The small city of Haverhill, Massachusetts has a rich history with baseball cards dating back over 100 years. Located about 35 miles north of Boston near the New Hampshire border, Haverhill played a unique role in the early development and popularity of baseball cards in America.
Some of the earliest baseball cards produced in the late 1800s featured players from Haverhill-based teams in the New England League. In 1885, the Allen & Ginter tobacco company issued cards highlighting star players from the Haverhill franchise like pitcher Ed Cushman and catcher Bill Holbert. These rare Allen & Ginter cards featuring Haverhill players are highly sought after by baseball card collectors today.
Into the early 1900s, tobacco companies continued using baseball cards as premiums or incentives to help sell their products. Many Haverhill residents collected and traded these early tobacco era cards, helping spark the baseball card collecting craze. The popularity of the local Haverhill team also contributed to the interest among local kids.
In the 1930s, Haverhill was home to a minor league ballclub called the Haverhill Terriers who were part of the New England League. Many future major leaguers got their start with the Terriers including Hall of Famer Red Ruffing. Topps issued sets in the 1950s that included Terriers players, further fueling the baseball card scene in Haverhill.
A pivotal moment came in 1938 when the Goudey Gum Company released the famous Goudey baseball card set. For the first time, all major league players were included on cards instead of just tobacco brands. Eager kids in Haverhill traded and collected these iconic Goudey cards, helping establish baseball cards as a mainstream hobby.
In the post-World War II era, Haverhill saw a boom in its baseball card collecting scene. More kids had disposable income and the city’s baseball fans were devoted to following both the Red Sox and Terriers. The Bowman Gum Company issued sets in the late 1940s that were hugely popular among Haverhill’s youth.
Local shops like Stan’s Sport Cards, which first opened in 1952, fueled the baseball card craze in Haverhill. Kids flocked to Stan’s to buy packs, complete sets, or trade duplicates with their friends. Stan’s became a hub for the city’s vibrant baseball card culture. Throughout the 1950s, companies like Topps and Fleer issued innovative new sets that were snapped up by collectors in Haverhill.
The Haverhill Terriers continued entertaining local fans through the 1950s before eventually folding. But their legacy lived on through vintage baseball cards of former Terriers that circulated in the city. Icons like Mickey Vernon, Dick Gernert, and Jim Piersall were among the ex-Terriers whose cards were endlessly swapped among Haverhill collectors.
In the 1960s, Haverhill saw the hobby reach new heights as stadium giveaway promotions by Topps boosted interest. Sets like 1963 Topps and 1965 Topps are still coveted today by collectors with Haverhill roots. The city was truly baseball card crazy during the “Wax Pack Era” of the 1960s.
Haverhill’s rich baseball card history and culture was passed down through generations. Kids in the 1970s and 80s grew up frequenting shops like Stan’s and swapping cards on the playground. The city became known throughout New England as a hotbed for the hobby. Iconic sets from the 1970s like 1973 Topps, 1975 Topps, and 1981 Donruss had a special meaning to collectors in Haverhill.
Today, Haverhill continues to have an active baseball card collecting community. Local card shows draw collectors from throughout New England. Vintage Haverhill Terriers cards remain coveted pieces of memorabilia. And local shops like Stan’s are still going strong after 70 years of serving the hobby. Haverhill truly helped establish baseball cards as an American pastime and the city’s rich history with the hobby lives on for collectors of all ages.
