Baseball cards have a long and rich history in Birmingham, Alabama dating back over 100 years. Some of the earliest baseball cards produced featured players from Birmingham-based minor league teams in the early 1900s. Birmingham was home to several minor league franchises over the decades that appeared on vintage cards in sets produced regionally and nationally.
One of the first Birmingham teams to have players featured on cards was the Birmingham Barons who began play in 1902 as part of the original Southern Association. In the early decades of the 20th century, regional tobacco companies would produce sets that included players from minor league teams across the South including the Barons. These sets were inserted in cigarette and candy packs that could be found throughout stores in Birmingham and surrounding areas. Some of the first Barons players to have their likenesses printed on cards included pitcher Ted Breitenstein and outfielder Hank Gowdy from the original 1902 roster.
In the 1930s and 1940s, the Barons were consistently included in sets produced by companies like Goudey and Fleer. Stars of those Barons teams like pitcher Johnny Niggeling, first baseman Dick Whitman, and manager Casey Stengel gained wider exposure through national distribution of cards with their photos. Fans in Birmingham eagerly collected these cards featuring their local minor league heroes. Complete sets from this era with Barons players are highly sought after by vintage card collectors in the city today.
Another prominent Birmingham minor league franchise was the Birmingham Black Barons who began play in the Negro American League in 1937. The Black Barons gained a national following as one of the top Negro league teams and had some of the best and most talented African American players before baseball’s color barrier was broken. Stars like pitcher Willie Foster, first baseman Willie Wells, and shortstop Willie Wells all appeared in sets from the late 1930s and 1940s issued by trailblazing black-owned card companies such as Esso and Gober. These rare early Black Barons cards are especially valuable to collectors with Birmingham roots since they memorialize one of the city’s most storied early black professional sports teams.
In the post-World War II era as the country moved towards integration, Birmingham was still featured on many regional baseball cards. The Barons were included in sets from Bowman, Topps, and other major manufacturers throughout the 1950s. Notable Barons from that generation like pitcher Billy Gardner, outfielder Earl Battey, and third baseman Roy McMillan had their rookie card issues during their time in Birmingham. These mid-20th century Barons rookies remain popular with collectors today for documenting the final years of segregation in minor league baseball.
The 1960s saw Birmingham’s minor league representation transition to the newly formed Southern League with the Barons’ move over from the Southern Association in 1964. Topps and Fleer continued chronicling Birmingham’s new Southern League teams and stars over the next three decades. Players who got their early professional exposure in Birmingham like Hall of Famer Dave Winfield and 17-year MLB veteran Doyle Alexander remain collectibles for their rare rookie cards from the 1960s Southern League issues. Other Birmingham fan favorites to appear on 1970s and 1980s cards included pitcher Bruce Berenyi and slugger David Bell for the Barons as well as pitcher Joe Price and outfielder Rafael Ramirez of the rival Birmingham A’s/Bulls franchise.
In the modern era of the 1990s-2010s, Birmingham has been featured in the regional sets produced by companies like Upper Deck, Leaf, and Donruss to spotlight teams in the Southern League. Stars of the more recent Barons teams like pitcher Jake Peavy, third baseman Josh Donaldson, and catcher Ryan Lavarnway gained notice from collectors for their early Birmingham cards before moving on to MLB success. Birmingham’s baseball card legacy and collectibles market remains vibrant today with ongoing releases commemorating both past and present Barons, Bulls, and other local teams that have brought the city so much joy and civic pride over the past century-plus.
From the earliest 20th century tobacco issues to modern digital releases, Birmingham, Alabama has been continuously represented in baseball cards since the beginning of the collecting hobby. The memories, moments, and heroes captured on these cards comprise an important part of Birmingham’s rich baseball history and culture. For collectors and fans in the city, vintage and modern Birmingham-themed cards serve as a connection to the past as well as pride in the present-day clubs that continue to excite new generations of Alabama baseball fans.
