LSU Baseball Trading Cards: A History of the Program in Plastic
Louisiana State University has long been one of the top college baseball programs in the country, racking up over 6,000 all-time wins, seven College World Series titles, and dozens of first-round MLB draft picks over its 140+ year history. Part of the lore and tradition of Tiger Baseball has been captured and traded by fans and players alike through colorful trading cards highlighting some of the biggest stars to suit up for LSU. While not as storied or collectible as professional baseball cards, LSU cards offer a unique glimpse into the personalities and stories that have made the program so formidable.
Some of the earliest LSU baseball cards date back to the 1960s, when companies like Topps began issuing college team sets in addition to their major league and minor league lines. These early LSU cards tended to be basic grayscale cardboard with stats on the back, often featuring multiple players per card. Notable names to appear included Hall of Famer Skip Bertman in his playing days of the early 60s, as well as stars such as Tommy Bryan and Randy Jackson. Conditioned is often poor for vintage college sets of this era, making complete runs very difficult to acquire today.
In the 1970s and 80s, card companies like Whitman, Donruss, and Fleer produced new LSU card sets on a less frequent basis. Players started receiving solo cards more often compared to the multi-player designs of earlier years. This allowed for more colorful photography and additional stats/biographies to be included. Future MLB all-stars like Bob Gibson, Brian Williams, and Skip Schumaker had their amateur careers immortalized during this time period. LSU’s college World Series championships of 1991 and 1993 helped spur new interest in Tiger cards as the program rose to national prominence under Bertman’s leadership.
The 1990s saw an explosion in sportscard popularity and number of independent manufacturers. This led to increased production of school specific sets beyond just the major brands. Companies like Score, Pinnacle, and Stardom focused sets entirely on LSU players. Photography and card design became more sophisticated across the board. Superstars of the early 90s championship teams like Todd Walker, Jamie McCauley, and Warren Morris were depicted in their iconic purple and gold uniforms through eye-catching renditions. Parallel sets featuring jersey/auto relic cards of the biggest names also emerged.
Into the 2000s, the availability and variety of LSU baseball cards continued growing. Brands likeLeaf, Triple Crown, and Allen & Ginter incorporated Tigers into their regional/school collections.Insert sets highlighting individual achievements or award winners came about. Digital photography made cards appear sharper than ever before. Future MLB all-stars Brandon Larson, Ryan Theriot, and J.P.Arencibia had their skills touted on cardboard.Parallel and autograph cards of star pitchers like Mason Melotakis and Louis Coleman gained collector popularity.
In the 2010s, serial numbered parallel cards in lower print runs became standard for top collegiate players.Brands focused on the lucrative college market includedDonruss Elite, Panini National Treasures, and Leaf Metal.Social media helped cards featuring charismatic players likeAlex Bregman,DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Nolaresonate with younger collectors.The emergence of on-demand print-to-order services allowed for highly customized team and player card sets to be produced.Autographs and memorabilia relic cards of 2019 College World Series hero Daniel Cabrera fetched high prices.
Today, while physical card production has declined some, the demand for digital LSU baseball cards through apps like Topps Bunt remains strong.NIL deals have blurred the lines between collegiate and pro athletes, opening up new opportunities.Superstars like Jacob Berry, Dylan Crews and Tre’ Morgan now have “rookie cards” produced during their time in purple and gold. Vintage LSU cards remain prized possessions in collections nationwide, forever preserving the accomplishments of legends who first made their names as Tigers. Whether traded between fans or displayed in a showcase, these cardboard pieces of history continue fueling the passion of Bayou Bengal supporters everywhere.
