Baseball Cards in Rapid City: A History of the Hobby in Western South Dakota
Rapid City, South Dakota has a rich history with the hobby of collecting baseball cards that goes back over 60 years. While the city may seem an unlikely hotbed for the baseball card trade, the hobby found fertile ground among the generations of fans in Western South Dakota who have long loved America’s pastime. From the early days of the tobacco card era to the modern sports memorabilia industry, Rapid City has seen its share of dedicated collectors, shops catering to the hobby, and the emergence of local legends in the baseball card world.
The earliest baseball card collectors in Rapid City can trace their interest back to the post-World War II era when the original tobacco cards from companies like Topps, Bowman, and Fleer were widely available in local shops and drug stores. Young boys growing up in the 1950s became enthralled with collecting and trading the cards that featured their favorite players from the Major Leagues. Some of the earliest and most dedicated collectors still reside in Rapid City today, with collections amassed since childhood that include some extremely rare and valuable vintage cards.
As the 1960s arrived, the popularity of collecting baseball cards only continued to grow among Rapid City’s youth. Trading and discussing cards became a daily activity at local schools, and the emergence of specific sets like Topps’ high-number issues of 1961 further fueled interests. By this time, the first shops devoted specifically to the baseball card hobby began to pop up. Ray’s Sporting Goods and the Hobby Shop, both located in downtown Rapid City, were early destinations for collectors to peruse the latest releases, inquire about values, and participate in the bustling trade scene.
The 1970s marked the golden age of baseball cards in Rapid City. Production was at an all-time high, with Topps, Fleer, and the re-emerging Bowman all competing for collectors’ dollars. Sets became more elaborate, featuring multi-colored borders, action photos, and rookie cards of future Hall of Famers. Rapid City saw an explosion of dedicated hobby shops to serve the growing collector base, like Bob’s Sportscards, the Card Collector, and Sports Fanatic. Local card shows also started during this decade, drawing collectors from across Western South Dakota and surrounding states with tables of traders and dealers.
As the 1980s dawned, two major developments occurred that changed the baseball card industry forever but also cemented Rapid City’s place on the hobby map. The first was the skyrocketing values of vintage cards on the burgeoning collector market, with unopened wax packs and individual rare cards selling for thousands. This ushered in the modern era of sports collectibles as an investment. The second development was the arrival of The Trading Card Shop, which opened in 1982 and would become the epicenter of the baseball card scene in Rapid City for decades to come.
Owned and operated by long-time hobbyists Steve and Linda Hauck, The Trading Card Shop was a haven for collectors of all ages and interests. In addition to stocking the latest releases and supplies, the shop became renowned for its vast inventory of vintage cards, unopened wax packs and boxes from earlier decades, and for hosting some of the largest and most acclaimed card shows in the region. Under Steve and Linda’s leadership, The Trading Card Shop helped unearth local collections of extreme value, connect collectors across the country through mail order, and give Rapid City a national reputation in the baseball card world.
The 1990s saw unprecedented growth and a new golden age of collecting, with the arrival of inserts, parallels, autographs, and memorabilia cards driving interest. In Rapid City, The Trading Card Shop expanded to a much larger location to keep up with demand. New shops also opened like The Great American Card Company and Game On to cater to the booming collector base. High school and college students got heavily involved in the hobby during this decade too, attending local shows and fueling the robust trade scene. The ’90s also saw the emergence of Rapid City’s first notable “card legends” – collectors who amassed complete vintage sets, unparalleled memorabilia collections, or made significant collecting contributions.
As the 2000s rolled around, Rapid City’s baseball card scene remained as strong as ever. The shops continued to serve die-hard collectors while also introducing new generations to the hobby. The Trading Card Shop was sold to new owners Don and Jenny Davis in 2005, who have upheld its reputation of being the premier destination. Local card shows also kept growing, such as the annual Rapid City Card Show that draws over 1,000 attendees each year. The advent of the internet also allowed Rapid City collectors to stay connected with the broader hobby and make valuable online trades and purchases. Some of the most extensive collections in the world were assembled right in Western South Dakota during this era.
Today, Rapid City maintains an active baseball card collecting community despite broader economic and social changes within the hobby. While independent card shops have declined nationwide, The Trading Card Shop soldiered on under new management and a dedicated local collector base. The shop has since been sold again to its current owners but the passion for the hobby remains strong. Annual card shows are still a staple on the calendar. Meanwhile, some of the most prized collections and legendary collectors call Rapid City home. With generations of history, the city looks to keep its baseball card tradition alive for many more years to come.
