The popularity of baseball cards in Abington, Massachusetts can be traced back to the late 19th century when the hobby first began gaining mainstream popularity across the United States. Located just south of Brockton, Abington had a vibrant baseball culture throughout the early 20th century that helped fuel local interest in collecting cards featuring professional players.
Some of the earliest baseball cards produced in the late 1800s by companies like Goodwin & Company and Old Judge depicted stars from the National League and American Association. These pioneer cardboard issues helped spark a nationwide collecting craze that took hold in Abington during the early 1900s. Local shops like M.J. Cushing’s 5 & 10 and Bert’s Sporting Goods began stocking packs of cards featuring the latest sets from manufacturers like American Caramel, American Tobacco, and Continental Tobacco.
Youths in Abington eagerly awaited the arrival of the next series to add to their collections. Players on hometown Boston teams like the Braves, Red Sox, and Bees were especially popular subjects. Local amateur and semi-pro clubs also drew fans who sought out cards of Abington stars. The hobby took off to such an extent that card swapping became a common pastime at local schools, with kids eagerly trading duplicates to complete their sets.
By the late 1910s, the golden age of tobacco cards was in full swing. Most early series from this boom period have since become quite scarce and valuable, a testament to how widely they were collected and traded in Abington at the time of issue. The town’s youth developed extensive collections representing the great players and teams of that era. Stars like Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, and Walter Johnson were household names among young card collectors in Abington.
As baseball rose to become America’s pastime in the 1920s, the card collecting craze only intensified locally. Abington saw the rise of its first card shops dedicated solely to the hobby. Stores like Johnny’s Baseball Cards and Al’s Sportscards catered directly to the growing collector base. They stocked the latest releases and served as a hub for the thriving trade and want lists that connected fans. Regional shows also began drawing collectors from throughout the South Shore to Abington to buy, sell and trade with one another.
The Great Depression of the 1930s impacted the baseball card industry as tobacco sales declined. However, Abington collectors found innovative ways to continue feeding their hobby. With fewer new cards being produced, the secondary market became increasingly important. Used cards from the tobacco era circulated heavily among Abington collectors looking to fill holes in their collections. Local shops also stocked sets from the new bubblegum era pioneered by Goudey and Play Ball.
By the late 1930s, production had rebounded and Abington collectors were once again eagerly awaiting each new series. The town became well known throughout the baseball card collecting community of New England for its highly knowledgeable and dedicated fanbase. Regional shows in nearby Brockton and Boston regularly drew crowds of Abington collectors looking to trade.
The postwar era saw card collecting reach new heights of popularity in Abington and across America. Iconic sets from Bowman, Topps, and other manufacturers featured the great stars of baseball’s Golden Age. These issues helped introduce new generations to the hobby. Card collecting became a quintessential American childhood pastime for many in Abington during the 1950s. The first superstar rookies like Mickey Mantle only added to the excitement locally.
As values rose on vintage cards in the 1960s and ’70s, dedicated Abington collectors with extensive holdings from the sport’s early decades began to gain recognition. Regional want lists and trade networks helped collectors fill even the most obscure niches in their collections. Meanwhile, the youth of Abington continued to await the arrival of the latest Topps and Fleer releases at local drug and hobby shops.
Today, Abington is home to a dedicated community of baseball card collectors spanning multiple generations. Local card shows like the annual Abington Sports Card and Memorabilia Show draw collectors from throughout New England eager to buy, sell, and trade. Vintage Abington collections featuring stars from the early 20th century are now highly valued. The town’s rich baseball card collecting history serves as a testament to the pivotal role the hobby has played in the local culture for well over a century.
