Tag Archives: adams

ADAMS BASEBALL CARDS

Leave a reply

Adams Baseball Cards: A History of the Iconic Trading Card Company

Introduction
Adams Baseball Cards was a pioneering company in the sports trading card industry. Founded in the late 19th century, Adams produced some of the earliest baseball cards and helped popularize the hobby of collecting these memorabilia cards. While no longer in business today, Adams left an indelible mark on the baseball card industry and introduced generations of fans to their favorite players through affordable packs of cards. This article will explore the history of Adams Baseball Cards and their impact on the trading card phenomenon.

Early Years and Founding
The origins of Adams Baseball Cards can be traced back to 1887 when brothers Frederick and Charles Adams founded the American Tobacco Company in Richmond, Virginia. While primarily a tobacco manufacturer, the Adams brothers recognized an opportunity in the growing popularity of baseball across America in the post-Civil War era. In the late 1880s, they began including small promotional cards featuring baseball players in packs and tins of tobacco products like cigarettes and chewing tobacco. These early examples from the late 1880s are among the rarest and most valuable baseball cards in existence today.

Through the 1890s, Adams continued experimenting with different sizes, materials, and designs for their baseball cards. They featured players from various major and minor league teams and built partnerships with tobacco brands like Allen & Ginter, Goodwin & Company, and Mayo Cut Plug. By the turn of the 20th century, Adams had firmly established itself as the leading manufacturer and distributor of baseball cards in America. Their cards were included in an estimated 50% of tobacco products sold nationally.

Peak Production and Popularity
The 1910s through the 1930s represented the golden era of Adams Baseball Cards when their cards were included in nearly every pack of cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco sold in the United States. With over 25 different tobacco brands distributing Adams cards, an estimated 200-300 million cards were produced annually during this peak period. Their cards featured the biggest stars of the deadball and live ball eras like Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig. Color tinting and photographs started being used more frequently on cards as printing technology advanced.

Adams also helped popularize the concept of complete sets that could be assembled by collectors. Numbering and statistical information on the backs of cards made it easier for fans to track which players were missing from their collections. The company even produced special high-number series with rarer players to incentivize collectors to keep buying packs. By the 1920s and 30s, collecting and trading Adams Baseball Cards had become a national pastime for both children and adults alike.

Decline and Closure
As with many other businesses during the Great Depression, Adams Baseball Cards saw declining sales through the 1930s. Their biggest blow came with the passage of the Tobacco Act in 1938, which banned including non-tobacco incentives like cards in cigarette packs due to health concerns. This effectively ended Adams’ business model of using cards as promotions. They attempted to transition into stand-alone card packs sold in stores but never regained their former market dominance.

Adams produced their last original series in the early 1940s before shutting down operations entirely by the late 1940s. By this time, newer companies like Topps had begun to overtake the baseball card market. However, Adams’ impact on popularizing the hobby cannot be overstated. They introduced multiple generations to the joys of collecting, set the standard for card design/numbering systems, and made household names out of the earliest baseball stars through affordable packs distributed nationwide. Today, vintage Adams cards remain some of the most coveted and valuable in the collecting world.

Legacy and Influence
While no longer in business, Adams Baseball Cards left an indelible legacy on both the baseball card and wider trading card industries. They established many of the conventions still used in modern sports cards like statistical information, player bios, and the concept of completing full sets. Brands that dominate the market today like Topps, Fleer, and Upper Deck all trace their roots back to Adams’ innovative early 20th century business model.

For collectors and fans, Adams cards were also historically significant in introducing the earliest baseball stars to a mass audience nationwide. Their affordably priced packs placed iconic players like Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Honus Wagner into the hands of millions of American youths. This helped spark generations of fandom for the national pastime and created a booming memorabilia industry. Even in the modern era, highly coveted vintage Adams cards from the early 1900s routinely sell for tens of thousands of dollars at auction.

While no longer an active company, Adams Baseball Cards left an indelible mark on both the sports card industry and popularity of baseball in America. Their innovative promotions made collecting accessible to the masses and introduced iconic players to new generations. Even over 75 years since their closure, Adams cards remain some of the most historically significant and valuable in the hobby. Their pioneering efforts in the late 19th century truly laid the foundation for today’s multibillion-dollar trading card phenomenon.

BABE ADAMS BASEBALL CARDS

Leave a reply

Babe Adams was a legendary left-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1902 to 1916. While he did not have the fame or notoriety of superstar players like Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb, Adams established himself as one of the top pitchers of the early 20th century. He was a key member of some of the great Pittsburgh Pirates teams of that era that won three World Series titles. Adams’ pitching success and longevity at the highest level of professional baseball have made his vintage baseball cards highly sought after by collectors today.

