The history of baseball cards in Jacksonville, Florida dates back to the late 19th century when the hobby first began gaining popularity across America. Some of the earliest baseball cards produced featured players from Jacksonville-based minor league teams that were active in the area during the early days of organized professional baseball.
Jacksonville has a long tradition of minor league baseball dating back to the 1880s. One of the first minor league teams to call Jacksonville home was the Jacksonville Jays, who played from 1884-1889 as part of the Florida State League. While it’s unlikely any baseball cards were produced featuring Jays players from this early era, it set the stage for Jacksonville to have local minor league representation in future seasons that would see cards printed.
In the early 1900s, Jacksonville was home to teams playing in lower minor leagues such as the Florida State League, Georgia-Florida League, and others. During this time, regionally-produced sets from companies like Allen & Ginter and tobacco cards from brands like T206 began featuring players plying their trade in these lower-level circuits. As a result, some of the earliest baseball cards to feature Jacksonville-affiliated players began appearing in sets from this era.
One of the most notable early Jacksonville-connected players to appear in baseball cards was Elmer Smith, who played for the Jacksonville Jays of the Florida State League in 1905 before going on to have a long MLB career. Smith is featured in tobacco issues like 1909-1911 M101-1 Old Mill as well as 1911 and 1912 Turkey Red Cabinets during his time in the big leagues. His affiliation with Jacksonville helped connect the city to the growing baseball card collecting phenomenon.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Jacksonville was home to teams in higher-level minor leagues like the Southern Association and the South Atlantic League. As a result, sets from the 1930s onward began regularly including Jacksonville players. Stars from this era like Jacksonville Tars outfielder Johnny Rizzo who hit over .300 multiple times in the 1930s and 1940s appear in Goudey and Play Ball issues from the period.
During World War 2, travel restrictions led to the formation of the Georgia-Florida League, with Jacksonville hosting the Jacksonville Tars once more. Future MLB all-stars like Earl Averill, who spent 1945 with the Tars, appeared in sets from that time like Play Ball and Leaf. These distributions helped keep the connection between Jacksonville and baseball cards alive through the war years.
In the post-war 1950s, Jacksonville was home to teams in the South Atlantic and International Leagues, with stars like future Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda playing for the Jacksonville Suns in 1950. Lasorda is featured that year in Bowman as well as 1953 Topps while with Montreal. Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson also spent 1956 with the Suns early in his career before making his MLB debut, appearing in 1956 Topps.
Topps continued to include Jacksonville Suns players regularly in their annual sets throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Local minor league stars like infielder Don Zimmer, who played for the Suns in 1954 before a long MLB career, helped bring attention to baseball in Jacksonville each season a new set was released.
In the 1970s, the Suns continued on in the International League with future big leaguers like Joe Charboneau playing in Jacksonville before breaking out. Charboneau’s stellar 1975 season with the Suns led to him being named IL MVP and featured prominently in the 1976 Topps set as one of baseball’s top rookie prospects.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Jacksonville’s minor league team switched between the Double-A and Triple-A levels, with future MLB all-stars like David Justice, Gary Sheffield, and Jason Varitek all suiting up for Jacksonville teams before reaching the majors. Their rookie cards in sets from Bowman, Score, and others helped sustain interest in Jacksonville baseball through card collecting.
In the 2000s and 2010s, Jacksonville has been home to the Double-A Jacksonville Suns, affiliates of the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies in the Southern League. Future major leaguers like Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Nola, and Alec Bohm all played for Jacksonville, with their rookie cards remaining popular with collectors today.
Throughout its history, baseball cards have helped connect Jacksonville to the national pastime by commemorating and celebrating the local players who represented the city’s minor league teams. From Elmer Smith in the early 20th century to Giancarlo Stanton in the 21st, cards featuring Jacksonville players have been part of telling the story of baseball in North Florida for over 130 years. Today, Jacksonville has a dedicated community of card collectors preserving that history for future generations to learn about.
