1985 Tastykake Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards

Number of Cards:  47
Card Size:  3 1/2" x 5 1/4"
Description:  Beginning in 1985, the Phillies used the exact same card design for three straight years.  The only differences with these cards are the photos used and the copyright line on the bottom right of the cards' fronts.  The design removes the Phillies script logo found on the 1984 cards and adds the player's uniform number and position.  The set's sponsor, Tastykake, has its logo featured on the backs of the cards.

How Distributed:  All fans attending the Phillies game at Veterans Stadium on April 21, 1985, received a complete shrink-wrapped set with a header/checklist card on the top.  The back of the header/checklist card advertised that additional sets could be purchased from the Phillies via mail order for $3.50.  The Phillies raised the price of a complete set by fifty cents over the previous year.

The 1985 Tastykake Phillies set seems to be the most ubiquitous of all the team-issued sets from the 1980s.  Up through the mid-2010s, the sets could be readily found on eBay and for sale at Citizens Bank Park.  The Memorabilia Store from Hunt Auctions located behind Section 126 had several of these sets for sale throughout the 2014 season.

Complete Standard Checklist (Unnumbered, presented here based on the numbered checklist found on the back of the header card): 

1. Header Card / Checklist 2. John Felske (#7 - MG) 3. Dave Bristol (#4 - CO) 4. Lee Elia (#2 - CO) 5. Claude Osteen (#3 - CO) 6. Mike Ryan (#5 - CO) 7. Del Unser (#25 - CO) 8. Manager and Coaches 9. Pitchers 10. Catchers 11. Infielders 12. Outfielders 13. Larry Andersen (#47 - RHP)      14. Steve Carlton (#32 - LHP) 15. Don Carman (#42 - LHP) 16. John Denny (#40 - RHP)

17. Tony Ghelfi (#35 - RHP) 18. Kevin Gross (#46 - RHP) 19. Al Holland (#19 - RHP) 20. Charles Hudson (#49 - RHP) 21. Jerry Koosman (#24 - LHP)      22. Shane Rawley (#48 - LHP) 23. Pat Zachry (#38 - RHP) 24. Darren Daulton (#10 - C) 25. Bo Diaz (#6 - C) 26. Ozzie Virgil (#17 - C) 27. John Wockenfuss (#14 - C) 28. Luis Aguayo (#16 - INF) 29. Kiko Garcia (#18 - INF) 30. Steve Jeltz (#30 - SS) 31. John Russell (#29 - OF-1B) 32. Juan Samuel (#8 - 2B)

33. Mike Schmidt (#20 - 3B) 34. Tim Corcoran (#22 - 1B-OF) 35. Greg Gross (#21 - OF-1B) 36. Von Hayes (#9 - CF) 37. Joe Lefebvre (#23 - OF) 38. Garry Maddox (#31 - OF) 39. Jeff Stone  (#26 - OF) 40. Glenn Wilson (#12 - OF) 41. Ramon Caraballo / Mike Diaz 42. Mike Maddux / Rodger Cole 43. Rick Schu / Chris James 44. Francisco Melendez / Ken Jackson 45. Randy Salava / Rocky Childress 46. Rich Surhoff / Ralph Citarella 47. Team Photo

One and Only Phillies Baseball Card (1):  Zachry

First Appearance in Phillies Team Issued Set (1):  Rawley
Returning Players in Phillies Team Issued Set (26):  Aguayo, Andersen, Carlton, Carman, Corcoran, Daulton, Denny, Diaz, Garcia, Ghelfi, G. Gross, K. Gross, Hayes, Holland, Hudson, Jeltz, Koosman, Lefebvre, Maddox, Russell, Samuel, Schmidt, Stone, Virgil, Wilson, Wockenfuss

Manager (1):  Felske
Coaches (5):  Bristol, Elia, Osteen, Ryan, Unser
Phillie Phanatic (0)
Broadcasters (0):  But see below.
Future Phillies (6):  Caraballo / Diaz, Maddux / Cole, Schu / James, Melendez / Jackson, Salava / Childress, Surhoff / Citarella
Other Cards (2):  Header Card / Checklist, Team Photo

Surprises:  There was very little roster turnover between the end of the 1984 season and spring training 1985, as Shane Rawley and Pat Zachry are the only two new additions to the set.  Along with Zachry's one and done Phillies card, this set includes the only Phillies baseball card of Rich Surhoff.  The stand-alone cards feature the entire opening day line-up and adds Tony Ghelfi, Darren Daulton and Joe Lefebvre, who would spend the entire season on the disabled list.

