Beckett database lists the entire 36-card set.
Resources:  Beckett.com; Phillies collector Rick (@rickphils)