Baseball cards have a long history in the United States and other baseball-playing nations, but their popularity has spread across the globe in recent decades. While baseball is not one of the major professional or amateur sports in South Africa, baseball cards have still found an audience in the country.
Baseball was first brought to South Africa by American missionaries and traders in the late 19th century. Leagues and competitions began popping up in the early 20th century, especially in port cities that had strong economic and cultural ties to the United States like Cape Town and Durban. The sport never achieved the mainstream popularity and large-scale organization of sports like cricket, rugby, soccer, and others.
Still, small pockets of baseball fandom emerged over the decades. American servicemen stationed in South Africa during World War II helped further expose locals to the game. The end of apartheid in 1994 opened the country up to more global cultural influences as well. This helped introduce baseball cards to the country even though they lacked a major domestic professional league to focus on.
Some of the earliest baseball cards to arrive in South Africa came from wax packs of Topps and Fleer sets in the 1970s and 80s. Enthusiasts would trade and collect these imported American cards much like their counterparts in the US. Local baseball communities would also organize small card shows and meetups. While selections were limited by what fans could obtain from overseas, it helped grow the hobby.
In the modern era of globalization, it’s become much easier for South African fans to get their hands on baseball cards from around the world. Online retail has opened up the international marketplace. Local hobby shops in cities may stock a selection of recent and vintage sets from Topps, Panini, Leaf, and more. Popular players from Major League Baseball, Japanese baseball, and other professional leagues have cards that circulate in South Africa.
Some collectors focus on building complete sets from various years that are available. Others specialize in South African players who have signed professional contracts and appeared on international cards. One such player is Gift Ngoepe, the first Black South African to play in Major League Baseball, who has attracted local collectors. Vintage rookie cards of legends like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and others remain highly sought after as well.
While baseball itself is still more of a niche sport, card collecting has grown as a hobby independent of following the professional game. South African card shows do take place where collectors can buy, sell and trade with one another. Online communities let fans interact, discuss the latest releases, and organize meetups. As in other countries, the affordability and nostalgia of cards appeals to people of all ages and backgrounds.
In recent years, South African publishers have released their own original baseball card sets as well. In 2013, publisher Postcards produced a 144-card set featuring players, managers, and franchise logos from MLB and NPB in Japan. In 2020, another publisher called Barely Legal Cards created a 50-card set focused on South African players who have signed pro contracts overseas or played for the national team. Producing homegrown sets helps fuel local interest.
While baseball itself may never become a mainstream sport in South Africa, baseball cards have still found an appreciative audience. Collecting transcends any single league or country. Through global trade and online communities, fans can enjoy assembling sets and tracking the careers of players from all over the world. With the hobby’s continued growth, baseball cards seem poised to remain popular in South Africa for years to come.