The set's designer's decided to try something different with group photos of coaches and players by position.  Batting practice pitcher Hank King is featured on the coach's card, making this (I believe) his sole Phillies baseball card.  Bill Campbell is featured on the pitcher's card and Ivan DeJesus is featured on the infielder's card, but both are omitted from the regular set.  As the regular season was about to begin, Campbell and DeJesus were traded to the Cardinals for pitcher Dave Rucker.

Of the players receiving solo cards in the regular set, Ghelfi was left off the pitcher's card, John Wockenfuss was (sadly) left off the catcher's card, Kiko Garcia was left off the infielder's card and Lefebvre and Garry Maddox were not on the outfielder's card.

Omissions:  The day before these sets were handed out to fans, the Phillies traded Al Holland to the Pirates for Kent Tekulve.  An update set could have featured Tekulve and other players acquired during the season, such as Derrel Thomas, Tom Foley, Freddie Toliver, Alan Knicely and with a few weeks left to go in the regular season, Dave Stewart.

Variations/Rarities:  Once again, fellow collector Rick came through with a few rarities back when I originally published a post for this set.  These could have been first made available during this season's ALS Autograph Party which would have been in its second season in 1985.  (The Phestival became an official event in 1989.)  Tug McGraw announced his retirement following the 1984 season and this card seems to be a final tribute to the popular lefty reliever.  Fronts and backs of these cards are presented below.

Rarities 1. Tug McGraw - Former Phillies Great 2. Phillies Broadcasters - Richie Ashburn, Harry Kalas, Andy Musser and Chris Wheeler

Also See:  With the 2020 season put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I went back and recapped the Phillies games played in 1985 between that season's opening day and the All-Star break.  An index to those game summaries can be found here.

And here's a commercial from 1985, featuring Garry Maddox and inviting fans to the game on April 21st for their free Phillies photo cards.

Resources:  Beckett.com; Phillies collector Rick (@rickphils).

This set was originally featured in a post back in October 2014, and I'm going to slowly go through some of these team issued set posts and update them with new information learned (if any) over the past six years.

1984 Tastykake Phillies Photo Cards / 1986 Tastykake Phillies Photo Cards

1980-1999 Phillies Team-Issued Photo Cards Want List / Phillies Team Issued Sets Index Page

1952-69 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards

Number of Cards:  79
Card Size:  3 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Description:  These photo cards feature black and white portraits of prominent Phillies players (and managers) to have suited up for the team between 1950 and 1969.  Most of the photo cards contain black facsimile autographs on the fronts, and all the backs are blank.

How Distributed:  The cards were produced throughout the '50s and '60s by the Phillies as needed and as new players joined the club.  There's no way to tell which year any particular card is from, other than each player's card would have been issued during his tenure with the Phillies.  For example, the Johnny Callison card featured above could have been issued at any point, and over several different years from several different printings, between 1960 and 1969, the years Callison played for the Phillies.

Vintage-wise, Dick Sisler is the earliest Phillie represented, having left the club following the 1951 season.  Deron Johnson is the newest Phillie on the checklist, having joined the club in 1969.  The list presented below could grow, although I suspect that any new photo card discoveries from this era would have been made by now.  With the advent of the internet age, the mysteries surrounding these types of issuances are slowly dissipating. 

Complete Standard Checklist (Unnumbered, presented here alphabetically, with variations): 

1. Rich Allen - Glasses 2. Rich Allen - No glasses, Phillies visible 3. Rich Allen - No glasses, cropped              4. Harry Anderson 5. Richie Ashburn 6. Jack Baldschun 7. Dennis Bennett 8. Ed Bouchee 9. Johnny Briggs 10. Jim Bunning       11. Smoky Burgess 12. John Buzhardt 13. Johnny Callison 14. Doug Clemens 15. Jim Coker 16. Gene Conley 17. Wes Covington 18. Ray Culp 19. Tony Curry 20. Clay Dalrymple - With glove 21. Clay Dalrymple - Portrait 22. Clay Dalrymple - Portrait, cropped 23. Jacke Davis 24. Don Demeter 25. Dick Ellsworth 26. Del Ennis 27. Dick Farrell - '50s version

28. Dick Farrell - '60s version 29. Chico Fernandez 30. Woodie Fryman 31. Tony Gonzalez - Phillies visible         32. Tony Gonzalez - Phillies partial 33. Dallas Green 34. Dick Groat 35. Granny Hamner 36. John Herrnstein  37. Larry Hisle 38. Grant Jackson 39. Larry Jackson - Phillie visible 40. Larry Jackson - Cropped 41. Deron Johnson 42. Jerry Johnson 43. Willie Jones 44. Jim Konstanty (Not team issued) 45. Stan Lopata 46. Art Mahaffey 47. Gene Mauch MG 48. Jack Meyer (Not team issued) 49. Don Money 50. Bobby Morgan 51. Wally Post 52. Robin Roberts 53. Cookie Rojas

