Dan Marino and the Police Try to Save you from Abduction!
In 1984 Dan Marino wasn’t just wowing the national football league and its audience with a record setting 48 passing touchdowns, while leading the Dolphins to a 14-2 record and a Super Bowl appearance. He was also trying to save you from the “Boogie Man”; or at least keep you from being kidnapped by some windowless van driving pervert.
Most Collectors or football card enthusiasts probably know that the 1984 Topps football set features the rookie cards of 3 prominent Hall of Fame players. Quarterbacks John Elway and Dan Marino as well as running back Eric Dickerson all have their rookie cards in the 84 set. The 84 Topps Dan Marino is considered his rookie card since it’s his only mainstream issued card from that year. Topps also has a 282 card sticker set that was released in 84 and Marino has a sticker in that set as well.
But what a lot of collectors may not know is “Dan the Man” had a third card released in 1984. The Miami Dolphins teamed up with the Local Police and The Kiwanis Club to make a team set that was geared towards children and keeping kids safe. The cards aren’t numbered but the set includes Marino in a great action shot, dropping back in the pocket about to unleash a laser to one of the Marks brothers (Clayton or Duper) most likely.
Disappointingly, there is no Dolphins logo on the front of the card but there is the players jersey number along with a Dolphins themed orange, teal, and white border. Flip the card over and you get a message from the cops telling you to basically never get into cars with strangers, even if that stranger tells you that your parents said it was ok... wink wink...
Kinda reminds me of those D.A.R.E. To keep kids off drugs ad campaign from the 80’s or all those other cheesey public service announcements they had back then. You know what though... A lot of those ad worked! I’m sure if you saw any of those commercials back then they stuck in your memory for years after. Like, “this is your brain on drugs” cue the fried egg. “Any Questions”? We all remember that iconic commercial. They had a way of striking fear into you while making you snicker at the same time.
So I’m sure if you were lucky enough back in 1984 to get your hands on one of those sweet Dan the Man Police Rookie Cards you probably thought twice about ever talking to any strangers after reading the card back. Thanks Dan! You’re still the Man.
