Baseball Cards in Ballwin, Missouri: A Rich History of the Hobby
Located in suburban St. Louis County just west of the city limits, the city of Ballwin, Missouri has a long tradition of involvement in the baseball card collecting hobby. Since the early 1950s when the modern era of baseball cards began with the advent of the modern gum and candy included cards, Ballwin residents both young and old have been amassing collections and enjoying all aspects of this American pastime. Some of the earliest and most dedicated card collectors and hobby shops in the St. Louis area got their start right here in Ballwin.
One of the first serious baseball card collectors in Ballwin was Robert “Bobby” Thompson, who began accumulating cards as a young boy in the mid-1950s. By the 1960s, Bobby had pieced together an impressive collection numbering in the thousands with a focus on his favorite St. Louis Cardinals players. He became well known among his friends and at his high school for his passion and knowledge about the cards and players. In the pre-Internet era, Bobby served as a local resource and helped spark interest in collecting among many others in Ballwin.
In the 1970s, the rise of specialized card shops catering to collectors helped fuel further growth in the hobby locally. One of the first such shops in the St. Louis area was “Ace Baseball Cards,” which opened in 1973 at the corner of Manchester Road and Clarkson Road in Ballwin. Owned and operated by longtime Ballwin resident Chuck Acevedo, the shop became a popular weekend destination for collectors of all ages from Ballwin and beyond to buy, sell and trade cards. Chuck amassed a vast inventory of vintage and new release cards and memorabilia to cater to every collector’s interests.
The shop also hosted frequent card shows, allowing collectors to peruse tables filled with cards from dozens of dealers. These shows further expanded the collecting community and helped collectors complete sets, find rare chase cards, and stay on top of the latest releases. “Ace Baseball Cards” remained a staple of the Ballwin business community for over 25 years before Chuck’s retirement in the late 1990s. The shop played a major role in sustaining the baseball card boom years of the 1970s-1990s locally.
As the hobby continued to grow through the 1980s-90s, more shops opened in Ballwin to serve collectors. Stores like “Topps Cards Plus” and “Sportscards Etc.” set up in local strip malls, offering the newest wax packs, boxes, and sets alongside individual vintage and high-end cards. Meanwhile, the rise of organized youth leagues and school sports programs helped introduce new young collectors to the hobby. Many Ballwin youth cut their collecting teeth at these shops on weekends and after practices and games.
One of the biggest youth collectors to emerge from Ballwin in the late 80s-early 90s era was Mike Weber. From a young age, Mike displayed a keen eye and love for vintage cards, amassing an impressive collection focused on the 1950s and 60s. He became a regular fixture at local shops and shows. Mike’s passion and knowledge helped him begin a career in the sports memorabilia field after high school. He now works as an authenticator and grader of vintage cards with one of the major authentication companies.
As the new millennium arrived, Ballwin’s card shops began to decline with the rise of online shopping, but the hobby remained strong. Local collectors kept the tradition alive through club meetings, frequent card shows around St. Louis, and the launch of online discussion forums dedicated to Cardinals cards. One of the most popular forums, “Vintage Red Birds,” was founded in 2002 by longtime Ballwin resident Tom Wilson as a place for collectors to share information, photos, and discuss the rich history of Cardinals on cardboard. The site still thrives today.
In the 2010s, the baseball card market experienced a resurgence driven by growing nostalgia and new collectors. This has led to a baseball card boom 2.0 of sorts. Ballwin remains at the center of the St. Louis area’s vibrant collecting community. Local residents still cut their teeth at the hobby at the occasional card show. The tradition of collecting and appreciating baseball history on cardboard lives on, kept alive by dedicated fans in Ballwin and around the world. Ballwin’s deep roots in the baseball card hobby dating back over half a century continue shaping and enriching the sport for new generations.