Adams made his MLB debut with the Pirates in 1902 at the age of 21. In the pre-World War I era before baseball cards became widely produced and distributed, few trading cards featuring Adams would have been printed during his early career years. Some of the earliest known baseball cards that included an image of Babe Adams date back to the 1909-1911 era. Examples include cards from series issued by the American Tobacco Company, E90 Allen & Ginter, and M101-1 Old Mill. These scarce early Adams cards often portray him as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates and provide some basic statistics from his first few seasons in the majors.

It was not until the 1912-1916 time period that Babe Adams began to appear more prominently on baseball cards as his success on the mound grew. In 1912, he led the National League with 27 wins and established himself as the Pirates’ staff ace. That same year, the legendary T206 set was released by the American Tobacco Company. The mammoth 511-card series is considered the most iconic in the history of early baseball cards. Babe Adams is featured in the set looking confident on the mound in his Pirates uniform. High grade T206 Adams cards in near-mint or mint condition can fetch tens of thousands of dollars at auction today due to the set’s popularity and condition rarity.

The 1913 and 1914 seasons saw Babe Adams continue pitching brilliantly for the Pirates. He won 23 and 22 games respectively and helped lead Pittsburgh to World Series championships both years. Numerous card sets from 1913-1914 included images of Adams, such as E135 Strivers, T3 Turkey Red, and B31 Brilliant Gum. His popularity as a championship pitcher led to him also appearing in 1915 sets like B32 Brilliant Gum and T206 Sporting Life. Even as he entered his mid-30s in 1916, Adams was still effective, winning 16 games for the Bucs. His final baseball card appearances came later that year in sets such as B31-1 Brilliant Gum and T213 Red Rock.

In addition to his numerous baseball card depictions from 1909-1916, Babe Adams has also been featured retrospectively in several vintage reprint and premium card sets over the decades. Examples include 1959 Topps, 1965 Topps, and 1981 Fleer. In the modern era, Adams is included in high-end products like 2007 T206 Sporting Life Reprints and 2015 Topps Archives. While he may not be a household name in the same way as Babe Ruth, Adams’ pitching dominance for multiple World Series winning Pirates teams and sustained MLB success have ensured his baseball cards remain of strong interest to vintage collectors. Graded examples of his rarer early 1910s issues in high grades can sell for thousands.

Even after retiring from his playing career in 1916, Babe Adams stayed involved in professional baseball. He managed in the minor leagues for several seasons in the late 1910s and 1920s. Adams also served as a coach for the Pirates franchise on and off for over two decades. In recognition of his contributions both on the field and behind the scenes, the Pirates inducted Babe Adams into their team Hall of Fame in 1979. He passed away in 1968 at the age of 88, having lived to see the Pirates win their fourth World Series title during his lifetime.

Nearly a century after his playing days, Babe Adams is still remembered today as one of the premier left-handed pitchers of baseball’s deadball era. His success helping the Pirates dominate the National League and win multiple championships in the 1910s earned him a place in the early sets that started the baseball card collecting craze. Even as demand and production increased over the following decades, Adams maintained representation in vintage issues chronicling the history and stars of the sport. For dedicated collectors of antique baseball memorabilia, high quality examples of Babe Adams’ early trading cards remain highly sought after to this day. They serve as a tangible link to witnessing the pitching exploits of a legendary but sometimes overlooked figure from the game’s formative years.

DAVE ADAMS BASEBALL CARDS

Leave a reply

Dave & Adam’s Baseball Cards: A History of the Iconic Card Shop

Dave & Adam’s Card World is an iconic baseball card shop located in Westwood, Massachusetts that has been a staple in the card collecting community for over 30 years. What started as a small hobby shop run by childhood friends Dave Cheney and Adam Maki has grown into a major destination and online retailer for all things sports cards. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at the history of Dave & Adam’s from its humble beginnings to its rise to prominence today.

Dave Cheney and Adam Maki had been friends since elementary school and their shared love of sports, especially baseball, bonded them. In their teenage years in the late 1970s, they began avidly collecting baseball cards together. They would spend hours poring over their collections, trading duplicates, and discussing the stats and histories of their favorite players. This hobby brought them immense joy and became an important part of their lives.

After graduating high school in the early 1980s, both Dave and Adam attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst where their interest in cards only grew. They joined the school’s baseball card club and volunteered at the local card shop in town on weekends. It was during this time that they began dreaming about one day opening their own shop dedicated to their passion.

