Starting Lineup is a popular brand of baseball cards that is unique in that it features 3D statues or figurines posing as collectible card characters. What sets these cards apart is each one contains a plastic miniature statue of a baseball player which stands up when the card is opened. This allows the fun of collecting traditional baseball cards but with the added feature of displaying the players in statue form.
Starting Lineup was founded in 1992 by SmithKline Beecham and produced their first sets in 1993. They aimed to revolutionize the standard baseball card by making the athletes appear more lifelike through the use of mini 3D statues on each card. Their inaugural year saw sets made for Major League Baseball as well as the NFL. They found greater success in capturing the baseball card market and have primarily focused on MLB players and teams in subsequent decades.
The original Starting Lineup statues were made of plastic and featured the head and top half of the torso of each athlete. They were attached to a cardboard bottom that contained stats, career highlights and other info just like a standard baseball card. Each box or pack contained a mix of commons and short printed or autograph versions of the statues. The rarity of certain players added to the collectibility. Starting Lineup quickly became popular with both kids and adults looking to build miniature displays of their favorite teams.
In 1994, they expanded the statues to include the full upper body rather than just the head and shoulders. They also increased sizes to around 3-4 inches tall on average, allowing for more detailed sculpts and realistic poses. Leagues beyond MLB like the NBA were added that year as well. The 1990s saw Starting Lineup reach the height of their popularity as they dominated the sports card aisle of stores. Various insert sets paying tribute to awards, milestones and retired greats were inserted in packs alongside the base sets.
As the company progressed into the 2000s and 2010s, some changes were made to the Starting Lineup formula. The cardboard backgrounds were phased out, leaving just the free-standing plastic statue atop the trading card stock. Coinciding with the boom in premium card products, autograph and memorabilia relic versions of players started being inserted. Serialized numbering was applied to short prints and hits to establish rarity levels. Statue designs also evolved from static poses to more action shots showcasing a particular moment in time.
Quality and detail of the sculpts increased substantially through the early 21st century as 3D printing technology was implemented. Life-like facial features, intricate uniforms and seamless bonding of statues to the cards allowed for miniature works of art that could be endlessly swapped in and out of displays. Serial numbered parallels in color tints beyond the traditional white plastic also added variety for collectors. By the 2010s, limited exclusives reached the upper echelon of the high-end trading card market.
While traditional cardboard offerings never disappeared completely, Starting Lineup has leaned heavily into premium focused products in recent years. Luxury releases tying into milestone anniversaries or special subsets dedicated to Hall of Famers have become the norm. Cases break the $1000 price point regularly for treasures like autograph statues of legends or 1/1 printing plates. They continue innovating with unique materials like engraving player names into glass displays and captivating collector interest worldwide.
The enduring popularity of Starting Lineup can be attributed to satisfying both the card collector and fan display enthusiast. Arguably no other hobby achieves the perfect marriage of statistics on a 5×7 piece of stock combined with a kinetic 3D centerpiece paying tribute to the player. Starting Lineup succeeds in encapsulating nostalgia through static representations of iconic athletes for years to come. They remain a leader in sports memorabilia through capturing the essence of some of sports’ most hallowed names in high quality plastic statue form.
In summary, Starting Lineup revolutionized the collectibles industry by pioneering the concept of mini player figurines on trading cards. Through constant innovation, premium upgrades and meticulous craft of the statues themselves, they have endured for over 25 years. Starting Lineup satisfies the duel collector passions of amassing baseball cardboard alongside building miniature Baseball Hall of Fame shelves. The brand’s unique combination of stats, images and 3D pieces will ensure their staying power for future generations of fans.
