Baseball cards have been collected by fans for over 130 years and have deep roots in Huntsville, Texas. Some of the earliest baseball cards produced in the late 1880s featured players from minor leagues located right in Huntsville. While the city is now best known as the home of Sam Houston State University and the Huntsville Unit prison, its history with America’s pastime and collecting baseball cards stretches back over a century.
One of the first sets of baseball cards produced commercially was the 1887-1890 Goodwin Champions set which included players from minor leagues all across America, including the Texas League that was based in Huntsville at the time. Names of players on those early cards like Bill Lange, Jack Chapman, and Ed Knouff would have been familiar to local baseball fans in Huntsville as they suited up for Texas League teams that played in the city.
Throughout the 1890s and into the early 20th century, Huntsville was home to various minor league franchises that participated in different lower classification circuits like the Texas-Southern League or Lone Star League. Players for those Huntsville teams occasionally received individual baseball cards in regional tobacco brands or candy sets of the time that were popular in Texas. Some of the earliest examples that featured Huntsville players can now fetch thousands of dollars at auction given their great rarity and historical significance.
Huntsville’s last minor league team prior to World War 2 was the Huntsville Hawks who played in the East Texas League from 1936-1941. Stars of that team like outfielder Wally Moses and pitcher Ray Shore had cards included in sets from that era like 1939 Goudey and 1940 Play Ball. Those Huntsville Hawks cards remain highly collectible today among both vintage baseball card aficionados and locals with a connection to the city’s baseball heritage.
In the post-war era after WWII, Huntsville was without a professional baseball team for many years. The hobby of collecting trading cards exploded in popularity across America in the 1950s. Kids in Huntsville eagerly sought out the newest baseball cards just like their peers elsewhere, snapping up packs of Topps, Bowman, and others featuring all-time greats like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron.
Stores in Huntsville sold baseball cards throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Places like Wilson’s Drug Store downtown and Rusty’s Five & Dime were reliable spots for kids to pick up the newest series to build and trade their collections. The heyday of the baseball card boom in the post-war period is still fondly remembered today by many lifelong Huntsville residents who recall the joy and camaraderie of swapping duplicates with friends at school.
In the 1970s, interest in baseball cards remained strong in Huntsville. Teenagers and young adults could often be found poring over their collections at places like the local Sonic or checking out the latest releases at Huntsville News on 11th Street. Expos, Astros, and Rangers cards were especially prized by collectors with ties to Texas teams. The rise of specialty card shops also took root, with places like Bob’s Baseball Cards and Great American Card Shop catering to the growing hobby.
Through the 1980s and 1990s, baseball card collecting in Huntsville stayed vibrant despite the rise of video games and digital entertainment. Iconic stars of the era like Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, and Ken Griffey Jr. had cards that were endlessly sorted, traded, and displayed in bedrooms throughout the city. The boom years of the late 80s/early 90s saw lines out the door of local shops on new release days as the modern trading card industry exploded with investors.
Today, baseball card collecting remains a beloved pastime for many in Huntsville, young and old. While the professional minor league scene is no more, local card shops like Astro Cards on 11th Street keep the hobby alive with the latest Topps, Panini, and Bowman releases as well as vintage repacks. Huntsville also plays host to annual baseball card shows that draw collectors from across Texas looking to buy, sell, and trade. Generations of families have formed bonds over their baseball card collections, carrying on a cherished tradition that first took root in Huntsville over 130 years ago. The history of baseball cards in the city remains inextricably tied to both its sporting past and the evolving American pop culture phenomenon they represent.