54. Mike Ryan 55. Ted Savage 56. Eddie Sawyer MG - Facsimile auto 57. Eddie Sawyer MG - No auto 58. Andy Seminick 59. Ray Semproch 60. Chris Short - Phillies visible 61. Chris Short - Phillies partial 62. Roy Sievers 63. Curt Simmons 64. Dick Sisler 65. Bob Skinner MG - Stands behind 66. Bob Skinner MG - No stands 67. Bobby Gene Smith 68. Charley Smith 69. Frank Sullivan 70. Gary Sutherland (Not team issued) 71. Tony Taylor - Facsimile auto 72. Tony Taylor - No auto (Not team issued) 73. Earl Torgeson 74. Gary Wagner 75. Bill White - Portrait 76. Bill White - With bat (Not team issued) 77. Bobby Wine - Phillies visible         78. Bobby Wine - Phillies partial 79. Rick Wise

One and Only Phillies Baseball Card (1):  Going through my collection and double checking the Beckett database, I believe these photo cards mark the only Phillies baseball card appearance of Charley Smith (112 games in 1961).

First Appearance in Phillies Team Issued Set (62):  There are 63 known players to have appeared in these postcard sets.  C. Smith and 62 other players who appeared elsewhere on Phillies baseball cards throughout the years.

Managers (3):  Sawyer, Mauch, Skinner

Omissions:  The players with the most games with the Phillies in the 1950s without a team issued photo card are - Eddie Waitkus (559 games), Ted Kazanski (417 games) and Johnny Wyrostek (315 games).  From the 1960s, the top three players by games played but not appearing on a Phillies photo card are - Ruben Amaro (668 games), Pancho Herrera (271 games) and Don Lock (215 games).

Variations/Rarities:  I've listed in the checklist above the variations to be found for Allen, Dalrymple, Farrell, Gonzalez, L. Jackson, Sawyer, Short, Skinner, Taylor, Wine and White.  I'm not sure which of the versions of their cards are more prevalent than the others, so I've listed them all above as part of the main checklist.

Special Note:  Fellow collector Rick pointed out to me via text that some of the cards included above are not in fact true team issues.  These are either smaller in size, feature action poses or in some cases are printed on a thicker stock of cardboard.  Rick notes the cards listed above that are almost certainly not team-issued are as follows:  Jim Konstanty, Jack Meyer, Gary Sutherland, Tony Taylor (no auto) and Bill White (with bat).  Collectors should also be aware there are photo cards of similar size and paper stock featuring action shots of Jim Bunning, Chris Short and Rick Wise.  Finally, there's a Mike Ryan card available that is slightly smaller in size than the team-issued version.

Resources:  Fellow Phillies collector Rick (@rickphils) provided the checklists I used to compile the list above, and Rick notes these checklists were originally compiled by collector Dan E., and please refer to my Special Note directly above.                                                                  

Checklist by Decade:  Similar to how I store my multi-year Phillies Alumni photo cards, I've broken out these cards by decade, depending on the years in which the player appeared the most.

1950s (22) - Anderson, Ashburn, Bouchee, Burgess, Ennis, Farrell, Fernandez, Hamner, Jones, Konstanty, Lopata, Meyer, Morgan, Post, Roberts, Sawyer (2), Seminick, Semproch, Simmons, Sisler, Torgeson

1960s (57) - Allen (3), Baldschun, Bennett, Briggs, Bunning, Buzhardt, Callison, Clemens, Coker, Conley, Covington, Culp, Curry, Dalrymple (3), Davis, Demeter, Ellsworth, Farrell, Fryman, Gonzalez (2), Green, Groat, Herrnstein, Hisle, G. Jackson, L. Jackson (2), D. Johnson, J. Johnson, Mahaffey, Mauch, Money, Rojas, Ryan, Savage, Short (2), Sievers, Skinner (2), B. Smith, C. Smith, Sullivan, Sutherland, Taylor (2), Wagner, White (2), Wine (2), Wise  

This set was originally featured in a post back in October 2014, and I'm going to slowly go through some of these team issued set posts and update them with new information gleaned (if any) over the past nearly six years.

