Baseball cards have been a beloved hobby for collectors of all ages for over a century. In the small desert city of Yuma, Arizona, located in the extreme southwestern corner of the state near the borders of California and Mexico, baseball card collecting remains a popular pastime. With a rich history in the sport and proximity to spring training sites, Yuma has developed a vibrant baseball card culture of its own.
Yuma’s connection to baseball dates back to the early 1900s when minor league teams began playing in the city. The Yuma Indians were members of the Arizona State League from 1922-1924 before it disbanded. In later decades, Yuma was home to teams in the Arizona–Mexico League and the Class A California League, most recently the Yuma Scorpions which played from 1988-1990. While the minor league teams are no more, Yuma continues supporting baseball through American Legion and high school programs as well as being a frequent host for youth tournaments.
Being located in the sunny desert along the Colorado River, Yuma’s warm winter climate made it an ideal place for major league teams to hold spring training starting in the 1950s. The Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers spent 14 seasons in Yuma from 1948-1961 and drew thousands of fans annually to their camp. Other teams like the San Diego Padres, Chicago White Sox, and Seattle Mariners have all held spring training in Yuma over the decades. Today, the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds use the Rocky Gray Baseball Complex and Clover Field respectively for their spring workouts, keeping the city intertwined with professional baseball.
Naturally, with such a long history in the sport and proximity to major league teams during spring, baseball card collecting took root in Yuma from a very early date. Some of the first card shops and conventions began popping up in the 1970s as the hobby started booming nationwide. Pioneer collectibles stores like The Baseball Card Shop and Sports Fan opened their doors and helped fuel the growing local scene. These shops stocked the newest wax packs, boxes, and sets for kids to rip and also bought, sold, and traded individual cards to serve collectors of all ages.
By the 1980s and 90s, Yuma had developed into a true baseball card hotbed with numerous specialty shops and a dedicated collector base. Stores like The Sports Card Shop, Sports Cards Plus, and The Card Shop were fixtures in the community and popular gathering spots for local card geeks. They hosted frequent trade nights, set release parties, autograph signings from former Dodgers and Padres, and even the occasional road show appearance from star players. Major conventions also started coming to Yuma annually, further cementing its status as a southwestern card mecca.
One of the largest and longest running conventions is the Yuma Sports Card, Comic Book & Toy Show held each February. Now in its fourth decade, the show draws hundreds of vendors and thousands of attendees from across the southwest over a full weekend. Collectors can browse tables upon tables of vintage and modern cards, comics, memorabilia, and more while meeting with dealers. Autograph sessions with former big leaguers are a big attraction as well. Other notable past shows include the Spring Training Card Show in March and the Desert Classic in November, appealing to the snowbird collector population.
While the internet age has curbed physical card shop business to a degree, Yuma remains a bastion for paper card collectors thanks to its vibrant local scene. Multigenerational families continue the tradition and new collectors are born every year. Staple shops like The Baseball Card Outlet and Sports Cards Etc. still thrive by hosting events, runs, group breaks, and serving as community hubs. The annual conventions are going strong as ever. Yuma’s close-knit card collecting fraternity is a testament to the enduring appeal and nostalgia of the paper card hobby, fostered by the city’s deep baseball roots over many decades in the desert. Whether hunting for vintage Dodgers at a local shop or scoping a show for a signature, Yuma ensures baseball cards will always have a home in the southwest.
