The Detroit Tigers are one of the most historic franchises in Major League Baseball. Founded in 1894, the team has won four World Series championships and produced some of the game’s all-time great players. Naturally, many Tigers stars have been featured on baseball cards over the decades.
Some of the earliest Detroit Tigers cards date back to the late 19th century when cigarette companies like Allen & Ginter and Old Judge began inserting cards into their products. The quality was poor. In the early 20th century, more baseball cards emerged but sets were incomplete and production varied greatly. One of the first Tigers to truly break out was Ty Cobb, who dominated from 1905-1926. His prowess helped raise the profile of the franchise.
Cobb’s starring role led to him being one of the most widely distributed players in the early years of modern baseball cards in the 1910s and 1920s. Stars of that era like Sam Crawford and Harry Heilmann also received decent coverage in the basic cardboard releases of the time by companies like American Caramel, T206 and Cracker Jack. Sets were tiny and production wasn’t centralized. The cards were used as marketing tools rather than collected.
In the 1930s, Goudey launched the first major modern set in 1933 that included cards of Tigers like Charlie Gehringer, Mickey Cochrane and Goose Goslin. More cards followed from companies like Play Ball and Leaf as the industry took off. But World War 2 caused card production to cease in 1942-1945. After the war, Bowman and Topps became the dominant forces in the new golden era of baseball cards from 1948-1956.
This period featured the best Tigers coverage to date. Superstars like Hal Newhouser, Virgil Trucks, Schoolboy Rowe and Hank Greenberg were prominent in sets. Greenberg, who hit 58 home runs in 1938, was one of the most iconic power hitters of his time. His cards are still highly sought after by collectors today. Topps in particular ensured that the Tigers stars of the late 40s/early 50s like Newhouser, George Kell and Al Kaline got excellent distribution.
Kaline, known as “Mr. Tiger,” played from 1953 to 1974 and is considered among the greatest right fielders in baseball history. He went on to have an incredible career and his rookie card from 1955 is one of the most valuable cards in the hobby. Other notables like shortstop Harvey Kuenn also received nice cardboard recognition from Topps during Detroit’s surge to prominence in the mid-20s.
In the late 1950s, more competitors like Fleer and Post entered the market. However, Topps retained its monopoly until 1981. This kept many stars like pitchers Jim Bunning and Frank Lary well-represented in sets of this era. The 1960s saw the rise of Denny McLain, who won 31 games in 1968 but had various off-field issues. His cards remain popular too. Topps and Fleer continued delivering cards of the likes of Willie Horton, Bill Freehan and Mickey Lolich during the Tigers’ 1968 World Series championship year.
Into the 1970s, rookie cards emerged of future Hall of Famers like Kaline, Willie Hernandez and Lou Whitaker. But the Tigers endured losing seasons. The late 1970s/early 1980s brought Don Sutton, Lance Parrish, Jack Morris and Alan Trammell to the forefront. This core helped the team become competitive again. The arrival of rookie cards in the early 1980s from manufacturers like Donruss, Fleer and Topps featured future stars like Kirk Gibson and Darrell Evans.
Gibson went on to have an incredible career highlighted by his walk-off home run in the 1988 World Series for the Dodgers. But his early Tigers cards remain popular. The late 1980s saw the debut of Cecil Fielder, who hit 51 home runs in 1990 for the “Bash Brothers.” His rookie card is a highly sought piece from that era. The 1990s featured the emergence of future Hall of Famer Juan Gonzalez and Cy Young winner Bill Gullickson among others in cardboard form.
Into the 21st century, stars like Placido Polanco, Pudge Rodriguez, Magglio Ordonez and Justin Verlander have headlined sets from producers like Upper Deck, Leaf and Topps. Verlander, the 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young winner, has become the modern face of the franchise. His rookie cards remain a hot commodity. More recently, rookie cards of Spencer Turnbull, Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal and Akil Baddoo have surfaced from 2021 Topps products and beyond as the next generation takes shape.
For over 125 years, the Detroit Tigers have entertained fans and produced many unforgettable players. Their baseball cards have memorialized stars, moments, and the evolution of the club for collectors around the world. From the earliest Tobacco cards to the latest digital releases, Tigers cardboard continues to build on a rich tradition and connect fans to the storied past and future of the Olde English D.
