The 1973 baseball card season marked a transition period for the hobby. While the 1960s had seen unprecedented growth in the popularity of collecting cards, the early 1970s brought about changes in the industry that would shape it for decades to come.
Topps had dominated baseball card production since the modern era began in the 1950s. Their monopoly began facing competition in 1973 from a new rival – the Philadelphia Gum Company. Philly Gum launched a brand new set that year called “Power Hitters” that directly competed with Topps’ flagship release. While Topps’ set would remain the most popular as the official MLB license holder, Power Hitters gained a respectable market share and signaled the end of Topps’ reign as the sole major producer.
The 1973 Topps set is considered one of the more iconic issues of the entire baseball card era. It contained 714 cards featuring all 26 MLB teams from that season. Some of the biggest stars of the time like Hank Aaron, Johnny Bench, and Nolan Ryan graced the fronts of cards. The design featured a solid color background with team logo in the bottom corner. Statistics and a black and white photo took up much of the reverse.
Rookies were an especially hot commodity in 1973 sets. Future Hall of Famers like Dave Winfield and Jim Rice made their card debuts that year. But the true rookie gem was an unheralded Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher named Mike Marshall. His card would go on to become one of the most valuable from the entire decade. Marshall won the NL Cy Young award in 1974, making his relatively inexpensive 1973 rookie card extremely desirable in retrospect.
While the 1960s saw the rise of the modern collecting hobby, 1973 marked a time when its popularity began reaching new heights. The influx of competition, attractive rookie cards, and growing number of children with disposable income all contributed to increased demand. But it also ushered in changes that foretold issues to come for the industry like speculation and inflated card values.
The Philadelphia Gum Company’s Power Hitters set from ’73 was groundbreaking as the first serious challenger to Topps. It contained 330 cards across 13 teams and also featured the same solid color backgrounds as Topps. The photography and statistics took up less real estate on the fronts and backs. Power Hitters didn’t achieve the same level of success but proved baseball cards from other companies could find an audience.
Pricing was also an evolving story in 1973. While the average Topps or Power Hitters card could be had for a nickel or dime, the most coveted rookies and stars started to climb above $1. An unopened wax pack of 1973 Topps cards might set you back 50 cents at the local candy or card shop. But as interest grew, so too did the secondary market where individual cards changed hands. Star names like Aaron and Bench were already being flipped for profits between collectors.
The 1973 season saw several notable MLB achievements as well. Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds eclipsed his 3,000th career hit that June. Nolan Ryan of the California Angels threw his first of then-record seven career no-hitters. And Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves launched his 715th career home run in April to break Babe Ruth’s all-time record. Their baseball cards from that year are still some of the most iconic in the sport’s history.
While the 1973 season didn’t produce a true “golden age” set on par with 1952 Topps or 1957 Topps, it was hugely important for the evolution of the hobby. The first serious competition arrived and rookie cards like Mike Marshall gained more prominence. Interest grew to new levels that presaged modern collecting. And stars like Aaron, Bench, and Ryan reached career pinnacles that cemented their legend on cardboard. The ’73 season cards remain popular with collectors to this day as representations of baseball’s transition into a new era.
In conclusion, 1973 was a pivotal year that changed the baseball card industry forever. Topps lost its monopoly with the debut of Power Hitters. Rookie cards and stars from that season like Aaron and Marshall are still highly valued today. And increased competition/demand set the stage for the hobby’s continued growth. While not producing an iconic “golden age” set, 1973 was hugely important in shaping the collecting world for decades to come.
