The Atlanta Braves have a long and storied history that is well documented through their baseball cards over the decades. The franchise originated in Boston in the late 1800s as the Boston Beaneaters and later the Boston Braves. Some of the earliest Braves cards date back to the turn of the 20th century from that era.
One of the earliest Braves stars to appear on cards was pitcher Vic Willis. He pitched for the Braves from 1902-1909 and had a career record of 194-127 with a 2.63 ERA. Some of the oldest Braves cards featuring Willis date from the 1909-1911 era in various tobacco brands like T206 and Sweet Caporal. Seeing the photography and design styles of the early 1900s on cards of Braves legends is a real treat for baseball card collectors with an interest in the franchise’s history in Boston.
When the team moved to Milwaukee in 1953 after years of struggles in Boston, their cards started featuring players from the Milwaukee Braves era. Stars of that time included Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Warren Spahn and more. Topps was the dominant baseball card producer in the 1950s and their cards from that Milwaukee time period are still popular with collectors today. Highlights include Hank Aaron’s iconic rookie card from 1954 Topps and Warren Spahn’s impressive career stats listed on many of his 50s Topps issue cards.
The Milwaukee Braves had great success, winning the World Series in 1957. Their cards remained popular through the late 50s before the controversial move to Atlanta was announced for 1966. The franchise relocating to the south shook up baseball at the time. Their Milwaukee-era cards remain some of the most sought after in the hobby for fans of that team and time period.
When the Braves switched to Atlanta for the 1966 season, their cards started showcasing the new crop of young Atlanta Braves stars. Hank Aaron remained from the Milwaukee days and continued his assault on the home run record. Other stars of the 1960s Atlanta era included pitcher Phil Niekro, outfielder Rico Carty and third baseman Clete Boyer. The late 1960s produced some of the earliest Atlanta Braves cards in the Topps and Fleer sets that baseball card collectors love to find today.
In the 1970s, the Braves contended regularly and developed more star players that appeared on oddball and mainstream baseball cards. Pitcher Andy Messersmith had one of the most iconic moustaches in the game and was well represented on 1970s cards. Outfielder Dave May was a consistent hitter for the Braves in the early 70s. Star pitcher Phil Niekro continued racking up wins throughout the decade while also gaining more card appearances.
The franchise took a step back in the late 70s but cards still highlighted players like outfielder Jeff Burroughs and second baseman Davey Johnson. Topps and Donruss remained the leaders in baseball card production through the 1970s and their Braves cards gave fans updates on the team each year.
In the 1980s, led by young slugger Bob Horner and veteran pitchers Dale Murphy and Pascual Perez, the Braves began to improve. Dale Murphy in particular broke out as a star in the early 80s, winning back-to-back NL MVP awards in 1982-1983. His card appearances exploded during this peak of his career. Topps, Donruss, Fleer and others loaded Murphy into baseball card sets on an annual basis. The Braves as a whole gained more attention and a rejuvenated fanbase during Murphy’s stellar play.
The peak of the Braves dynasty occurred in the 1990s behind stars like pitchers Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and manager Bobby Cox. This famous rotation led Atlanta to a record 14 straight division titles from 1991-2005. Their dominance created huge demand for Braves cards during the 90s boom. Glavine, Maddux, and Smoltz became three of the most featured players in baseball cards throughout the decade. Rookies like Chipper Jones also gained huge popularity on cards as the next generation of Braves.
In the 2000s, Chipper Jones ascended as the new face of the franchise and carried them to a World Series title in 1995. His rookie cards from the early 90s are some of the most iconic Braves cards ever made. Jones remained a staple in baseball card sets each year through his retirement after the 2012 season. Other stars of the 2000s like Andruw Jones, Javy Lopez, Rafael Furcal and others gained legions of fans with each new baseball card release as the Braves dynasty wound down.
Today, the Atlanta Braves remain one of baseball’s most popular franchises. Young stars like Ronald Acuna Jr, Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley have taken the reins in recent years. Their rookie cards are hot commodities as new generations of collectors look to the future of the team. Meanwhile, throwback cards of past Braves greats continue appreciating in value as the history and nostalgia grows. From the earliest 20th century issues to modern releases, Atlanta Braves cards capture the rich history and fandom and will continue to be prized by collectors for decades to come.
