Joey Belle, Rookie Heat.

Before the name change. Before the corked bat. Before the 50/50 season.

This was how it started.

The 1989 Score Traded #106T is Albert Belle’s first official rookie card—issued while he was still going by Joey. It’s a perfect snapshot of that weirdly specific late-’80s-to-early-’90s design era: teal border, pink banners, and a full-on in-game action shot. Somehow funky, clean, and iconic all at once.

This PSA 10 is from a pop of 1,184—plentiful, sure, but this copy is especially vibrant. No yellowing. No off-centering. The card absolutely jumps.

Why it matters:

• Belle was the top power bat to come out of LSU
• This card marked the beginning a buzz of a mythic (and misunderstood) career
• The Score Traded set is a time capsule of hobby purity before the serial-numbered chaos hit

There are rarer Belle cards, and certainly more valuable ones. But in terms of history and hobby heritage, this one’s mandatory.

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