In 1989, Fleer released what was supposed to be a standard baseball card set. But what happened next? A single card… one photo… nearly cost them a fortune and put a dent in their reputation. That card? The now-infamous 1989 Fleer Billy Ripken “F* Face”** error 💀 Billy Ripken who is a baseman for the Orioles and brother of Cal Ripken Jr., posed for a simple photo holding his bat over his shoulder. But written on the knob of that bat — clear as day — were the words “F*** FACE” in capital letters 😳 Now how that got there? That’s where the hobby lore kicks in. Some say Billy wrote it himself to mark a BP bat.
But the juicier rumor — and the one most hobby vets believe — is that a teammate pranked him, scribbling it on the bat without him realizing. He used it during the shoot… and Fleer didn’t notice until after thousands of cards were already printed and shipped out. The backlash was immediate. Parents of kids complained. and Collectors were stunned. Stores started pulling product.
Fleer had to move fast. They ended up making four different corrected versions:
A black box over the words
A whiteout version
A version with scribbled ink
A fully cleaned-up reprint
All that meant for Fleer is costs them massive reprint costs, a PR scramble, and some real damage control. But ironically? It also turned the card into a legend.
The uncensored version instantly became a instant classic — and to this day it’s one of the most famous (and funniest) error cards ever made. Fleer definitely took a hit… but the hobby gained one of the greatest conversation pieces ever printed.
I don’t have one (yet)… but I NEED it in the collection one day 🔥
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