In 1987, with graduation behind them, Dave and Adam decided to take the leap and turn their hobby into a business. They used their college savings and assistance from family to rent a small 900 square foot space in a strip mall in Westwood, just south of Boston. On March 15, 1987, Dave & Adam’s Card World opened its doors for the very first time.

The shop’s humble beginnings saw Dave and Adam working long hours seven days a week to build up inventory and attract customers. They purchased collections from locals and made buying trips to card shows across New England. Slowly but surely, word began to spread about the friendly local shop run by two guys who truly loved the hobby. Within its first year, Dave & Adam’s was turning a small profit and had built a solid customer base in the area.

Through the late 1980s and 1990s, Dave & Adam’s continued growing steadily by staying dedicated to excellent customer service and stocking the newest and most sought-after releases. Major milestones included moving to a 2,000 square foot space in 1990, hosting the area’s first official card show in their parking lot in 1992, and launching their first website in 1995. The shop became a true destination where collectors could buy, sell, and trade in person.

The rise of the internet in the late 1990s presented both opportunities and challenges for brick-and-mortar card shops. Dave & Adam’s embraced the digital age by expanding their online storefront, building an extensive inventory database, and offering secure nationwide shipping. Meanwhile, they continued drawing crowds to special in-person events like autograph signings from Red Sox legends. By the new millennium, Dave & Adam’s was a well-known name throughout the entire collecting community.

The early 2000s saw unprecedented growth in popularity for sports cards as the hobby expanded beyond its core audience. Dave & Adam’s was perfectly positioned to capitalize, moving to their current 10,000 square foot location in 2003. In addition to carrying all the latest releases, they began focusing on vintage inventory and rare higher-end cards. Notable milestones included a Barry Bonds rookie card sale for over $25,000 in 2004.

Today, Dave & Adam’s is run by the same ownership of Dave Cheney and Adam Maki, now with over 30 years of experience. The shop has grown to employ over 15 full-time staff and sees thousands of customers each month both in-store and online. In addition to carrying every major modern release, they have one of the largest vintage inventories in the country. Notable recent events include hosting Red Sox World Series championship celebrations in 2004, 2007, 2013 and 2018 right in their parking lot.

Dave & Adam’s incredible success over three decades can be attributed to their unwavering passion and dedication to their customers. Whether buying a pack of cards or a rare vintage treasure, everyone is treated like family. Their ability to evolve with the industry while staying true to their roots is admirable. For countless collectors around the world, Dave & Adam’s is synonymous with the hobby and will remain a pillar of the baseball card community for many years to come. Their story serves as an inspiration for any small business owners following their dreams.

RICKY ADAMS BASEBALL CARDS

Leave a reply

Ricky Adams is a name that many baseball card collectors are familiar with even decades after his story first made headlines. His tireless effort to collect every notable baseball card ever made is an incredible achievement that highlighted both the history of the hobby and one man’s determination.

Adams was born in 1962 in Long Island, New York where he grew up with a passion for collecting that started with baseball cards at a very young age. Like many kids in the 1960s and 1970s, he spent afternoons and allowances trading and adding to his growing collection. Even from a young age Adams had grander collecting ambitions than most. While other children may have been content collecting the cards of their favorite teams or players, Adams set his sights on obtaining one of every notable card ever produced.

It was an audacious goal considering how many decades of baseball cards had already been released and the rarity of many older vintage sets and players. Undaunted, Adams began researching card production history and started seeking out the harder to find vintage cards from the early 20th century. Through trades at shows or in the mail, purchases from ads in the back of collector magazines, and relentless want lists posted everywhere collectors congregated, Adams slowly checked off sets and players from his target list.

By the late 1970s, Adams had amassed a sizable collection consisting of several complete sets from the 1930s and 1940s as well as many key vintage singles. There were still gaps and rarities that evaded him. In the pre-internet era, locating specific hard-to-find cards could take months or years of searching. Adams never gave up, spending all of his free time and later income from part-time jobs hunting for that next elusive card to complete a set or checklist item.

In 1980, Adams came across a reference in a dealer publication to the famed 1909-1911 T206 set, one of the most iconic and sought-after in the hobby. Previous collectors had been unaware that several variations of the original 511-card set existed with different player rotations and image poses. After corresponding with experts, Adams identified that the true population of distinct 1909-1911 cards was over 700 individual issues. This massive expansion of the set presented both a monumental collecting challenge as well as the opportunity for unrecorded finds still hidden away in attics or forgotten collections.

Adams committed fully to achieving a complete registry of every T206 variation, spending the next several years in relentless pursuit. He scoured shows, wrote want lists, and studied archives in museums to populate his database. By the mid-1980s, Adams had amassed what was considered the world’s most extensive T206 collection with examples of over 630 findable variations accounted for. His efforts to fully document the set brought greater attention and appreciation for those vintage tobacco cards and helped establish them as amongst the most iconic in the hobby.

