The history of baseball cards in Altoona, Pennsylvania stretches back over 100 years. Altoona was always a hotbed for baseball fandom due to its proximity to major league teams in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. As early as the 1880s, Altoona residents would eagerly await the arrival of tobacco products featuring images of their favorite ballplayers.
Some of the earliest baseball cards to feature in Altoona were printed by cigarette and tobacco companies as a promotional marketing strategy. Starting in the late 1880s, companies like Goodwin & Company and Allen & Ginter began inserting lithographed cards into packages and tins of tobacco. These cards helped advertise both the players and the tobacco products themselves. Altoona residents got their first tastes of stars like Buck Ewing, King Kelly, and Amos Rusie through these early tobacco inserts.
In the early 1900s, Altoona became a hub for the regional minor league known as the Pennsylvania State League. Teams in the PSL like the Altoona Mountaineers gave local baseball fans quality local baseball to root for during the summer months. As baseball card production expanded nationwide in the early 20th century, Altoona shops and drug stores stocked brands like T206 White Border cards, featuring players from both the major and minor leagues. Altoona players occasionally received their own baseball cards as well, further cementing the city’s love affair with the sport.
The 1930s saw the rise of gum and candy cards inserted in packages as a marketing strategy. Brands like Goudey and Play Ball gave Altoona kids affordable packs of cards to collect and trade. Sets from this era are still prized by collectors today, featuring legends like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Jimmie Foxx. Altoona’s own native son, Hall of Famer Chuck Klein, received multiple baseball cards during his playing career in the 1930s as well. Klein’s hometown fans eagerly collected any cards featuring their local hero.
During World War II, baseball card production was limited due to rationing of supplies. But Altoona’s love of the cards never wavered. After the war, production ramped up again with brands like Topps leading the way. In the 1950s, Altoona was fully immersed in the baseball card craze sweeping the nation. Kids could be found trading, arguing, and playing with their cards on every street and playground in the city. Stars like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron became household names in Altoona thanks to their ubiquitous cardboard appearances.
The 1960s saw the dawn of the modern baseball card era. Topps secured the exclusive rights to produce major league player cards and introduced innovative new designs each year. They also began issuing cards featuring the growing list of Hall of Famers. Altoona collectors rushed to complete each new Topps set as it was released year after year. The city’s card shops did booming business selling packs, boxes, and individual cards to keep up with demand.
Into the 1970s and 1980s, Altoona remained a hotbed for baseball card collectors of all ages. The rise of specialty and oddball card issues from brands like Fleer and Donruss added to the excitement. Stores hosted frequent baseball card shows, allowing collectors to buy, sell and trade with fellow fans. Altoona native players like Dave Parker and Lee Lacy received their own rookie cards, delighting their local supporters. The rise of wax packs and oddball inserts like Kellogg’s 3-D cards kept the hobby fresh.
In the modern era, Altoona has transitioned into the internet age of card collecting like the rest of the hobby. Online groups like Altoona Card Collectors on Facebook keep the local community connected, sharing information about new releases, vintage finds and collection updates. While brick-and-mortar card shops have dwindled, the passion for the cardboard keeps Altoona firmly planted among the top baseball card collecting cities in America. Over 130 years after those first tobacco inserts arrived, Altoona’s love affair with the baseball card shows no signs of slowing down.
