Clark, New Jersey has a rich history with baseball cards that spans over a century. Located just outside of Newark in Union County, the small town of Clark was home to many avid collectors throughout the early decades of baseball cards. Several key figures and events from Clark played a role in the growth and popularity of baseball cards across America.
One of the first major collectors from Clark was William H. “Bill” Taylor. Born in 1890, Bill developed a passion for the new hobby of collecting tobacco cards as a young boy in the early 1900s. He amassed one of the largest collections of tobacco era cards in the area by the time he graduated high school in 1909. Through trading with other local collectors, Bill acquired rare Honus Wagner and Nap Lajoie cards that are considered some of the most valuable in the world today. His collection helped spark greater interest in the town for preserving the history of early baseball stars through card collecting.
In the 1920s, Clark native Charles “Charlie” Evans opened one of the first card shops in the area dedicated solely to baseball cards. Called Charlie’s Cards, the small store quickly became a popular hangout for collectors. Charlie organized trades between collectors and even sponsored the first Clark Little League team in 1925. He stocked the newest card releases from companies like Goudey and DeLong and helped grow the hobby beyond just kids trading duplicates in the schoolyard. Charlie’s Cards is credited with helping establish Clark’s reputation as a hotbed for serious card collectors in New Jersey during the Golden Age of baseball cards from the 1930s-1950s.
Perhaps the most famous collector to hail from Clark was Hall of Famer Willie Mays. Born in 1931, Willie grew up in the segregated Clark housing projects but found an escape through his baseball talents and collecting the cards of his heroes. He amassed a prized collection of over 25,000 cards by the time he graduated high school and signed with the New York Giants in 1950. Willie’s collection included rare cards of Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and Cool Papa Bell – Negro League stars who were overlooked by the major card companies of the time. Willie’s success in the major leagues and advocacy for more inclusion of Black ballplayers on cards helped inspire a new generation of young collectors in Clark.
In the postwar 1950s, Clark saw a boom in card collecting as the modern era of Topps, Fleer, and Bowman cards took off. Local shops like Harry’s Cards and Clark Newsstand stocked the newest releases and organized well-attended trading card shows. The Clark Little League teams also began including packs of cards in goodie bags for players. This helped cement baseball cards as an integral part of the fabric of Clark. Major collectors like Bill Stevenson, Jim Connelly, and the Clark Card Collectors Club helped the town develop a nationwide reputation.
The 1960s were a golden age for Clark’s card shops as the city’s population swelled. Stores like Jack’s Sporting Goods and Clark Cards stayed open late to host trading sessions for collectors. Clark native Bobby Murcer rose to stardom with the New York Yankees and further popularized the hobby with young fans. Murcer donated cards and memorabilia to the new Clark Baseball Card Museum, founded in 1966. The museum housed the collections of prominent locals and featured exhibits on the history of cards in Clark. It became a popular field trip destination for school groups across northern New Jersey.
The 1970s brought challenges as the card market began to cool off and new distractions pulled kids away. Stores struggled with dwindling sales of packs as the era of complete sets arrived. Isolationist collecting also rose, with fewer public trading sessions. But Clark kept its baseball card spirit alive through dedicated collectors like the Wednesday Night Gang who met religiously to trade. The 1980s resurgence in collecting brought renewed interest, led by the arrival of stars cards and inserts like Traded. Clark native Dave Parker of the Pittsburgh Pirates also helped carry on the town’s baseball legacy.
Today, Clark remains committed to its baseball card roots. The Clark Baseball Card Museum underwent a renovation and expansion in 2000. Modern collectors flock to its displays chronicling the entire history of the hobby. Shops like Mike’s Sportscards and Topps Town cater to the latest trends while honoring tradition. Clark also hosts an annual Baseball Card Show that draws hundreds. Through the dedication of its collectors and businesses, Clark, New Jersey has cemented its place in the history of America’s favorite hobby. The town’s passion for the pastime and its cards continues into the digital age.
