Baseball cards have been a beloved hobby for collectors for over a century, with people across the United States enjoying the thrill of the hunt to add rare finds to their collections. The city of Pasadena, located just northeast of Los Angeles, has long been a hotbed for baseball card collecting and trading. With its proximity to Los Angeles and history as a popular baseball spring training location, Pasadena developed a vibrant baseball card culture and community.
One of the earliest and most renowned baseball card shops in Pasadena was the Baseball Card Exchange, which opened its doors in the 1970s. Located on Colorado Boulevard in Old Pasadena, the Baseball Card Exchange became a gathering place for locals to buy, sell, and trade cards. Owner Bob Erickson would host large trading card shows and events that drew collectors from across Southern California. His vast inventory and expertise made the Baseball Card Exchange a must-visit destination for anyone seeking rare and valuable vintage cardboard. Although the original store has since closed, the Baseball Card Exchange left an indelible mark on Pasadena’s baseball card scene.
As the hobby boomed in popularity during the late 1980s and 1990s, many new baseball card shops popped up around Pasadena to meet growing demand. Arroyo Sports Cards was another pioneering shop that opened in 1989 and remained a fixture in the city for decades. Located near the border of Pasadena and South Pasadena, Arroyo Sports Cards was renowned for its extensive vintage inventory and for regularly holding large card shows that attracted top traders from around the state. Their knowledgeable staff and welcoming atmosphere made it a favorite haunt for collectors old and new. Arroyo Sports Cards helped foster Pasadena’s tight-knit baseball card community during the sport’s trading card golden era.
In addition to brick-and-mortar shops, baseball card shows also thrived in Pasadena. Some of the largest and most renowned shows in Southern California were regularly held at the Pasadena Convention Center. Events like the National Sports Collectors Convention and Burbank Sports Collectors Show would draw thousands of attendees from across the country. Vendors would set up sprawling rows of tables showcasing their entire inventories, while collectors browsed and made trades. Major card companies like Topps, Fleer, and Donruss would also be in attendance, sometimes unveiling new releases. These mega shows fueled the rabid baseball card market and culture in Pasadena during the late 20th century.
As the internet began reshaping the collecting landscape in the 2000s, some of Pasadena’s beloved brick-and-mortar card shops began closing down. The city’s vibrant baseball card community persisted online. Websites like Pasadena Sports Cards sprang up as go-to online marketplaces for locals to buy, sell, and trade cards via mailing. Facebook groups like “Pasadena Sports Collectors” also formed as popular digital hubs where hundreds of collectors stay connected and facilitate trades. Online auctions on eBay further expanded collecting opportunities for Pasadena residents. Today, while physical shops may be fewer, Pasadena remains deeply immersed in the baseball card hobby through robust online communities.
In addition to diehard collectors, Pasadena is also home to many casual baseball fans who enjoy the thrill of the card pack rip. Stores like Hastings Entertainment and Vintage Stock still sell modern card products that attract families. The rise of autograph signings at card shops and shows has also attracted new collectors, especially those seeking memorabilia from their favorite Dodgers and Angels players. Local card shops like the Pasadena Sports Card Company have thrived by catering to these newer collecting demographics. Their social media presence helps introduce younger generations to the hobby’s history in Pasadena.
On the vintage side, valuable finds from Pasadena’s past are still being uncovered. In recent years, several pristine vintage collections from the city’s mid-20th century “golden age” of collecting have emerged on the market. In 2021, a phenomenal 1954 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card that had been tucked away in a Pasadena attic for decades sold at auction for over $5 million. Remarkably well-preserved vintage sets and stars from Pasadena’s own “card boards” continue to be rediscovered, a testament to the city’s longstanding place in the hobby’s history books. Whether hunting vintage or opening modern packs, the baseball card bug remains deeply rooted in Pasadena.
From the earliest card shops of the 1970s to today’s vibrant online communities, Pasadena has maintained a distinguished culture of baseball card collecting spanning over half a century. The city’s proximity to Los Angeles’ sports scene, warm weather perfect for the pastime, and local card shops and shows helped ignite a passion that still burns bright. Even as the industry changes, Pasadena residents continue to preserve the hobby’s rich history and introduce new generations to the thrill of the cardboard chase. The city’s impact on Southern California’s baseball card scene will surely remain a storied part of the tradition for years to come.
