Bowman is a brand of baseball cards produced by Topps. It is one of the longest running brands of baseball cards, having been produced continuously since 1948. Over the decades, Bowman cards have featured some of the game’s greatest players and have become highly collectible.
The Bowman Gum Company began producing baseball cards in 1948 as a promotion for their chewing gum. The cards featured current major and minor league players. Early Bowman sets featured simple design and photography. They gained popularity among collectors for being the first cards to regularly feature minor leaguers who would later make the majors. Notable rookie cards from the 1950s Bowman sets include Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente.
In 1956, Topps bought out Bowman Gum and acquired the rights to their baseball card line. Topps continued producing the Bowman brand alongside their main Topps line for several decades. The design and photography of Bowman cards remained distinct from Topps during this period. Notable rookie cards from the 1960s Bowman sets include Sandy Koufax, Reggie Jackson, and Tom Seaver.
In 1981, Topps made the Bowman set the exclusive outlet for rookie card issues. Prior to this, rookies would appear in both the Topps and Bowman sets in their first year. Housing all the rookies in Bowman made the set highly coveted by collectors. Notable rookie cards debuting in Bowman during the 1980s include Dwight Gooden, Roger Clemens, and Barry Bonds.
During the baseball card boom of the late 1980s, Bowman expanded into multiple series within a given year for the first time. In 1989, they produced the platinum-colored Bowman’s Best subset which featured high-profile stars. Bowman also issued mini-sized cards and oddball parallel sets during this period to boost sales. The baseball card market crashed in the early 1990s which led to Topps scaling back production.
After a few down years, Bowman was relaunched in 1994 with a fresh look inspired by the uniforms of the Montreal Expos. The brand was revitalized in 1995 with the “Bowman Chrome” refractors parallel set which featured holograms and vivid color. These innovative cards helped drive Bowman to new popularity. Notable rookie cards from 1990s Bowman issues include Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones, and Mariano Rivera.
In 2000, Topps lost the MLB license to produce cards to Upper Deck. As a result, Bowman transitioned to solely featuring minor leaguers and prospects for several years. The focus on minor league content helped keep the brand relevant during this transition period. In 2007, Topps regained the MLB license and Bowman returned to issuing major and minor league stars.
Modern Bowman issues are among the highest regarded in the hobby. They continue to be the exclusive outlet for true rookie cards fresh from a players’ first major or minor league season. Each year, Bowman releases highly anticipated base sets, parallels, autographs and memorabilia cards featuring top prospects. Notable recent rookie cards debuting in Bowman include Bryce Harper, Mookie Betts, Juan Soto and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
As one of the longest running brands in the industry, Bowman has maintained a special place in the hearts of collectors for over 70 years. The early issues established a legacy of featuring future Hall of Famers in their formative years. Innovations like Bowman Chrome refractor parallel sets in the 1990s helped drive new collector interest. Today, Bowman remains the pinnacle release for any prospect on the verge of stardom to have their rookie card debut. With exclusive access to rookie content and an eye for star prospects, Bowman continues captivating collectors with each new release.
