John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, had a lifelong passion for the game of baseball. As a youth growing up in Massachusetts, JFK played amateur baseball and was a dedicated fan of America’s pastime. His love of the sport followed him throughout his life and presidency. In the early 1960s, around the time of his inauguration, JFK’s popularity combined with his baseball fandom to make him the subject of several unique baseball cards issued outside of the typical yearly card releases by companies like Topps.
The first known Kennedy baseball cards were issued in 1961 by Bell Brand, a small Philadelphia-based candy company. They produced a 22-card set featuring photos of famous people from politics, entertainment and sports. Card #20 in the set featured a portrait photo of JFK along with stats about his birthdate, family, and the offices he had held. Below his photo it read “Baseball Fan – Plays whenever he can”. Only around 500 sets are believed to have been printed by Bell Brand making the JFK card quite scarce for collectors today.
Also in 1961, Hamilton Collectibles out of Canada produced their own 32-card “Famous Firsts” set dedicated entirely to achievement “firsts” in various fields. Card #32 honored JFK as the first Roman Catholic elected President. The simple photo card has survived in only small numbers. That same year, Gum, Inc. of Philadelphia released campaign buttons that could be collected and mounted in albums. One button featured JFK’s image with the caption “Baseball’s #1 Fan in the White House”. While not true baseball cards, these politico-sports items represented early ties between JFK and the national pastime.
In 1962, JFK’s second year as president, two regional Ohio companies tried capitalizing on his baseball fandom by actually making dedicated baseball cards of the Commander-in-Chief. The Richardson Company, known for their candy and trading cards, put out a 20-card set titled “Famous Firsts in Sports”. Card #11 depicted JFK in a suit at his desk with a bat and ball, calling him the “Nations #1 Fan”. Below was text about his love for baseball and role as honorary manager of the 1957 Rhode Island Reds minor league team. A stamp on the back advertised Richardson’s candy. Also that year, Cookie Products of Lima, Ohio designed a 16-card set featuring famous personalities from politics to celebrity. Their JFK baseball card used a headshot with a dotted border and identified him as the “Nations Chief Baseball Fan”. Only about 300-400 sets are believed to have been printed by each of these unique regional issues.
The rarest and most coveted of all JFK baseball cards was released in 1963, his final year in office before his assassination in November. Pacific Trading Cards of Hawthorne, California produced a 24-card “Famous Americans” set featuring icons from the worlds of sports, entertainment, and politics. Their JFK card depicted a smiling color portrait with text below stating he was an avid fan who played whenever possible and was honorary manager of the Rhode Island Reds. On the reverse, it provided general biographical information. Only approximately 100 of these scarce Pacific Trading Card sets are believed to still survive in collectors’ hands today, making the JFK card among the most desirable in the Presidential memorabilia hobby.
In the decades since JFK’s tragic death, numerous companies and entrepreneurs have capitalized on his enduring fame and connection to baseball with commemorative cards, coins, and memorabilia. Dozens of small retro-style 1960s “replica” sets containing a JFK baseball card have been issued over the years. In the late 1980s, IMPEL produced a higher quality 60-card “Presidential Greats of Baseball” set with card #10 honoring the Massachusetts native. Even Topps, Major League Baseball’s longtime card partner, has dabbled in Kennedy cards for niche non-sports products like their “Presidential Greats” and “Famous Firsts” sets.
While not true baseball players, John F. Kennedy’s love of America’s pastime and status as the nation’s “Number One Fan” in the White House cemented his place on some unique vintage baseball cards produced regionally during his presidency in the early 1960s. The few hundred surviving examples make Kennedy cards among the most prized possessions of die-hard collectors today looking to commemorate both sports and politics. His iconic image and connection to baseball will surely keep inspiring new commemorative cards and collectibles for generations of history and sports fans to enjoy.
