Before inserts became the norm, Donruss had a pretty clever way of adding something extra to their baseball sets: puzzles!
The 1985 Donruss baseball set included a three-piece puzzle featuring one of baseball’s most iconic legends, Lou Gehrig. Each puzzle piece was included with packs, giving collectors a little extra reason to keep opening—and a fun challenge to complete the picture.
Gehrig was a fitting choice. The Yankees legend finished his career with 2,721 hits, 493 home runs, 1,995 RBIs and a .340 batting average, while earning six World Series championships and two MVP awards.
What makes these puzzles especially fun today is that they aren’t just a picture of a Hall of Famer—they’re a little snapshot of how the hobby used to work. No flashy inserts, no serial numbers, no guaranteed hits. Just three pieces scattered throughout packs and the satisfaction of finally putting them together.
