The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the most celebrated histories of any franchise in Major League Baseball, dating back to when the team was established in Brooklyn, New York in 1883 as the Brooklyn Atlantics. Not surprisingly, Dodgers baseball cards spanning their time in Brooklyn and Los Angeles capture some truly iconic moments from the sport.
Some of the earliest baseball cards featuring Dodgers players date back to the late 1800s during the T206 era, known as one of the most coveted sets in the history of card collecting. Players like Joe Kelley, Charlie Ebbets, and Nap Rucker are featured on these antique tobacco cards. It wasn’t until the modern era in the 1950s that Dodgers cards really took off in popularity along with the rise of mass-produced cardboard from manufacturers like Topps.
In the early 1950s, Dodgers legends like Roy Campanella, Don Newcombe, Pee Wee Reese, and Jackie Robinson cracked potent lineups that helped hoist multiple World Series championships in Brooklyn. Their memorable performances were commemorated on now-iconic Topps cards that showcase not just statistics but wonderful black-and-white or color photos of these trailblazing players. Campanella, Robinson, and Newcombe would become the first African American players ever inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and their 1950s cards hold tremendous historical significance.
Of course, no Dodgers cards from this era hold more value than the rare Hank Greenberg rookie card from 1938-1939, one of the most coveted in the hobby due to its incredibly low surviving population. Greenberg only spent one season in Brooklyn before being traded, but his cardboard legacy lives on as one of the finding pieces for any serious Dodgers card collection.
Although it may pain long-time Brooklyn fans, the franchise’s move to Los Angeles for the 1958 season opened up new opportunities for card sets to feature Dodger greats on the west coast like Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, and Maury Wills, who led the National League in stolen bases in 1962 with a record-setting 94 swipes. Whether in Brooklyn or LA, 1960s cards of these core Dodgers are cherished by collectors even today.
The 1970s saw the arrival of deep rookie cards for future Dodgers icons like Bill Russell, Ron Cey, Davey Lopes, and Steve Garvey that have become linchpins for building solid Collections spanning that decade. Garvey’s mammoth productivity at the plate in the 1974 and 1976 seasons translated to some iconic photographic cards from Topps of the slugging first baseman. At the same time, minor stars like Bobby Valentine, Mickey Hatcher, and Burt Hooton round out sets and remind fans of talented supporting casts from this era in Dodgers history.
A major highlight of 1980s Dodgers cardboard was the rookie explosion for pitchers like Fernando Valenzuela, Jerry Reuss, and Orel Hershiser, who quickly became fan favorites. “Fernandomania” was born in 1981 thanks to the lefty’s electrifying rookie campaign and culturally significant Fleer and Topps RCs that are still highly collectible today. Meanwhile, Hershiser’s dominant 1988 season culminated in a record 59 consecutive scoreless innings and an unforgettable Fleer Update card showing the righty in mid-windup that perfectly captured his commanding form on the mound.
Moving into the 1990s, multi-time All-Stars like Mike Piazza, Eric Karros, Brett Butler, Erik Davis and more appeared regularly in inserts, parallel versions and oddball issues from manufacturers. Piazza’s power surge in the second half of the decade also earned him amazing Topps Traded, Turkey Red and Topps Chrome refractor cards. The decade culminated in a World Series title in 1988 led by powerhouses like Hershiser, Karros, Butler and the rest – an unforgettable championship run immortalized on wood grain World Series cards from Donruss and Upper Deck.
Into the 21st century, Dodgers cards have continued highlighting the talents of Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger and the current core with modern parallels, autographs and memorabilia cards in abundance from brands like Topps, Panini and Bowman. Kershaw’s run of ERA titles and playoff dominance in the 2010s alone has spawned collectible RCs, refractors, autographs and memorabilia cards that will stand the test of time. Today’s young stars like Gavin Lux, Dustin May and others look primed to join theDodgers pantheon with strong careers of their own.
Throughout changing eras of baseball cards since the late 1800s, Dodgers players have produced iconic cardboard that captures the rich history of one of MLB’s marquee franchises. From Robinson to Koufax to Seager, Dodger cards offer a chance for collectors of all ages to celebrate the legends who have worn the blue uniform in Brooklyn and LA over generations. The Dodgers franchise archives some of the sport’s most unforgettable personalities and performances – all immortalized in cardboard wonders that continue to delight fans.
