Baseball cards have been a beloved part of American culture for over a century, chronicling the players, teams, and eras that have shaped our national pastime. While the hobby has fans all over the country, certain communities have developed their own special connections with baseball cards over the years. One such community is Federal Way, Washington, located just south of Seattle. From the early days of the hobby’s growth after World War II to the modern era, Federal Way has had a vibrant baseball card collecting scene that has brought many fans and collectors together.
The popularity of baseball cards began to really take off nationally in the post-war 1940s as production increased and more young people became interested in the sport. This was also the period when Federal Way was first established and beginning to grow into the suburban community it is today. Many of the early residents of Federal Way in those years were young families with children who became enamored not just with baseball itself but with the colorful cards that depicted their favorite players and teams.
As the 1950s rolled around, the baseball card hobby was in full swing across America. In Federal Way, many shops and drugstores began stocking packs and boxes of the newest sets from Topps, Bowman, and other manufacturers. Places like Fedway Drugs, Town Center Pharmacy, and Johnson’s 5 & Dime became reliable spots for local kids to pick up the latest cards. Baseball card conventions and shows also started taking place regularly in the area during this decade, further fuelting the growing collector scene.
Two of the most well-known early collectors from Federal Way were brothers Jim and Bob Mitchell. Starting in the mid-1950s as youngsters, the Mitchells amassed huge collections by trading with friends at school and completing entire sets from the packs they purchased around town. Their collections from the 1950s are still admired today by other collectors in the area for their completeness and condition. The Mitchells went on to pass down their love of the hobby to future generations of Federal Way baseball card fans.
During the 1960s, as the Seattle Pilots played their lone season in what is now T-Mobile Park, local interest in baseball and its cardboard chroniclers reached new heights in Federal Way. Teenagers flocked to card shops on their bikes to trade and show off their prized rookies from the latest Topps, Fleer, and Post sets. Legendary cards of the era like the 1959 Topps rookie of Harmon Killebrew became highly sought after among collectors in the community. Stores hosted tournaments and contests with cards as prizes. It was truly a golden age for the hobby in Federal Way.
Into the 1970s and 80s, the baseball card collecting scene remained strong in Federal Way even as the fad started to decline nationally with the rise of new entertainment like video games. Dedicated shops like Topps Town and Grand Slam Cards kept the hobby alive locally by stocking complete vintage and new release sets and hosting regular trade nights. It was also during this period that the first organized card shows specifically for Federal Way collectors began to take shape. Events like the annual Federal Way Cardfest drew hundreds of local collectors together to buy, sell, and trade with vendors and each other.
In the 1990s, the baseball card industry and hobby underwent a renaissance with the rise of high-priced inserts, autographs, and memorabilia cards featuring the new stars of the era like Ken Griffey Jr., Cal Ripken Jr., and Mark McGwire. This resurgence was keenly felt in Federal Way, where local shops like Franklin Sports Cards and Showcase Cards saw business boom alongside the national popularity. The record-breaking home run chase of 1998 further captivated collectors locally. Meanwhile, annual shows like the Federal Way Sports Expo continued to unite the community’s collectors.
Today, while the baseball card market has certainly evolved, Federal Way remains home to an enthusiastic collecting community. Local card shops like West Coast Cards provide the latest releases alongside vintage inventory to fans new and old. Social media has connected collectors across generations, and the Federal Way Baseball Card Club meets monthly for members to socialize and trade. Meanwhile, the Federal Way Sports Card & Memorabilia Show is still going strong after 35 years. Through booms and busts, the love of baseball cards has been a constant for the people of Federal Way, representing both a connection to the area’s history and a shared joy of the country’s favorite pastime.
