Before inserts became a hobby staple, Donruss found a creative way to make its baseball cards stand out. The 1982 release introduced the company’s first baseball puzzle, featuring none other than Babe Ruth, one of the greatest legends in the history of the game.

The puzzle consisted of 63 individual pieces distributed across 21 puzzle cards, with three pieces included in each pack of 1982 Donruss baseball cards. Once assembled, the pieces revealed an artistic portrait of Ruth titled Hall of Fame Diamond King.

The puzzle was more than just a fun bonus for collectors. Following legal disputes that prevented Donruss from packaging its cards with bubble gum, the company turned to puzzle pieces as an alternative. This creative solution became an important part of Donruss history and helped launch a tradition of Hall of Fame puzzles that continued throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s.

Today, the completed Babe Ruth puzzle represents an interesting piece of the hobby’s history—a time when collecting was about more than individual cards. It was about opening packs, tracking down missing pieces, and bringing an entire picture together.