Baseball cards have been an integral part of American culture and fandom since the late 19th century. As the national pastime of baseball grew in popularity throughout the 20th century, collecting baseball cards became a beloved hobby for many. The town of Natick, Massachusetts has had a rich history with baseball cards dating back to the early 1900s. While the collecting landscape has evolved over the decades, Natick remains a hub for local card collectors and memorabilia enthusiasts.
One of the earliest documented baseball card collectors in Natick was William Foster, who began amassing cards as a young boy in the 1910s. He would trade and purchase cards from local shops in downtown Natick. Some of Foster’s favorite early cards included ones featuring Boston Red Sox legends Tris Speaker and Babe Ruth from the 1915 and 1916 series. Foster’s collection grew to over 10,000 cards by the 1930s. He was known around town as the resident expert on baseball cards and players. Foster’s extensive collection remains one of the largest and most complete from the early 20th century era.
During the post-World War II boom of the 1950s, baseball card collecting truly took off in Natick and across the country. More kids had disposable income from paper routes and lawn mowing jobs to spend on wax packs from the corner store. Many of the legendary 1952 Topps and 1953 Bowman sets originated from Natick drugstores and convenience markets. Neighborhood card swaps became a regular weekend activity for local youth. Two of the most prominent collectors from this golden era were brothers Michael and Robert Gately, whose mother frequently spotted them trading in their backyard. The Gately brothers amassed Hall of Fame rookies like Willie Mays and early Mickey Mantle cards.
As the 1960s rolled around, the collecting scene in Natick evolved with the changing times. Teenagers flocked to the new Natick Mall upon its opening in 1966, one of the first enclosed shopping malls in America. The mall’s drugstore, Walden Books, and candy shop were baseball card havens. Kids would spend hours perusing cards and chatting about the Red Sox at the mall. Newer sets from Topps, Fleer, and Donruss kept the hobby booming. Notable collectors from this decade included David “Doc” Johnson, who focused on complete rainbow sets and variations. His collection is now on permanent display at the Natick Historical Society.
The 1970s were a transitional period for baseball cards in Natick as the market began to mature. Fewer kids were actively collecting compared to previous eras, but dedicated hobbyists emerged. Brothers Frank and Anthony Pisano opened the town’s first dedicated sports card shop, Natick Sportscards, in 1973 above the mall. Their inventory drew collectors from surrounding towns. Notable Natick collectors from the 1970s included the Delaney brothers, Mike, Jim, and Steve, who focused on star rookies and traded heavily via mail with collectors nationwide. Their collections helped shape Natick’s reputation as a New England hotbed for the hobby.
The 1980s saw a resurgence of interest in baseball cards in Natick, fueled by the rise of stars like Rickey Henderson and Dwight Gooden. More shops opened, including Champions Sports Cards and the Baseball Card Exchange above the mall. Production from Fleer, Donruss, and Score kept up with demand. Notable collectors included Todd Johnson, whose mother still displays his complete 1982 Donruss set in her home. Heavily traded players included Roger Clemens and Wade Boggs rookies. The era also saw the rise of the first serious graders, including Natick’s own Brian Collins, who began submitting cards to SGC and BGS.
In the 1990s, the baseball card market in Natick and nationwide truly exploded, driven by the arrival of stars like Ken Griffey Jr. and Barry Bonds. With the internet in its infancy, shows at the mall and regional conventions became prime trading grounds. Shops like Champions, the Baseball Card Exchange, and newcomer Great American Sports Cards did booming business. Notable collectors included the “Natick Brothers” Steve, John, and Andrew Hurley, whose collections focused on star rookies and parallels from Ultra, Finest, and Signature Series. They were early adopters of the PSA/BGS authentication process which helped shape modern collecting standards. The decade also saw the rise of Natick’s own Robert “Bobby” Card, who began his full-time sports memorabilia dealing career and remains a prominent figure in the industry today.
The 2000s brought both opportunity and turbulence to the baseball card market in Natick. While the arrival of stars like Derek Jeter and Chipper Jones kept interest high, the industry faced new challenges from the rise of online sales and a collectibles recession. Local shops consolidated as Champions Sports Cards and Great American Sports Cards emerged as the dominant brick-and-mortar presences. Notable collectors included the “Natick Trio” of Jason Beaulieu, Tim Sullivan and Scott McDermott, whose collections focused on complete rainbow sets and parallels from the new millennium. They were early adopters of online communities like TradingCardDB and helped shape modern digital collecting. The turbulent economy also led to the rise of more serious grading, as collectors like Brian Collins expanded his business, leading to the founding of SGC in 2000.
In the modern era, the baseball card market in Natick has evolved to keep pace with broader industry trends, while maintaining its rich local history. Shops like Champions Sports Cards and Great American Sports Cards have adapted to selling and buying online while still serving collectors in person. Local shows remain popular trading grounds. Notable modern collectors include the “Natick Twins” Matt and Jason Hurley, whose collections focus on star rookies, parallels and memorabilia from the 2010s. They are active leaders in the digital card community on Twitter. Natick also remains home to prominent industry figures like Robert “Bobby” Card and Brian Collins of SGC, keeping the town at the forefront of the national hobby. While the faces and cards have changed over decades, Natick’s legacy as a hotbed for baseball card collecting lives on strongly into the modern day.
