Baseball cards have been an integral part of the game and culture since the late 19th century. One city that has deep baseball card history is Hamilton, Ontario, located just west of Toronto along the western end of Lake Ontario. While Hamilton is not as widely known for baseball cards as cities like Chicago, New York, or Boston, it has played an important role in the industry over the decades.
Some of the earliest baseball cards produced in Hamilton came out of the Dominion Bazaar company in the 1890s. Dominion Bazaar was a manufacturer and distributor of various goods located in the city’s downtown core. In 1894, they began producing sets of round promotional cards featuring players from various professional baseball leagues in Canada and the United States. These early Dominion Bazaar cards are now highly sought after by collectors.
One of the biggest developments in Hamilton’s baseball card history came in the 1950s with the rise of O-Pee-Chee. Founded in 1944, O-Pee-Chee initially produced various confectionery products like bubble gum, chewing gum, and candy. In 1952, they gained the Canadian license to produce versions of the famous Topps baseball cards for the Canadian market. This gave Canadian kids access to high quality cardboard collectibles featuring MLB players for the first time.
During the peak of the baseball card boom in the late 1950s through the 1970s, O-Pee-Chee was a major presence in Hamilton. They produced tens of millions of cards each year at their production facilities located on Hughson Street North. The O-Pee-Chee brand helped fuel a greater interest in the sport among Canadian children. It also established Hamilton as an important hub for baseball card manufacturing and distribution to stores across Canada.
In addition to licensing Topps sets, O-Pee-Chee also produced original cards of their own throughout the 1960s and 70s. For example, in 1968 they issued the very collectible O-Pee-Chee Hockey set, which preceded the hockey card boom of the early 1970s. Their unparalleled access to fresh Canadian gum also allowed O-Pee-Chee to be pioneers in the creation of expansive boxing and football sets beyond just baseball.
Beyond just production, Hamilton was also home to significant baseball card retailers and hobby shops over the years. Arguably the most iconic was Rae’s Hobby Centre, founded in 1978 by long-time collector Ray Westlake. Located in the heart of downtown, Rae’s became a gathering place for local enthusiasts of all ages to buy, sell, and trade their collections. They sponsored tournaments and youth baseball teams to help promote the hobby. Rae’s Hobby Centre was among the first specialty sports card retailers in Canada.
Another seminal Hamilton baseball card hub was Cosmos Comics. Founded in the early 1980s by Steve Soper, Cosmos emerged as a leader in the newly emerging comic book specialty store business model. They also became renowned for their extensive stock of vintage and modern baseball cards, especially for theToronto Blue Jays which had recently begun play. Cosmos hosted regular trading sessions, giveaways, and promotions to engage collectors throughout Hamilton and the Golden Horseshoe region.
In the late 1980s and early 90s, Hamilton was home to another major player in Skybox International. Founded in 1987, Skybox quickly grew to become one of the “Big Three” trading card manufacturers along with Topps and Fleer. They were known for innovative sets tying into movies, TV, and sports. Skybox International’s Canadian headquarters were located in Hamilton for much of the company’s history before relocating to larger facilities in Oakville in the 1990s as their business expanded greatly.
While the baseball card industry has contracted significantly from the enormous heights of the late 20th century, Hamilton still plays a role. Upper Deck, one of the remaining major sports card companies, operates a satellite office in the city focused on Canadian sales, marketing, and baseball card breaks/case breaks online.
The memories of classic retailers like Rae’s Hobby Centre also live on in the modern era through events coordinated by Hamilton Card Collectors. This new generation of enthusiastic collectors works to preserve the city’s rich card collecting heritage and bring attendees of all levels together.
From its earliest roots producing rounds in the 1890s to hosting industry giants like O-Pee-Chee, Skybox, and retailers for decades after, Hamilton cemented itself as an important hub for baseball cards in Canada. Its impact helped grow the popularity of the sport nationwide and keep collectors engaged for generations. While the industry has changed drastically, the legacy of Hamilton’s significance remains an integral chapter within the greater history of baseball cards.