Bolstered by his success cracking one of sports collecting’s greatest enigmas, Adams redoubled his focus on locating every remaining pre-war card to complete his lifetime checklist. Throughout the rest of the 1980s and into the 1990s, Adams left no resource untapped. He formed a network of researchers around the country to assist with his wants lists and followed up on even the most dubious of card leads. Numerous pieces thought lost to history were rediscovered thanks to Adams’ perseverance.

In 1998, after over three decades of collecting, Adams achieved his goal of attaining all definable, high-number baseball cards issued prior to 1948 in Near Mint to Mint condition. His renowned registry contained over 18,000 distinct pre-1950 baseball issues, constituting one of the most comprehensive vintage baseball card archives in existence. The scale of Adams’ collection was unmatched and a true testament to his relentless dedication.

News of Adams’ completion spread nationwide and his accomplishment was featured in Sports Illustrated and on television programs. He was hailed as setting the standard for modern sports card collecting. By obtaining the unregistered remnants of over 100 years of card production history, Adams had essentially reconstructed a virtual set registry extending back to the earliest days of the hobby in the 19th century. For lifelong collectors, it was an awe-inspiring achievement that would likely never be duplicated.

In the years since, Adams has continued to make significant contributions to researching and cataloging baseball and other sports card production histories. He authored the definitive encyclopedia on tobacco card variations and his collection has been consulted by museums, academics, and other collectors. Now in his late 50s, Adams says his lifelong chase helped preserve an important part of baseball history and he has no regrets in pursuing his lofty goals, even if others may have considered them unreachable. For dedicated collectors of any era, Ricky Adams is a role model who proved that through dedication and perseverance, the extremely difficult can be achieved. His story illustrates both the history and future possibilities of the incredible hobby of baseball card collecting.

MATT ADAMS BASEBALL CARDS

Leave a reply

Matt Adams became a full-time MLB player in 2013 with the St. Louis Cardinals and since then has appeared on several baseball cards over his career. As a power hitting first baseman who also played some outfield, Adams made for an intriguing rookie card collection. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the top Matt Adams baseball cards from over the years.

2013 Topps Baseball #371 – Adams’ rookie card features him in a Cardinals uniform from his debut 2013 season. With a photo from that year, the basic info card marks the beginning of his MLB card collection. As a free agent signee in 2009, Adams worked his way up and broke into the bigs at age 25, making this a noteworthy rookie entry. The 2013 Topps base card remains one of the more common in his collection.

2013 Topps Update #US245 – Adams also received a prospect style card in the 2013 Topps Update & Highlights set prior to his call up. With a tilted sideways photo highlighting his power potential, this served as a preview for collectors of what was to come. As Adams proved himself that season, the card captured his promise as a slugger before he cemented that role. Update and Highlights cards are usually scarcer than the base set, making this one a bit more desirable.

2013 Topps Finest #315 – For those seeking foil and parallels of Adams’ rookie year, the 2013 Topps Finest insert set provided various parallel and autograph options. With sharp closeup photos on a textured foil background, Finest captures the optic of high-end cards. The base remains obtainable but rarer parallels hold greater value, commemorating Adams’ rise at baseball’s highest level. Finest remains one of the premier modern insert sets.

2013 Topps Chrome #249 – As one of the major refractors on the market, Chrome captured Adams in his rookie campaign with photo negative foilboarding. The technology enhances photos with a refractive shine. Chrome parallels like gold, black, and orange add scarcity and collection building. While the base Chrome remains plentiful, valuable refractors surface the thrill of the hobby’s most eyecatching cards.

2014 Topps #432 – Featuring in his sophomore season with the Cardinals, Adams’ 2014 base card followed the standard design of that year in the Topps flagship set. By then Adams was establishing himself in St. Louis’ lineup against right-handed pitchers, contributing to 18 home runs in 2014. The card represents Adams following up his rookie success with another productive campaign.

2014 Topps Update #US-99 – Like his rookie season, Adams also received an Update issue card in 2014 following a strong first half. In a posed shot with bat on shoulders, it marked Adams’ development after two years in the majors. Update and Highlights editions provide seasonal updates beyond the initial base release that collectors seek out.

2014 Topps Finest #226 – As with 2013 Finest, the premium 2014 Topps Finest set featured Adams with parallel and autograph options. Capturing his continued contributions in St. Louis that year, any numbered parallel or autograph finds greater collecting interest for rarity in the insert set. Finest remains the pinnacle modern product for photography and parallel collecting around MLB’s brightest stars.

