Introduction to Sportflics Baseball Cards
Sportflics were a pioneering brand of baseball trading cards produced between 1963 and 1972 by Fas-Pack Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio. While they never achieved the same popularity and recognition as Topps or Bowman, Sportflics cards broke new ground by featuring full color action photographs on their fronts at a time when most competitors still used simpler illustrations. Their innovative design made them popular with collectors in the 1960s and their colorful, candid action shots provide a unique window into the era.
Origins and Early Years
Prior to Sportflics, the dominant baseball card manufacturers Topps and Bowman still used engraved illustrations on their card fronts rather than color photos. In 1963, executives at Fas-Pack Corporation saw an opportunity to differentiate their new Sportflics brand by switching to full color action photos, a rarity at the time. Their inaugural 1963 set featured cards of all current major league players with colorful snapshots displaying them in action poses. The cards were an instant hit with young collectors captivated by the photorealism compared to competitors’ simpler designs.
Keeping up with advances in printing technology, Sportflics worked to improve photo quality with each new set. They also added innovative features like statistics on the back, coaches/managers subsets, and highlighted rookies that became standard across the industry. Though smaller than Topps, Sportflics managed to sign licensing deals with several major league teams to use their logos and images. This helped expand the brand’s consumer reach in the 1960s.
Golden Age and Line Expansion
The late 1960s represented the peak popularity years for Sportflics cards as the brand capitalized on America’s national pastime fervor. Their 1968 and 1969 sets in particular are considered classics by collectors, renowned for dazzling full-bleed action shots on colorful cardstock. Behind-the-scenes candids spotlighted player interactions rarely seen elsewhere.
Seeking to broaden their audience, Sportflics debuted the “Sports Greats” and “Sports Records” sets in 1968-1969 highlighting prestigious athletes from other sports. Examples included Muhammad Ali, Pele, and Johnny Unitas cards. They also produced subsets focused on the Negro Leagues and Latin American baseball to reach growing multicultural fan bases.
In 1970, Sportflics introduced sets devoted solely to Negro League legends like Josh Gibson and Cool Papa Bell, preserving their legacy for future generations. Around this time, they also launched non-sports themed sets like “Entertainment Greats” spotlighting Hollywood icons. This diversification helped Sportflics gain market share and recruit new collectors beyond just baseball card aficionados.
Later Years and Decline
While still releasing full sets for the majors through 1972, the Sportflics brand began facing challenges late in the decade. Skyrocketing player salaries and licensing fees squeezed profit margins. Meanwhile Topps had consolidated its dominance, controlling over 95% of the baseball card market.
Sportflics’ 1973 set was their last involving current MLB players before the brand pivoted entirely to nostalgia themes. Sets honoring Negro Leagues stars and deadball era greats followed but lacked mass appeal among younger collectors. Production values and photo quality also declined from Sportflics’ 1960s heyday.
Fas-Pack Corporation folded in 1978 after over a decade of Sportflics sets. While short-lived compared to giants like Topps, Sportflics left an indelible mark by popularizing full color action photos at a pivotal time. Today their innovative 1960s designs remain highly coveted by enthusiasts and highlight a tremendous period of growth for the entire baseball card industry.
Legacy and collectability
Though out of production for decades, Sportflics cards retain a strong cult following among vintage collectors. Their dazzling photos commemorating stars from baseball’s golden age are treasured primary sources of visual history. Rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Tom Seaver, Johnny Bench, and Reggie Jackson from the late 1960s rank among the brand’s most coveted issues.
The sheer vibrancy of Sportflics’ color schemes and compositions also give their cards an irresistible visual pop missing from drabber competitors of the period. Sets devoted to overlooked aspects of the national pastime like the Negro Leagues further cement Sportflics’ progressive approach.
Graded gem mint condition specimens of 1968 and 1969 Sportflics regularly command prices in the low four figures at auction. Their scarcity amplified what was once considered a “second tier” brand in the industry. Even in well-loved but not pristine condition, complete sets can still sell for hundreds of dollars based purely on nostalgia and historical value alone.
Through colorful glimpses of bygone eras and innovative spirit, Sportflics’ pioneering run in the 1960s strengthened the foundation on which modern sports card culture was built. Though short-lived, their impact and beauty ensure Sportflics will continue captivating collectors and students of baseball history for generations to come.
