Several posts on this thread would seem to indicate that some of you collect regional issues because of the otherwise scarce players that can pop up. But few teams have offered a tougher challenge to collectors than the Atlanta Braves in years past. Several of their team issues have still not been checklisted.
Beginning in 1989, the team offered player cards on selected days (often a Tuesday) in groups of three or sometimes more. They gave away cards through the 2003 season, every years sponsored by that year's particular hot dog provider -- Dubuque (89-91), Lykes (92-96) and Bryan (97-03). Beginning in 1990, complete, perforated and slightly smaller cards would be given out with a team photo. A "team photo set" was all that was issued in 1996.
In 1989, however, the first-time promotion were exclusively issued as single cards, and for several years the set was perceived as complete at 30 cards; no complete sets were ever offered and no one with the Braves bothered to compile a checklist.
But three more 1989s came to light much later: Geronimo Berroa, Dion James and Zane Smith. Neither James or Smith was ever officially issued; both were traded on July 2nd in separate deals, James for Oddibe McDowell, who is part of the set. Their existence is likely only due to uncut sheets being released by the printer, Atlanta-based Tucker-Castleberry, some years later (which is where I got mine). Berroa may simply have been an early season release that escaped detection -- even though that would bring the set total to an odd number of 31.