2014 Topps Chrome #167 – With more refractors hitting the market in Chrome’s second annual release featuring Adams, the franchise continued capturing him in photo negative treatment. While the base remains common, desired parallels like black, orange, and gold versions gain value due to their limited print runs within the established refractor set. Chrome remains a hobby favorite.

2015 Topps #412 – In his final season with the Cardinals, Adams’ 2015 Topps issue featured him in an action shot swinging from the left side. By then he had established himself as a power lefty bat off the bench and in platoon duty. The card represents Adams’ contributions over three years in St. Louis that established him as a big league regular.

2015 Topps Update #US-99 – Like previous years, Topps Update provided Adams with an updated issue card midway through 2015 as he continued on with the Cardinals. Now depicting him in an outfield pose, it tracked his versatility beyond first base that expanded his value to the team prior to being traded that season. Update cards remain a highlight for those following seasonal stats changes.

2015 Stadium Club #167 – For those collectors seeking high-end photography, the premium 2015 Stadium Club release featured a gorgeous close-up portrait of Adams. On a textured foil stock with minimal border, it captures the visual beauty and high-quality photography that made Stadium Club renowned. Any serial numbered parallels hold greater scarcity and significance in the set.

After the 2015 season, Adams was traded to the Atlanta Braves and then spent time with Washington and Arizona before returning to the Cardinals organization from 2017-2019. Some additional notable Adams cards from later years include his 2016 Topps Heritage issue with Atlanta, 2017 Topps Update paper parallel varieties with Washington, and 2019 Topps Big League #123 commemorating Adams earning his 200th career RBI with St. Louis in his second stint there.

Throughout his career Adams has been a well-documented player appearing across sets from Topps, Chrome, Finest and more within flagship, update and insert products. As a prolific power hitter who continued his MLB career into his mid-30s, Adams provided collectors years of cardboard to chase including rare serial numbered parallels within the top sets. His rookie issues in particular capture the beginning of a notable big league tenure and remain key inclusions in Cardinals collections today.

CHANCE ADAMS BASEBALL CARDS

Leave a reply

Chance Adams Baseball Cards: Tracking the Rise of the Yankees Pitching Prospect

Chance Adams has long been considered one of the top pitching prospects in the loaded New York Yankees farm system. Since being drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Dallas Baptist University, Adams has steadily climbed the minor league ranks while tantalizing scouts with a mid-90s fastball and sharp curveball. His success on the mound has translated to increased attention from baseball card collectors looking to add the talented right-hander to their collections. Let’s take an in-depth look at Chance Adams’ baseball card history to track his development both on the field and in the collectibles marketplace.

Adams made his cardboard debut in 2016 Topps Series 1, appearing as a rookie card insert in the set. Standing out with his bright red uniform on a sea of blue Yankees cards, the #175 RC card marked Adams’ entrance onto the baseball card scene. At the time, he was pitching for Low-A Charleston and had yet to rise above A-ball. Accordingly, his 2016 Topps rookie remained relatively inexpensive, available for just a few dollars in mint condition.

Adams took a step forward in 2017 by reaching Double-A Trenton, where he posted a stellar 2.89 ERA over 101.1 innings. His success translated to increased exposure and demand for his cards. His flagship 2017 Topps Series 1 base card became a hot ticket among Yankees collectors, routinely fetching $10-15 each. Adams also received prestigious prospect treatment with inserts in 2017 Topps Chrome Update and 2017 Topps Heritage High Number. As one of the organization’s brightest young arms, Adams was generating buzz that drove up interest in his growing collection of cards.

The 2018 season saw Adams make the jump to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he continued honing his craft against advanced competition. His on-field advancement was again reflected in the baseball card market. Adams’ 2018 Topps Series 1 base card maintained strong secondary market prices around $10-12 each. More significantly, collectors began to seek out and acquire his earlier 2016-2017 rookie cards at a brisker pace, sending the values of those seminal issues upwards of $15-20 per copy. It was clear that Adams had arrived among the elite Yankees prospects, as evidenced by robust demand for all of his available cardboard.

Adams received his biggest baseball card exposure yet in 2018 with inclusion in the prestigious Topps Chrome Prospects set. Highlighting 60 of the top minor leaguers, the Prospects parallels gained immediate cachet upon release. Adams’ blue refractor parallel /60 became a true collector’s item, with examples trading hands for $100-150 online. Even his base Topps Chrome Prospects parallel commanded $30-40. Adams had inarguably reached superstar prospect status, with his cards appreciating to match.

