The Myrtle Beach Blue Jays were a minor league baseball team based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina that existed from 1956 to 1991. During their over 30 years in existence, the team issued baseball cards to promote themselves and individual players. These vintage minor league baseball cards depicting Myrtle Beach Blue Jays players have developed a following among collectors in recent decades.
The Blue Jays initially started as the Myrtle Beach Dodgers when they began play in the class-D South Atlantic League in 1956 as a farm team of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers major league franchise. In their early years, it’s unknown if the team issued any formal baseball cards of their players. It’s very possible some informal promo cards may have been distributed locally at the ballpark to drum up interest.
The first confirmed set of Blue Jays baseball cards came in 1963 when the Topps company produced a set of 85 cards highlighting players on the team, which was by then affiliated with the Minnesota Twins organization after the Dodgers moved west. These classic 1963 Topps Myrtle Beach Blue Jays cards featured a green and white color scheme and included future big leaguers like pitcher Dave Boswell on the front, with career stats and bios on the rear.
In the late 1960s and 1970s, the Ball Park brand issued multi-team sets that often included a handful of Myrtle Beach players mixed in. The Blue Jays didn’t receive their own exclusive card issues again until 1982 when Topps produced a 68 card commercial set that was solely dedicated to the city’s minor league club. Featuring future MLB all-stars like Gary Gaetti and Frank Viola, these 1982 Topps Myrtle Beach Blue Jays cards have become highly collectible in the years since.
Another premium multi-page card issue spotlighting the Blue Jays club came in 1984 from ProCards, Inc. Highlighting that season’s squad in colorful team photo cards with additional career stats on the reverse, the 1984 ProCards Myrtle Beach Blue Jays set contained 36 total cards and provided extensive bios not found on typical baseball cards of the era. Featuring future MLB all-stars like Hubie Brooks on the roster, these ProCards sets are especially coveted by vintage minor league card fans and collectors.
In 1986 and 1987, the Topps company returned to producing exclusive card sets solely focused on the Myrtle Beach Blue Jays as they had in 1963 and 1982. The 1986 70 card release featured future MLB all-star players like John Burkett on the roster along with extensive player stats and season recaps on the back. The very similar 1987 73 card Topps Myrtle Beach Blue Jays issue highlighted that year’s squad which included Juan Samuel and Benito Santiago who both went on to have productive big league careers.
During the late 1980s, the Bowman Gum company also issued some Myrtle Beach Blue Jays cards mixed in with their generic minor league sets from that era. These tend to be less coveted and hold less value today compared to the dedicated exclusive sets produced by Topps and ProCards during the team’s heyday.
The Blue Jays remained a staple of the South Atlantic League through 1991 before relocating to become the Charlotte Knights the following season. No new baseball card issues were produced highlighting the final Myrtle Beach roster in the early 1990s. The vintage 1963, 1982, 1986, and 1987 Topps card sets as well as the premium 1984 ProCards set remain very popular with both Myrtle Beach and minor league card collectors today due to the star power and prospect pedigree featured on many of the rosters through the years.
Prices for the classic 1963 Topps and 1982, 1986, 1987 Topps Myrtle Beach Blue Jays sets have steadily increased on the secondary market in recent years as fewer examples survive in top graded condition. The 1984 ProCards issue also commonly fetches over $100 USD per card for high grade specimens due to the flashy multi-page design and immense statistical data presented on each player write-up. While condition is still key, these retired vintage minor league issues are highly sought after by collectors specializing in that niche area of the hobby.
The Myrtle Beach Blue Jays baseball cards produced between 1963-1987 by Topps, ProCards and others serve as an excellent monetary and historical record of the franchise’s over 30 years in existence. Featuring many future MLB stars and prospects along the way, these retired minor league issues are a must for any dedicated collector looking to build a complete baseball card collection highlighting the history of the sport at all levels.
