The ABC gum company first introduced baseball cards as incentives included in their gum packs in the late 1880s. While other companies like Good & Plenty had experimented with including lithographed cards in their candies before, ABC is widely credited with popularizing the concept of including sports cards in chewing gum. Their innovative marketing strategy helped turn baseball cards into a beloved collectible for children and adults alike.
ABC began as the American Bubble Gum company in Brooklyn, New York in 1885. The founders, brothers Abraham and Benjamin Cohen, saw an opportunity to capitalize on the growing popularity of baseball across the United States. They decided to include small lithographed cards featuring famous ballplayers as incentives to encourage children to purchase more of their bubble gum. In 1887, ABC released their first series of baseball cards, each pack containing a stick of gum and one card randomly selected from a set of major leaguers.
Some of the earliest ABC baseball cards featured stars from the 1880s like Cap Anson, Dan Brouthers, Buck Ewing, and Amos Rusie. These pioneer issues were printed using a basic lithographic process on thin card stock. The images were often just headshots of players with their names and teams printed below. Production values were low but the concept was novel and caught on quickly with many children. By the late 1880s, ABC had made baseball cards a standard part of the bubble gum experience.
In the 1890s and early 1900s, ABC issued many new series that helped popularize modern baseball heroes of the deadball era like Honus Wagner, Cy Young, and Walter Johnson. Their cards from this period began including action shots of players in addition to portraits. Color lithography was also introduced, adding vibrancy to the simple designs. ABC took advantage of new technologies to improve the look of their cards with each new series. They also expanded the checklist of included players to cover more minor leaguers and obscure stars to appeal to the growing ranks of dedicated collectors.
The 1910s saw ABC take baseball card production and design to new heights. Multicolored lithography became the norm, allowing for more detailed images. Uniforms and team logos were featured prominently. Biographical information also started to be included on the back of many cards from this era. The rise of organized baseball leagues in the teens coincided with ABC establishing their brand as the premier issuer of baseball memorabilia. Their cards were coveted items that helped fuel interest in the national pastime. Stars of this period like Walter Johnson, Ty Cobb, and Babe Ruth achieved iconic status partly due to their memorable ABC card designs.
In the 1920s, the golden age of baseball and ABC cards overlapped. New production techniques like photomechanical printing enabled realistic action shots on the fronts of cards. Information-packed bios flourished on the backs. ABC introduced the first true “card sets” with guaranteed checklists in 1922. Their Goudey brand became dominant through the decade. Icons like Lou Gehrig, Rogers Hornsby, and Lefty Grove achieved near-mythical status among collectors thanks to their visually stunning Goudey cards. The 1920s saw ABC cement its position as the leading manufacturer of baseball collectibles.
Through the Great Depression years of the 1930s, ABC cards continued to be affordable entertainment. The company introduced many innovative promotions during this difficult time to keep their product moving off shelves. Colorful new designs by Goudey depicted the hitting and pitching heroes of the era like Jimmie Foxx, Mel Ott, and Dizzy Dean. In 1935, ABC released the iconic Goudey Baseball Thrills set which included some of the most visually arresting cards in the company’s history. Scenes of dramatic plays and historic moments captured fans’ imaginations during hard times.
World War 2 posed challenges for ABC’s production but they adapted by streamlining designs and using simplified production methods. The postwar years saw them come roaring back with lavish new sets. In 1948, Topps acquired the rights to produce baseball cards from ABC and modernized the industry with color photographs and innovative promotions. However, ABC’s early decades of innovation and iconic issues from the deadball era to the war established the standard that Topps and other companies still follow. From humble beginnings including simple lithos in gum packs, ABC helped develop baseball cards into one of America’s most beloved hobbies.
The ABC gum company played a pivotal role in the history of baseball cards from their inception in the late 1880s through the middle of the 20th century. By introducing cards as incentives in gum and developing them into a major sport collectible, ABC helped spread interest in the national pastime while establishing many production techniques still used today. Iconic players from every baseball era achieved a place in history partly due to their memorable ABC and Goudey card designs. While other companies now dominate card production, ABC’s early innovation and iconic issues defined the hobby.
