Baseball cards have been collected by fans for over 130 years and Burbank, California has deep roots in the history of this beloved hobby. Located just north of Los Angeles, Burbank was once a hotbed for the production and distribution of baseball cards during the golden age of the sport from the late 1800s through the 1950s.
Some of the earliest baseball cards were produced in the late 1880s by cigarette and tobacco companies as promotional items to help sell their products. In 1892, Burbank became home to several large tobacco companies that began mass producing baseball cards, most notably the American Tobacco Company. Their factories in Burbank cranked out millions of tobacco cards each year featuring top players from both the National League and American League.
During this early period from the 1890s through the turn of the century, Burbank was a hub for distributing baseball cards across Southern California and beyond. Tobacco shops, general stores, pharmacies and other retailers throughout Los Angeles County and surrounding areas stocked their shelves with packs of cigarettes and chewing tobacco that included the coveted cardboard collectibles inside. For many local kids growing up in the early 20th century, their first baseball cards likely came from a store in their hometown of Burbank.
As the popularity of baseball grew exponentially after World War I, so too did the demand for baseball cards. In the 1920s, the American Tobacco Company expanded their operations in Burbank to keep up with the surging interest. New baseball card sets featuring players from that era like Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson rolled off the printing presses non-stop. Distribution networks ensured Burbank remained the epicenter for baseball cards in Southern California.
When the Great Depression hit in the 1930s, the baseball card industry in Burbank took a minor hit as discretionary spending declined. The sport of baseball itself exploded in popularity during this era as a source of affordable entertainment for struggling Americans. As a result, production of baseball cards in Burbank ramped back up through the latter half of the 1930s to satisfy demand. Iconic cards of stars like Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio from this period often list Burbank as their place of origin.
After World War II, the golden age of baseball card collecting was in full swing. In the late 1940s, several new baseball card manufacturers opened shops in Burbank to get in on the booming business. Bowman Gum and Topps Chewing Gum both set up production plants to compete against the longtime king – American Tobacco. This new competition led to innovative design styles and the first modern baseball card sets with colorful photos on the front.
The 1950s represented the peak of Burbank’s significance to the baseball card industry. All three major manufacturers – Topps, Bowman and American Tobacco – had sizable operations churning out an unprecedented volume of cards. Young collectors in Burbank and across the nation acquired their prized collections mainly through packs purchased at local drug and convenience stores. The era also saw the rise of special premium cards inserted randomly to incentivize even more purchases.
As the 1960s arrived, the baseball card market in Burbank began a slow decline. Topps had become the clear industry leader after outlasting Bowman and acquiring the baseball card division of American Tobacco. With dominance secured, Topps moved much of its production to other cities like Dover, Delaware for cheaper operating costs. By the mid-1960s, only a small Topps distribution center remained in Burbank.
While no longer a manufacturing hub, Burbank did experience a mini resurgence in the baseball card trade during the speculative boom of the late 1980s. Local card shops opened to cater to the surge of adult collectors seeking vintage gems. The bubble soon burst and today only a handful of hobby shops serving all sports remain.
Though Burbank lost its status as a baseball card production epicenter decades ago, its rich history in the industry lives on. For over half a century starting in the late 1800s, more baseball cards were created in Burbank than anywhere else. The early collections of many fans in Southern California can be traced directly back to packs bought in Burbank during the sport’s classic era. While times have changed, the memories of baseball’s golden age will always have a special connection to the city where it all started – Burbank, California.