1970 Phillies Team-Issued Photo Cards

1950-1969 Phillies Team-Issued Photo Cards Want List / Phillies Team Issued Sets Index Page

2006 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards

Number of Cards:  43
Card Size:  4" x 6"
Description:  The Phillies moved back to a simplified design with their 2006 team-issued set, with the fronts featuring full color photos and a white block design in one of the top corners.  The horizontal card backs once again feature biographical information and complete career statistics.

How Distributed:  The original 37-card, first version of this set was available for sale at Citizens Bank Park throughout at least the first month of the season.  At some point after the season was underway, and perhaps even as early as mid-May, four player cards were added, and for some reason the cards of coaches Mick Billmeyer and Milt Thompson were re-issued with different photos.  The cards of Tomas Perez, Ricardo Rodriguez and Robinson Tejada were removed from the second version of the set.  Rodriguez was released on March 29th, Tejada was traded to the Rangers on April 1st for David Dellucci and Perez was released on April 2nd.

The second version of the set was advertised with a sticker displayed prominently on the front of the packaging (see below).  Three of the four players added were on the team's opening day roster - Dellucci, Gavin Floyd and Geoff Geary.  Top prospect Cole Hamels was the fourth player added, and he was recalled from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on May 12th.  As the photo used for Hamels' card was taken during spring training, the Phillies could have rushed an updated version of the set to be ready for Hamels' debut or at least shortly thereafter.

Complete Standard Checklist (Unnumbered, presented here alphabetically with uniform number from the front of cards): 

1. Bobby Abreu (#53)          2. David Bell (#25) 3. Mick Billmeyer CO (#17)           4. Marc Bombard CO (#7) 5. Eude Brito (#58) 6. Pat Burrell (#5) 7. Rheal Cormier (#37) 8. Bill Dancy CO (#16) 9. Rich Dubee CO (#28) 10. Sal Fasano (#13) 11. Ryan Franklin (#23)  12. Aaron Fultz (#46) 13. Alex Gonzalez (#8)

14. Tom Gordon (#45) 15. Ramon Henderson CO (#31)           16. Ryan Howard (#6) 17. Cory Lidle (#30)        18. Jon Lieber (#21) 19. Mike Lieberthal (#24) 20. Ryan Madson (#63) 21. Charlie Manuel MG (#41) 22. Brett Myers (#39) 23. Abraham Nunez (#3) 24. Tomas Perez (#9) 25. Arthur Rhodes (#22)

26. Ricardo Rodriguez (#47) 27. Jimmy Rollins (#11)  28. Aaron Rowand (#33)          29. Julio Santana (#44) 30. Robinson Tejada (#50) 31. Milt Thompson CO (#15)           32. Chase Utley (#26) 33. Gary Varsho CO (#19) 34. Shane Victorino (#18) 35. Randy Wolf (#43) 36. Phillie Phanatic 37. Phillies Broadcasters

Complete Update Checklist, 2nd Version:  

1. Mick Billmeyer CO (#17) - In the dugout    2. David Dellucci (#2)

3. Gavin Floyd (#34) 4. Geoff Geary (#56)

5. Cole Hamels (#35)           6. Milt Thompson CO (#15) - Watching BP

One and Only Phillies Baseball Card (1):  Rodriguez

First Appearance in Phillies Team Issued Set (14):  Brito, Dellucci, Fasano, Franklin, Geary, Gonzalez, Hamels, Howard, Nunez, Rhodes, Rowand, Santana, Tejada, Victorino
Returning Players in Phillies Team Issued Set (16):  Abreu, Bell, Burrell, Cormier, Floyd, Fultz, Gordon, Lidle, Lieber, Lieberthal, Madson, Myers, Perez, Rollins, Utley, Wolf

Manager (1):  Manuel
Coaches (7):  Billmeyer (2), Bombard, Dancy, Dubee, Henderson, Thompson (2), Varsho
Phillie Phanatic (1)
Broadcasters (1):  The set contains the highly coveted Scott Franzke rookie card.  Franzke is featured along with fellow broadcasters Scott Graham, Chris Wheeler, Larry Andersen and Harry Kalas.

Version 1

Version 2

Version 1

Version 2

Surprises:  The Phillies made a flurry of roster moves before opening day, so the creator of this set's checklist can be forgiven for opting to include Rodriguez (who never played a game for the Phillies) Perez and Tejada and missing out on Dellucci, Floyd and Geary.

