The history of baseball cards in Dothan, Alabama spans over 100 years, dating back to the earliest baseball cards produced in the late 1800s. Some of the earliest documented baseball card collectors in Dothan started amassing cards in the early 1900s, as baseball grew into America’s pastime and cards became more widely available and affordable.
One of the first major baseball card manufacturers was the American Tobacco Company, which started including cards in cigarette packs and other tobacco products beginning in the 1880s. These early tobacco era cards from brands like Allen & Ginter, Old Judge, and Sweet Caporal made their way to Dothan as the tobacco industry boomed in Alabama in the late 19th/early 20th century. Many of the first serious baseball card collectors in Dothan started by accumulating these vintage tobacco cards from the 1880s-1890s depicting stars from the early professional baseball era like Cy Young, Cap Anson, and Kid Nichols.
In the early 20th century, Dothan was still a relatively small town but the love of baseball was growing rapidly. The minor league Dothan Browns began play in 1906 and helped fuel local interest in the sport. More baseball cards continued to proliferate nationwide through the 1910s and 1920s as new manufacturers like American Caramel joined the tobacco companies in including cards in their products. Sets from this era like T206 and T205 are some of the most iconic and valuable in hobby history. Many Dothan collectors from this period amassed substantial holdings of these vintage cards, passing collections down through generations.
The 1930s brought the dawn of the modern baseball card era. Goudey Gum Company released highly collectible and visually appealing sets in 1933 and 1934 that included the first photos of players on cards. Dothan’s card collectors eagerly sought out these sets at local drug stores and candy shops that stocked the gum. In the late 1930s, Bowman Gum entered the baseball card market and its sets from 1949-1955 are considered some of the most historically significant in the hobby. Many Dothan collectors cite building complete sets of 1930s-1950s Bowman and Goudey cards as highlights in their collecting careers.
Topps took over the baseball card market in the post-war 1950s with its innovative design and aggressive distribution model. The 1956 Topps set, often called the most iconic in hobby history, captured the attention of Dothan collectors of all ages. Stores in Dothan sold out of Topps packs quickly each year as the local collecting community grew. Many lifelong friendships were forged among Dothan collectors through trading and discussing players and sets during this boom period for the hobby in the 1950s-1960s.
The 1970s saw the rise of many regional hobby shops and card shows that helped fuel the growth of collecting nationwide, including in Dothan. Stores like Dugan’s Sportscards and The Card Shop kept Dothan collectors well-stocked with new releases while also serving as important community gathering spots. Dothan hosted its first large card show in 1974 which attracted collectors from all over Alabama and surrounding states. This helped raise the profile of baseball cards in the Wiregrass region and connected local collectors with the broader national hobby scene.
In the 1980s, the arrival of high-gloss photography on cards and an increase in specialty parallel and insert sets captured the imagination of Dothan collectors. The first sports memorabilia and autograph signings also started coming to Dothan card shows in this decade. The increased rarity and speculation in the hobby during the late 1980s boom brought unprecedented media attention and prices for vintage cards. Many long-time Dothan collectors saw their collections appreciate greatly in value. The overproduction of cards in the early 1990s led to a crash that winnowed out some investors but left the core Dothan collecting community intact.
Through the 1990s-2010s, Dothan’s local card shops adapted to increased online competition but still served as important social hubs. Shows continued to be major annual events. The rise of grading services in the 2000s added another layer of collecting for Dothan enthusiasts pursuing pristine vintage specimens. Today, Dothan boasts one of the largest regularly active baseball card collecting communities in Alabama, spanning all ages and generations with a deep love and appreciation for the rich history of the hobby. Vintage Dothan collections containing pre-war tobacco cards and early Goudey and Bowman sets are considered among the most historically significant in the Southeast. The legacy of baseball card collecting and its devoted local community in Dothan looks set to continue flourishing for decades to come.