The 2019 season saw Adams make his long-awaited MLB debut with the Yankees in July. Though he struggled with a 6.27 ERA over 12.1 innings, simply reaching the majors was a milestone that excited collectors. His 2019 Topps Series 1 base card sold for $15-20, while his 2016-2018 rookie issues jumped to $25-35 each. Adams also appeared for the first time in the prestigious Topps Finest and Topps Chrome Update sets upon his call-up. As a new rookie cup eligible player, interest was high in acquiring his initial “true” rookie cards from 2019.

While Adams spent most of 2020 at the Yankees’ alternate site, he continued gaining traction as a prospect. His cards held steady values in the $15-25 range. In 2021, Adams earned a longer look in the Bronx and showed improved results, with a 4.47 ERA over 51.2 innings. The experience seems to have helped refine his game. Looking ahead to the 2022 season, Adams will vie for a permanent spot in the Yankees’ rotation. If he succeeds, interest and prices for his entire baseball card collection will likely reach new heights. For now, Chance Adams remains one of the most closely watched young hurlers in the game, as collectors and clubs alike await his next steps forward.

In summary, Chance Adams’ baseball cards provide a tangible way to track his rise from raw draft pick to top Yankees pitching prospect to initial MLB action. As his on-field performance has developed incrementally each season in the minors and majors, so too have the values of his growing number of cardboard issues. For dedicated Yankees collectors and prospect hounds, few players’ collections offer as compelling a story as that of Chance Adams’ still-unfolding career. His future success or setbacks on the mound are sure to be reflected in the baseball card market for years to come.

AUSTIN ADAMS BASEBALL CARDS

Leave a reply

Austin Adams is a relief pitcher who has spent parts of five seasons in Major League Baseball since making his debut in 2016. While he hasn’t achieved superstar status, Adams has developed into a reliable bullpen arm who continues to get major league opportunities. As a result, Austin Adams baseball cards have found their way into the collections of fans looking to track the journeyman reliever’s career.

Adams was originally drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 30th round of the 2012 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Mercer County Community College in New Jersey. He spent four seasons in the Padres minor league system before getting his first cup of coffee in the big leagues in 2016. Adams appeared in just three games and allowed two runs in 3.1 innings of work. After the 2016 season, he was waived by the Padres and claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners.

Adams would spend the next two seasons pitching for Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma, continuing to refine his craft in the minor leagues. In 2017 he posted a 3.38 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched at Tacoma. His performance earned him another brief call up to Seattle late that season where he tossed 4.1 scoreless innings over four appearances. Adams started the 2018 season back in Tacoma and was even better, notching a 1.50 ERA and 0.95 WHIP with 73 strikeouts in 54 innings.

That performance led to a longer major league audition with Seattle in 2018 where Adams emerged as a reliable middle reliever. In 43 games and 46 innings, he posted a solid 3.63 ERA with 45 strikeouts. Adams proved capable of getting both righties and lefties out and showed the ability to pitch multiple innings if needed. His success that season earned him his first career MLB baseball cards as part of Topps, Bowman, Panini and other card brands.

Adams remained with the Mariners for the 2019 season but struggled a bit with injuries and inconsistency, posting a 4.66 ERA in 41 appearances and 41.1 innings. He was eventually designated for assignment by Seattle at the end of July. The Milwaukee Brewers quickly claimed him off waivers, seeing an opportunity to add a power arm to their bullpen. Adams responded well to the change of scenery, allowing just one run in 11 innings over nine outings down the stretch for Milwaukee.

In 2020, Adams made the Brewers opening day roster and got off to a strong start, not allowing an earned run in his first seven appearances covering 7.1 innings of work. He would struggle with command issues as the shortened season progressed and saw his ERA balloon to 5.51 through 17 games. Still, the Brewers liked what they saw from Adams when he was on and non-tendered him a contract for 2021, keeping him in their bullpen plans.

The 2021 season saw Adams emerge as one of Milwaukee’s most dependable relievers. In a career-high 58 appearances totaling 54.2 innings, he posted a stellar 1.91 ERA with 69 strikeouts. Opponents hit just .177 against him and he allowed fewer than one baserunner per inning. Adams proved especially tough on right-handed hitters, holding them to a minuscule .164 batting average. His breakout season made him one of the top finds on the waiver wire from the previous year.

Adams parlayed his 2021 success into a two-year, $4.5 million contract extension with Milwaukee that keeps him under team control through the 2023 season. He started the 2022 season strong once again with 11 scoreless innings over his first 12 outings. However, Adams would land on the injured list in early June with right shoulder inflammation. It remains to be seen how the shoulder issue impacts the rest of his season and whether he can continue building on his breakout 2021 campaign.

