Baseball cards have a long history in Naples, Florida dating back to the late 19th century when the amateur sport first began gaining popularity in the small Gulf Coast town. Some of the earliest baseball cards produced featured players from early Naples amateur and semi-pro teams, though the cards were often homemade productions with just basic player stats and photos printed on plain paper or cardstock.
As baseball grew into America’s pastime in the early 20th century, mass-produced baseball cards from companies like American Caramel, E90 and T206 started finding their way into the hands of young Naples boys. Stores in downtown Naples would stock packs of the regional tobacco brands like Pinkerton or Allen & Ginter knowing the cards inside would move off the shelves quickly. By the 1910s and 1920s, Naples had several amateur and semi-pro clubs and the local newspapers would regularly print the lineups and box scores, fueling even more interest among collectors.
When the Great Depression hit in the 1930s, the production of premium baseball cards slowed significantly. However, Naples residents still found ways to collect and trade with each other. Many of the cards from the early 20th century that have survived from this era in Naples were well-worn from constant handling but still treasured by their young owners. As economic conditions started improving later in the 1930s, the gum and candy companies resumed baseball card production and Naples collectors were once again stocking their collections.
World War 2 had a major impact on the baseball card industry from 1941-1945 as rationing of resources led to a halt in their production. Many Naples boys who had collected for years donated or sold their collections to raise money for the war effort. After the war ended, the baseball card boom experienced a massive resurgence thanks to the start of new sets from Bowman and Topps in the late 1940s. Naples shops and drugstores were flooded with demand as local kids rebuilt their collections. Stars of the day like Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams and Stan Musial were popular subjects for Naples collectors during this time period.
The 1950s were the golden age of baseball cards in Naples, Florida. Topps reigned supreme as the sole producer after outbidding Bowman and other competitors for the baseball card rights. Their colorful, innovative designs were a huge hit with Naples kids. The local drugstores and five-and-dime stores stocked boxes and boxes of packs knowing they wouldn’t last long on the shelves. Meanwhile, the amateur and youth leagues were thriving in Naples and produced their own simple, hand-drawn team cards that are now highly collectible. The late 50s also saw the rise of the American Caramel baseball card reprints that were a more affordable option for some Naples collectors.
Trading and organizing baseball cards evolved into a true hobby and pastime for many Naples boys and men through the 1960s and 1970s. Local card shops started opening to cater to the growing collector demand, stocking not just new releases but also vintage inventory to feed the growing interest in the older tobacco and candy issue cards. The rise of the hobby led to the first Naples card shows in the late 1960s, small affairs usually held in local community centers or firehouses where collectors could buy, sell and trade with each other. Some of the earliest and most valuable Naples-produced team sets also emerged during this time period.
The early 1980s saw a true boom in the baseball card industry, fueled by the arrival of new producers like Donruss, Fleer and Score. Naples shops were inundated with product and lines would form daily for the opening of the latest wax box shipments. The emergence of the grading services like PSA also led to a new level of collecting, especially for the vintage Naples cards that were becoming exponentially more valuable. Some local collectors amassed truly impressive vintage Naples collections worth tens of thousands during this speculative boom period.
The overproduction of modern cards in the mid-1980s caused a crash that rippled through the Naples collecting scene. Many shops closed and the baseball card shows declined in size. This led to a “dark age” for Naples collecting until the 1990s when interest was revived by the arrival of inserts, parallels and autograph cards catering to adult collectors. The 2000s saw another mini-boom thanks to new collectors seeking affordable vintage and a renewed focus on player collection books and sets. Today, Naples remains home to a dedicated core of collectors, with a handful of local shops, annual card shows, and a strong sense of the rich history of baseball cards in the community. Many of the most valuable Naples produced vintage cards remain prized possessions of local collectors and families.
Baseball cards have been an intrinsic part of the fabric of Naples, Florida for over 125 years. Through booms and busts, wars and depressions, Naples kids and collectors have fueled this hobby that has brought joy and provided a connection to the national pastime of baseball. The story of baseball cards in Naples is one of tradition, nostalgia and the special bond between a community and America’s favorite sport.