Omissions:  There are a few omissions here, although none are egregious.  Reliever Chris Booker started the season on the disabled list and was claimed off waivers by the Royals on May 10th.  There are a number of players who were seeing regular time with the club prior to the All-Star Break.  Catchers Carlos Ruiz and Chris Coste were both recalled at various points over the first few months of the season due to injuries to Mike Lieberthal and Sal Fasano.  Relievers Clay Condrey and Brian Sanches were up and down a few times as was outfielder Chris Roberson.  Rick White was claimed off waivers from the Reds on June 23rd.

The annual ALS Phillies Phestival was held on May 22nd.  The only players on the active 25-man roster on that date without photo cards are Coste, Roberson and Ruiz.  The Phillies acquired veterans Jamie Moyer, Jose Hernandez and Jeff Conine in August for an improbable pennant run, so there were plenty of options had the team decided to issue an update set.

Variations/Rarities:  Fellow collector Rick clued me in to cards being available with black facsimile autographs for four of the team's stars.

Facsimile Autographs        1. Pat Burrell (#5) 2. Ryan Howard (#6) 3. Mike Lieberthal (#24) 4. Jimmy Rollins (#11) Also See:  The Phillies gave away a set of Wall of Fame postcards on August 11th featuring cards of the 29 Wall of Famers, up through the 2006 induction of Dallas Green.  On Fan Appreciation Day, September 24th, the Phillies handed out a Topps team card pack containing 27 cards with yellow ink replacing the normal foil found on regular 2006 Topps cards.  There's a nice entry for the set over at 14,000 Phillies.

Resources:  Phillies collectors Steve and Rick (@rickphils).

This set was originally featured in a post back in December 2014, and I'm going to slowly go through some of these team issued set posts and update them with new information learend (if any) over the past nearly six years.

2005 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards / 2007 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards

2000-Present Phillies Team-Issued Photo Cards Want List / Phillies Team Issued Sets Index Page

2007-2009 Phillies Alumni Photo Cards

Number of Known Cards:  42
Card Size:  4" x 6"
Description:  I was admittedly completely unaware of the existence of these cards until an eBay search in 2018 yielded photos of team-issued photo cards for Phillies alumni using a design I had never seen before.  The 2008 cards have a blue border with the Phillies Alumni logo along with the player's name and uniform number at the bottom.  The 2009 cards have a gray border with the same Phillies Alumni logo at the bottom, again along with the player's name and uniform number.  Copyright dates and the corresponding year of issuance can be found on the backs of these cards.

How Distributed:  Between 2007 and 2009, the Phillies created special alumni photo cards for returning players to sign at various autograph events, during alumni weekends and as part of any reunion-related public appearances.  A team card for the 1950 National League Champion Whiz Kids was also created.  Fellow collector Rick shared with me his list of these cards, which is where the information below comes from.  He also notes the 2007 Tekulve card was created for an autograph signing with the ex-reliever that was ultimately cancelled due to inclement weather.

Complete 2007 Checklist (Unnumbered, presented here alphabetically): 

1. Rico Brogna 2. Marty Bystrom (blank back)                 3. Larry Christenson 4. Darren Daulton

5. Terry Harmon (blank back) 6. Von Hayes 7. Ricky Jordan 8. Dickie Noles (blank back, 5 x 7)

9. Mike Rogodzinski                 10. Kent Tekulve 11. Bob Walk 12. Mitch Williams

Complete 2008 Checklist (Unnumbered, presented here alphabetically): 

1. 1950 Phillies Team 2. Dick Allen 3. Larry Andersen 4. Ricky Bottalico 5. Jeff Brantley 6. Larry Christenson (same photo as 2007) 7. Gene Garber

8. Dallas Green 9. Terry Harmon 10. Tommy Herr 11. Tommy Hutton                        12. Ricky Jordan 13. Garry Maddox

14. Jerry Martin 15. Gary Matthews 16. Mike Rogodzinski                             17. Juan Samuel 18. Del Unser 19. Ozzie Virgil

Complete 2009 Checklist (Unnumbered, presented here alphabetically): 

1. Bob Boone 2. Ricky Bottalico                   3. Bob Dernier 4. Jim Eisenreich

5. Jim Kaat 6. John Kruk 7. Mike Lieberthal 8. Mickey Morandini

9. Dickie Noles 10. Juan Samuel (same photo as 2008) 11. Tony Taylor

I am actively seeking these cards and please contact me if you have any for sale or trade.  My want list is linked below.

Also See:  I recently updated, hopefully for the final time, my post covering the alumni photo cards issued between 2010 and 2019.

Resources:  Phillies collector Rick (@rickphils).

2000-Present Phillies Team-Issued Photo Cards Want List / Phillies Team Issued Sets Index Page