Baseball cards have a long history in Washington D.C., dating back to the late 1800s when the earliest tobacco cards started featuring players from D.C.-based teams. While D.C. has never had its own Major League Baseball franchise, the city was home to several notable minor and Negro league teams over the decades that appeared on vintage baseball cards. D.C. has also had a significant role in the broader story of baseball cards in America.
Some of the earliest tobacco cards from the late 1800s featured players and teams based in Washington. In 1886-1887, several cards were issued by cigarette manufacturers featuring players from the Washington Nationals, one of the first professional baseball teams in D.C. In 1887, the American Tobacco Company issued cards highlighting stars of the National League, including a card for Washington Nationals pitcher Mickey Welch.
In the early 1900s, D.C. was home to the Federal League’s Washington Senators franchise from 1914-1915. The Senators were one of the founding franchises of the short-lived third major league, the Federal League, which directly competed with the American and National Leagues. Numerous baseball cards were produced during this era highlighting Federal League players, including many featuring Senators stars like Walter Johnson and Josh Devore. While the Federal League folded after two seasons, these early 20th century cards helped grow the popularity of baseball card collecting in the D.C. area.
From 1905-1960, D.C. was also the home of the Homestead Grays, one of the most successful and iconic franchises in Negro league history. The Grays dominated the Negro National League for decades and featured some of the best African American baseball players before integration. Dozens of vintage baseball cards were issued in the 1930s-1950s highlighting Grays stars like Josh Gibson, Buck O’Neil, and Cool Papa Bell. For many Black baseball fans in D.C. and beyond during the era of segregation, these Grays cards were some of the only ways to collect and appreciate the achievements of Black baseball heroes.
In 1933, Goudey Gum Company issued a famous set that included the only baseball card ever produced of Negro leagues legend Josh Gibson, considered one of the greatest hitters of all time. Gibson spent nearly his entire career with the Homestead Grays in D.C., so this iconic 1933 Goudey card had a special significance to baseball fans in Washington. Gibson’s card in particular became a highly sought-after and valuable piece of sports collectibles related to D.C.’s rich baseball history.
When the modern Major League Baseball franchise the Washington Senators moved to Minnesota after the 1960 season, it created an opening for a new team in D.C. In 2005, the Montreal Expos relocated to D.C. to become the current Washington Nationals. Since their inception, the Nationals have produced many stars who have been featured prominently in modern baseball card sets. National favorites like Ryan Zimmerman, Stephen Strasburg, Juan Soto, and others have kept D.C. well-represented in the baseball card world from the 2000s to today.
Nationals Park in Southeast D.C. has also become a popular venue for major baseball card signings and conventions. Shows like National Sports Collectors Convention have been hosted at the ballpark in recent years, bringing thousands of collectors together under one roof to buy, sell, and trade cards including many highlighting D.C. baseball history. The success of the modern Nationals has also helped spark a revival in demand for vintage cards from D.C.’s earlier baseball teams as a new generation of local fans seeks to learn about the city’s baseball past.
While D.C. has never had longevity with a single Major League Baseball team, the city’s rich history in minor and Negro league baseball as well as the arrival of the Nationals has ensured it has remained well-represented in the world of baseball cards for over 135 years. From some of the earliest tobacco cards to modern rookies, D.C.’s baseball players, teams, and ballparks have continued to be prominent subjects for collectors worldwide throughout the evolution of the baseball card industry. For local fans and historians, cards provide an important connection to D.C.’s long tradition in America’s pastime.
