The small town of Caldwell, located about halfway between Austin and Houston in central Texas, has a rich history with baseball cards that spans over 100 years. While Caldwell was never home to a professional baseball team, the town developed a strong local baseball culture that was deeply intertwined with collecting and trading baseball cards.
Some of the earliest baseball cards collected and traded by locals date back to the late 1800s, when cigarette and tobacco companies began inserting illustrated baseball cards into their products. Caldwell’s general store became a popular spot for farmers, shopkeepers, and other residents to gather and socialize. Among other activities, they would frequently engage in baseball card swapping and discussions about the latest players and teams. Having access to these early cards helped foster Caldwell’s passion for America’s pastime.
In the early 1900s, several men from Caldwell went off to fight in World War I. While serving overseas, they would write letters home discussing the baseball season and asking family and friends to send any new cards they acquired. Receiving cards from back home helped provide a sense of normalcy and connection to loved ones for the local soldiers far from Texas. This tradition of exchanging cards continued when more men from Caldwell served in World War II as well.
After the wars, Caldwell began to experience steady growth throughout the mid-20th century as the town expanded from a few hundred residents to over 2,000 by the 1950s. New businesses opened, including drug stores, five and dimes, a movie theater, and specialty shops. Many of these stores became important hubs for the buying and trading of baseball cards as the hobby grew enormously in popularity nationwide following World War II. Teenagers and children flocked to the stores, hoping to find the latest packs to build their collections.
In the 1950s, the annual Little League baseball season in Caldwell became a highly anticipated summer event. Parents, grandparents, and other family members would pack the bleachers at the local ballpark. But nearly as much excitement was generated in the stands by kids swapping and comparing their baseball cards, often making trades to finish off sets or obtain their favorite players. The tradition of combining baseball, family, and cards during Little League carried on strongly for decades.
By the 1960s, card collecting had truly taken off across America with the arrival of Topps and Fleer competing to sign contracts with MLB players and produce glossier, more visually appealing cards. In Caldwell, hobby shops and drug stores struggled to keep cards on shelves to meet demand. Kids would pool their weekly allowances, hoping for that elusive rookie card of a future Hall of Famer. Teenage boys began launching small businesses, traveling to nearby towns on weekends to buy bulk lots of cards to resell at a markup to their collector friends in Caldwell.
In the 1970s, two brothers in Caldwell opened a card and collectibles specialty shop called “Ace’s Cards” that quickly became a mecca for hobbyists across Central Texas. In addition to carrying the latest baseball sets, Ace’s hosted card shows, exhibitions by local artists, and memorabilia auctions that drew hundreds. They also organized the area’s first annual baseball card convention and tournament in 1976 that is still held today. Ace’s helped turn Caldwell into a true hotbed and tourist destination for card collectors and traders.
By the 1980s and 90s, card values had skyrocketed due to scarcity and demand from collectors. Ace’s was doing a booming business buying, selling, and appraising collections. Meanwhile, the local high school started its own baseball card club that became hugely popular. Summer weekend tournaments at the shop and card shows regularly drew over 1,000 attendees. National memorabilia companies even began visiting Caldwell annually to purchase entire collections.
In the 2000s, while the baseball card market experienced ups and downs, Caldwell’s passion remained strong. Multi-generational local families continued passing down their collections, memories, and love of the hobby. Ace’s Cards is still in operation today under new ownership, providing a meeting place for longtime collectors, newcomers, and a new generation discovering the joys and history of baseball cards in their community.
Over 125 years, the small town of Caldwell developed a deep, enduring connection to baseball cards. Through world wars, economic growth, and changes in the hobby itself, collecting and trading cards has been an integral part of the fabric of family and community life in Caldwell, Texas. The town’s history illustrates how local passions can fuel a national phenomenon and create a legacy for generations.
