Baseball cards have been an integral part of American culture for over 150 years, capturing moments from the national pastime and allowing fans to collect pieces of their favorite players. The history of baseball cards in Oregon City, Oregon reflects how the hobby took root and grew throughout the 20th century in communities across the country.
Some of the earliest baseball cards produced in the late 1800s featured stars from the early professional leagues like the National League and American Association. While it’s unclear if any of these vintage cards made their way to Oregon City in the pioneering days, the growing popularity of the sport likely meant some residents collected cards as a way to follow major leaguers from afar.
As tobacco companies began inserting cards in cigarette packs starting in the 1880s, the mass production of baseball cards began in earnest. Brands like Allen & Ginter and Old Judge became major producers of early tobacco era cards that depicted both baseball players and other subjects. By the early 1900s, cards focused solely on baseball were common inserts in cigars and chewing tobacco.
Residents of Oregon City looking to build a baseball card collection in the early 20th century would have found options at local general stores, drug stores, and tobacco shops that sold products with card inserts. Some of the earliest tobacco brands to feature baseball players included Sweet Caporal, Piedmont, and Fatima cigarettes distributed throughout the Pacific Northwest.
One of the first documented organized baseball card collections in Oregon City belonged to 12-year-old Ray Johnson, who amassed a substantial set of 1909-1911 T206 White Border cards after trading extensively with friends and buying single cards from businesses downtown. In interviews later in life, Johnson recalled the thrill of finding rare Honus Wagner and Nap Lajoie cards in packs from his father’s smoke shop.
In the following decades, gum and candy companies like Goudey and Play Ball emerged as leading baseball card producers, inserting full color and photograph cards in products across the country. Shopkeepers in Oregon City stocked brands like Goudey Gum, Doublemint Gum, and Clorets that all featured cards as incentives throughout the 1930s and 40s.
Local youth formed informal baseball card clubs, regularly trading and discussing their collections at places like Tanner’s Drug Store soda counter or out on the ballfields of Mills Park. Teenagers also organized larger card swapping events in church basements and school gymnasiums on Saturdays that drew collectors from throughout Clackamas County.
Topps emerged in the post-World War II era and quickly came to dominate the baseball card market with their colorful photograph cards included in nearly every pack of chewing gum sold. The annual Topps baseball card release became an anticipated summer tradition in Oregon City, with kids saving allowances and lawn-mowing money to purchase as many packs as possible at stores like Clark’s 5&10.
As the 1950s rolled on, local card collectors joined the nationwide frenzy surrounding the flashy designs and photo-realistic images featured in Topps sets each year. The era saw legendary Oregon City players like Ron Fairly and Don Larsen rise through the minor league Clackamas County Athletics to the major leagues, immortalized in the annual Topps releases found in stores throughout town.
In the 1960s, the advent of color photography and action shots further enhanced the realism and appeal of modern baseball cards. Topps’ monopoly also faced new competition from Fleer and new obscure brands looking to capitalize on the booming hobby. Card shops also began to emerge as specialty retailers where collectors could browse commons and search for elusive stars to complete sets.
Places like Ernie’s Sport Cards and Bob’s Baseball Memorabilia opened in Oregon City shopping centers, drawing collectors from around the valley each weekend. The shops hosted trading events and sold unopened boxes of new releases that could be searched for valuable rookie cards and serially numbered parallels.
By the 1970s, inflation and a nationwide recession contributed to the decline of baseball cards included with candy and gum. But the advent of limited print runs, autographed memorabilia cards, and inserts featuring specific players kept the hobby booming. Expos in the Pacific Northwest also drew collectors pursuing autographs from the visiting teams, including a young Ken Griffey Jr. in the 1980s.
Today, organized baseball card shows are still held periodically in Oregon City. Online groups also allow collectors of all ages to trade, discuss the latest releases, and reminisce about classic cardboard from the hobby’s golden era during baseball’s formative years in the community. While production methods and the business of cards has changed, the nostalgia and connection to the national pastime remains an integral part of the fabric of Oregon City.
