Glenn Borgmann had a brief yet successful career in Major League Baseball as a pitcher, playing for the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs between 1942 and 1950. Though he played for just nine seasons, Borgmann made his mark both on the field as a reliable starting pitcher and in the memorabilia world through the baseball cards featuring his likeness that are still popular collectibles today.
Borgmann was born in Milwaukee in 1919 and started his professional baseball career in the low minor leagues in 1938 after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He quickly developed as a pitcher, working his way up through the minor league system of the Cardinals. Borgmann made his MLB debut with St. Louis in 1942 at the age of 23.
Over the next several seasons with the Cardinals, Borgmann established himself as a quality starting pitcher. In 1944, he enjoyed his statistically best season, going 18-9 with a 2.90 ERA over 232.1 innings pitched across 31 starts. That year, Borgmann finished 10th in National League MVP voting. His strong and consistent performances through the mid-1940s helped keep the Cardinals competitive despite World War II depleting much of the talent in baseball at the time.
It was during Borgmann’s years with the Cardinals that the most sought-after and famous of his baseball cards were released. In 1942, 1943, 1944 and 1945, Borgmann appeared in the classic cardboard issues produced by Bowman Gum and Topps. These early 1940s cards featured simple yet elegant baseball iconography and player photography or illustrations. Borgmann’s cards from this era, especially the 1944 PSA 8 Gem Mint example, regularly sell at auction today for thousands of dollars owing to their scarcity and the pitcher’s prominence during vintage baseball card production.
In December 1946, after five years with St. Louis, Borgmann was shockingly traded away to the Cubs in a deal that sent eight Cardinals to Chicago in exchange. This massive trade signaled the Cardinals’ desire to rebuild their roster after a few down seasons post-World War II. With the Cubs, Borgmann continued pitching effectively if not quite reaching the same success levels as in St. Louis. He appeared in 25 or more games for Chicago each year from 1947 to 1949.
Borgmann’s final baseball card was released in 1950, his last MLB season, by Bowman. This card featured a photo of him from his days as a Cardinal. He spent that year splitting time between the Cubs and their minor league affiliates as his career wound down. Borgmann’s last major league appearance came on August 19, 1950, when he tossed two scoreless innings of relief against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He officially retired after the 1950 season at the age of 31.
In retirement, Borgmann returned to his home state of Wisconsin, living much of the rest of his life in Madison. Even after leaving baseball behind, the hobby and collecting remained a passion. Borgmann regularly corresponded with fans and maintained involvement in various memorabilia circles. He occasionally conducted memorabilia signing shows well into his later years to meet collectors and sign items from his playing days.
Borgmann’s continued participation helped keep interest alive in his cards from the 1940s and 1950s. Any card signed by the former major leaguer himself inevitably increased tremendously in value. Today, Borgmann original signed autograph examples of his Bowman and Topps cards are true rarities eagerly sought by dedicated vintage baseball memorabilia investors. Simply owning a card signed by the ballplayer it depicts is a unique thrill for collectors.
Sadly, Glenn Borgmann passed away in Madison on March 3, 1996 at the age of 76. His legacy endures not just through his respectable major league pitching career but in the collectible cards that symbolize his place in baseball history. Cards from Borgmann’s time with the Cardinals in the mid-1940s are especially prized by vintage set builders and high-end vintage baseball investors. Given the pitcher’s popularity during baseball card’s early boom period combined with the simple yet elegant design aesthetics of that vintage era, his 1944 PSA 8 Bowman card in particular maintains a strong following and niche demand.
While more than half a century has passed since Borgmann last stepped onto a major league mound, his collectible cards keep his memory alive for a whole new generation of baseball fans. The popularity of his vintage cardboard only seems to grow with each passing year. And as online auction sites and major memorabilia conventions foster more accessibility and intrigue in collecting, Borgmann’s story and trading cards will certainly continue garnering new interest amongst sports nostalgia connoisseurs. His place in both Cardinals and Cubs franchises’ histories is commemorated through the cards that were created when he was an active big leaguer – tangible links to another era of America’s favorite pastime.