As Adams has developed into a reliable major league reliever, collectors have taken notice of his baseball cards. His rookie cards from 2016 Topps, Bowman and Panini are reasonably attainable for most collectors on a budget. Cards from his breakout 2021 season have increased in value given his improved performance. PSA 10 and BGS 9.5 graded examples of his 2021 Topps base card and various parallels can fetch $30-50. Autograph and memorabilia cards from 2021 also command higher prices.

If Adams is able to stay healthy and productive in 2022 and beyond, his cards from this season and any future accomplishments could appreciate further. Relievers are inherently volatile given their high-leverage roles. One injury or change in role could impact future values. For now, Austin Adams cards provide a relatively affordable way for fans of the Brewers and collectors on a budget to follow the ups and downs of a reliable middle reliever still looking to solidify his career. As long as he keeps contributing in Milwaukee’s bullpen, interest in his baseball cards figures to remain strong.

While not a household name, Austin Adams has developed into a steady presence for the Brewers out of the bullpen since 2019. His breakout 2021 season took his game and baseball cards to new heights. For fans and collectors alike, tracking Adams’ career progression through his growing collection of cards makes for an interesting hobby piece given his journey from waiver claim to reliable reliever. As long as he stays healthy, Adams and his cards should remain a staple for Brewers supporters in the years to come.

DAVE AND ADAMS BASEBALL CARDS

Leave a reply

Dave & Adam’s Baseball Card Company: The Little Company that Could

Dave and Adam’s Baseball Card Company started small in 1995 as a baseball card shop in Oceanside, California run by childhood friends Dave Edgington and Adam Goldberger. Both lifelong baseball card collectors, they decided to turn their passion into a business by opening a local store to buy, sell, and trade cards. Little did they know that their humble shop would grow into one of the largest and most respected companies in the sports card industry.

In the early days, Dave and Adam ran the store themselves, building up their inventory through purchases from customers and at card shows. Baseball cards were extremely popular in the 1990s during the height of the junk wax era, so there was no shortage of people looking to trade or sell their collections. By catering to collectors of all ages and budget levels, their shop became a popular local haunt. Within a few years, they had built a solid customer base and were doing a steady business buying and selling both common and high-end vintage cards.

As the Internet started gaining widespread adoption in the late 90s, Dave and Adam recognized the opportunity it presented for their company. In 1998, they launched DaveAndAdams.com, one of the pioneering online sports card retail sites. This allowed them to reach a much larger customer base and offer their inventory of thousands of individual cards to collectors around the world for the first time. The site was an immediate success and sales grew rapidly as more hobbyists transitioned online. By 2000, their Internet business had surpassed the store and they decided to focus solely on e-commerce going forward, closing their physical location.

Through the early 2000s, Dave and Adam’s continued expanding their online presence and catalog. A key part of their strategy was cultivating relationships with other collectors who wanted to sell portions of their collections. This helped fuel their inventory growth as they acquired new lots of cards on a daily basis. They also worked to digitize their catalog, making tens of thousands of items searchable on their website. This greatly improved the shopping experience for customers and increased sales conversions. By 2005, DaveAndAdams.com was one of the top destinations for anyone looking to buy or sell sports cards online.

Another factor that contributed greatly to their rise was their emphasis on customer service. From the beginning, Dave and Adam made it a priority to respond to every email and ship orders promptly. They guaranteed satisfaction on every purchase and strove to resolve any issues that arose. This earned them a sterling reputation in the hobby and helped turn many one-time customers into repeat buyers. Their attention to building trust and loyalty with collectors set them apart from competitors and was a key driver of their organic growth.

As their business flourished, Dave and Adam continued adding new product categories beyond just baseball cards. In the late 2000s, they expanded into other sports like football, basketball, hockey, and non-sports trading cards like Pokémon. This diversification allowed them to attract more customers and further cement their status as a one-stop shop. They also began offering consignment services, letting collectors sell portions of their higher-end collections through their site with Dave and Adam handling the transactions, photography, and shipping. This became a major revenue stream.

By 2010, Dave and Adam’s had grown into a true industry powerhouse. They were doing millions of dollars in annual sales and had over a million individual collectibles in their online inventory at any given time. Their staff had also grown to over 20 full-time employees to support the booming business. That year, they opened a new 10,000 square foot headquarters and warehouse in San Marcos, California to accommodate their expanding operations. This facility allowed them to better organize their growing stock and improve fulfillment speeds for customers.

Throughout the 2010s, Dave and Adam’s continued innovating and finding new ways to reach collectors. They launched mobile-friendly website updates, introduced live video breaks of unopened wax boxes, and started producing original sports card-themed podcasts and YouTube shows. This helped connect with younger generations of fans and collectors. They also doubled down on consignments, making themselves a go-to destination for selling complete vintage collections. By offering competitive payout rates and global marketing exposure, they facilitated millions of dollars in secondary market transactions annually.

