Carmelo Martinez Autographed 1984 Fleer #497 Chicago Cubs Card

Featuring Carmelo Martinez at the beginning of his Major League career, this Carmelo Martinez autographed 1984 Fleer #497 Chicago Cubs card is an early-career issue from Fleers popular 1984 baseball release. Martinez originally reached the majors with Chicago before spending the majority of his career as a productive outfielder and first baseman with the San Diego Padres.

Martinez made his Major League debut with the Cubs in 1983, appearing in 24 games and showing immediate power with four home runs. His stay in Chicago proved brief, as he was traded to San Diego following the season in a multi-player deal that brought pitcher Scott Sanderson to the Cubs.

The move gave Martinez a much larger opportunity with the 1984 San Diego Padres. He appeared in 149 games during his first season with the club, hitting 13 home runs with 66 RBI as San Diego captured the National League West title and advanced to the first World Series in franchise history. Martinez also homered during the Padres memorable National League Championship Series victory over the Cubs.

Martinez remained a regular contributor for San Diego through 1989 and later played for the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates. Over nine Major League seasons, he accumulated 678 hits, 108 home runs and 424 RBI while providing power at both first base and the corner outfield positions.

Because the card was issued after Martinez had already been traded to San Diego, the 1984 Fleer #497 preserves his brief original tenure with the Chicago Cubs and represents an interesting early-career issue. It is an appealing addition for Cubs collectors, Carmelo Martinez fans, 1980s Fleer collectors or collectors assembling comprehensive autographed player runs.

Autograph Guarantee: Signature obtained through a private signing conducted by Under the Radar Sports Promotions and guaranteed to pass any third-party authentication service.