The 1961-62 Fleer Basketball checklist is one of the greatest the sport has ever seen. It just took a while for it to be truly appreciated as the card maker abandoned the hardcourt for 25 years.
Featuring rookie cards from multiple all-time legends, 1961-62 Fleer Basketball also happens to be one of the most attractive vintage hoops sets.
1961-62 Fleer Basketball Checklist Details
With just 66 cards, the 1961-62 Fleer Basketball checklist isn’t exactly big. Factor in the fact that a third of the set is dedicated to a subset that offers another card for many key stars and there aren’t a lot of players represented in the product.
Still, Fleer made it count.
Without a mainstream set of basketball cards since 1957-58 Topps, lots of players found their first major cards in 1961-62 Fleer. Leading the way is the Wilt Chamberlain rookie card. Not surprisingly, this is one of the most valuable vintage basketball cards ever produced. Other top 1961-62 Fleer Basketball rookie cards include Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Oscar Robertson.
Outside of first-year players, Bill Russell is another key card on the 1961-62 Fleer Basketball checklist.
As far as the design goes, the blocked layout is extremely visually pleasing. Instead of have the photo on top and nameplate along the bottom, here, it’s flipped. Player photos don’t have a lot of space as a result.
A 22-card In Action subset bookends the 1961-62 Fleer Basketball checklist. These swap out the isolated player shots from their main cards for full action images. Each is given a caption as well, giving a newspaper sort of feel.
1961-62 Fleer Basketball Checklist
Click on the links to shop for cards on eBay or to check current market values.
Set size: 66 cards
Cards per pack: 6
Packs per box: 24
Shop for 1961-62 Fleer Basketball boxes and packs on eBay.
Base Set Checklist
66 cards.
Buy on eBay:
1 Al Attles, Philadelphia Warriors RC
2 Paul Arizin, Philadelphia Warriors
3 Elgin Baylor, Los Angeles Lakers RC
4 Walt Bellamy, Chicago Packers RC
5 Arlen Bockhorn, Cincinnati Royals
6 Bob Boozer, Cincinnati Royals RC
7 Carl Braun, Boston Celtics
8 Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia Warriors RC
9 Larry Costello, Syracuse Nationals
10 Bob Cousy, Boston Celtics
11 Walter Dukes, Detroit Pistons
12 Wayne Embry, Cincinnati Royals RC
13 Dave Gambee, Syracuse Nationals
14 Tom Gola, Philadelphia Warriors
15 Sihugo Green, St. Louis Hawks RC
16 Hal Greer, Syracuse Nationals RC
17 Richie Guerin, New York Knicks RC
18 Cliff Hagan, St. Louis Hawks
19 Tom Heinsohn, Boston Celtics
20 Bailey Howell, Detroit Pistons RC
21 Rod Hundley, Los Angeles Lakers
22 K.C. Jones, Boston Celtics RC
23 Sam Jones, Boston Celtics RC
24 Phil Jordon, New York Knicks
25 John Kerr, Syracuse Nationals
26 Rudy Larusso, Los Angeles Lakers RC
27 George Lee, Detroit Pistons
28 Bob Leonard, Chicago Packers
29 Clyde Lovellette, St. Louis Hawks
30 John McCarthy, St. Louis Hawks
31 Tom Meschery, Philadelphia Warriors RC
32 Willie Naulls, New York Knicks
33 Don Ohl, Detroit Pistons RC
34 Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks
35 Frank Ramsey, Boston Celtics
36 Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Royals RC
37 Guy Rodgers, Philadelphia Warriors RC
38 Bill Russell, Boston Celtics
39 Dolph Schayes, Syracuse Nationals
40 Frank Selvy, Los Angeles Lakers
41 Gene Shue, Detroit Pistons
42 Jack Twyman, Cincinnati Royals
43 Jerry West, Los Angeles Lakers RC
44 Lenny Wilkens, St. Louis Hawks RC
In Action
45 Paul Arizin, Philadelphia Warriors – Drives in for a Jumper
46 Elgin Baylor, Los Angeles Lakers – Sinks a Basket
47 Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia Warriors – Dunks a 2 Pointer
48 Larry Costello, Syracuse Nationals – Powers in for a Layup
49 Bob Cousy, Boston Celtics – Lays One Up
50 Walter Dukes, Detroit Pistons – Fights for Possession
51 Tom Gola, Philadelphia Warriors – Takes to the Air
52 Richie Guerin, New York Knicks – Shoots a Left-Handed Layup
53 Cliff Hagan, St. Louis Hawks – Tosses for 2 Points
54 Tom Heinsohn, Boston Celtics – Goes Up for a Shot
55 Bailey Howell, Detroit Pistons – Fights for the Ball
56 John Kerr, Syracuse Nationals – Blocks a Shot
57 Rudy Larusso, Los Angeles Lakers – Gets Off a Shot
58 Clyde Lovellette, St. Louis Hawks – Sweeps by an Opponent
59 Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks – Goes Up for a Shot
60 Frank Ramsey, Boston Celtics – Is On Guard
61 Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Royals – Passes Around the Defense
62 Bill Russell, Boston Celtics – Takes to the Air
63 Dolph Schayes, Syracuse Nationals – Shoots
64 Gene Shue, Detroit Pistons – Loses the Ball
65 Jack Twyman, Cincinnati Royals – Drives to the Basket
66 Jerry West, Los Angeles Lakers – Snags a Rebound