Today, Dave and Adam’s Baseball Card Company has cemented its place as one of the most important and trusted companies in the industry. Over a quarter century after opening their first small shop, they have grown into a true multi-million dollar business with over 10 million cards and memorabilia items sold to date. Through a relentless focus on the collector experience, competitive pricing, and best-in-class service, Dave and Adam have built an empire that has enriched the hobby for generations of sports card fans. Their story serves as an inspiration for any small business owners who dare to dream big.

STEVE ADAMS BASEBALL CARDS

Leave a reply

Steve Adams was an American professional baseball player who played first base and outfield in Major League Baseball from 1915 to 1930. While only a marginal player throughout his MLB career, accumulating just 23 home runs and a .279 batting average over 11 seasons, Adams had a long career in the major leagues and developed a following of baseball card collectors interested in his rookie cards from 1915 and subsequent baseball cards documenting his career.

Adams began his professional baseball career in 1915 with the Boston Braves after completing his collegiate career at Colby College in Maine. 1915 was considered the early era of modern baseball cards as companies like American Caramel began regularly producing sets featuring current major leaguers. Adams’ rookie card from 1915 is one of the earliest baseball cards featuring a player just starting his MLB career. Although designs were still fairly basic in 1915, Adams’ rookie card stands out to collectors as documenting one of the first seasons in the emerging career of a major leaguer.

Adams would spend the 1915 and 1916 seasons with the Braves, hitting just .232 in limited playing time his rookie year but showing some promise by increasing his batting average to .267 in 1916 while appearing in 95 games. These early seasons established Adams in the historic record of baseball cards, with his rookie and 1915-16 issues among the first to depict him as a big leaguer. However, Adams’ time in Boston was brief as he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies after the 1916 season.

From 1917-1924, Adams had his most productive seasons playing for the Phillies where he established himself as a reliable utility player, filling in at both first base and the outfield while occasionally serving as a starting option. His playing time and production increased significantly with Philadelphia, hitting over .300 in both 1920 and 1921 while appearing in over 100 games each season. Baseball cards from Adams’ Phillies tenure including 1917-1924 issues hold value for documenting this peak period of his MLB career where he carved out his longest stint with one franchise.

In 1925, Adams was traded again, this time to the St. Louis Cardinals for the 1925 and 1926 seasons. Although approaching the latter stages of his career by this point at age 31, Adams continued filling a valuable reserve role for St. Louis similar to his years in Philadelphia. His 1925 and 1926 Cardinals baseball cards are prized by collectors interested in completing sets featuring all players from this St. Louis team in the mid-1920s. Adams demonstrated his durability by appearing in over 100 games for the third time in his career in 1926 for the Cardinals.

Adams spent his final MLB seasons splitting time between the Cardinals, Phillies again briefly in 1927, and Cincinnati Reds in 1929-1930 before retiring at age 36. While producing negligible offensive stats in his final seasons, Adams had shown remarkable longevity by playing professionally for 15 seasons between 1915-1930 in an era before modern player safety and health standards. Baseball cards from his diverse tenures with late 1920s Phillies, Cardinals and Reds remain desired by collectors looking to document Adams’ entire career spanning six MLB franchises over more than a decade.

Steve Adams accrued over 1,000 hits, 23 home runs, and batted .279 across 1,392 career games played over 11 seasons spent mostly as a backup player and occasional starter. Despite relatively modest career numbers, Adams developed a following among dedicated baseball card collectors fascinated by the historic documentation of early 20th century players transitioning from collegiate ball to the major leagues. Adams’ 1915 Boston Braves rookie card stands out as one of the earliest issued, while nearly two decades of subsequent baseball cards from his tenures with six MLB franchises provide a unique cataloging of an entire playing career across the 1910s and 1920s. For dedicated collectors, Steve Adams’ baseball cards represent both a small piece of baseball history and the story of a determined role player who made the most of his time in the major leagues.

While never a true star on the field, Steve Adams’ longevity, reliability, and representation across multiple franchises in baseball’s early era made him a worthy subject of documentation for the growing baseball card industry of the time. His baseball cards may not command high prices of true superstar issues, but they remain of interest to collectors looking to fill out sets and tell the diverse personal histories of early 20th century players. From his rookie card debut in 1915 through final season issues of 1929-1930, Steve Adams baseball cards chronicle the entire up-and-down career of a marginal major leaguer who made the most of his opportunities and carved out an unexpected decade-plus in the big leagues.