Baseball cards have been collected by fans for over 130 years and the small town of Lake George, New York has deep roots in the hobby. Situated in Warren County in the Adirondack Mountains region, Lake George saw its first baseball cards arrive in the late 1880s as the growing popularity of professional baseball led to cards being included in packages of tobacco products.
In the early days of baseball cards prior to World War I, Lake George residents would purchase packs of cigarettes or chewing tobacco and hope to find an insert card featuring one of their favorite players or teams. Stars of that era like Honus Wagner, Cy Young, and Ty Cobb were some of the most sought after names. Teenage boys in Lake George would trade and swap cards on street corners, comparing collections and debating which players were the best. The cards fueled discussions and arguments about the latest games and seasons as the boys bonded over their shared interest.
The Golden Age of baseball cards arrived in the 1920s and 1930s, coinciding with Lake George’s booming tourism industry as the village became a popular summer vacation destination. Card shops and hobby stores started to open to cater to the growing collector demand. Lake George native Al Miller operated one of the first dedicated baseball card shops in the area, Al’s Sportscards, which opened in 1937. His small storefront on Canada Street was packed with boxes organized by year, team, and player for browsing customers of all ages. Al’s became a popular hangout and meeting spot for the town’s many card collectors.
During World War II, the production of baseball cards was halted for the duration of the war due to rationing of materials. This created a scarcity that increased demand after the war ended in 1945. In Lake George, many young men who had collected cards as kids and then served in the military returned home looking to rebuild collections that had been damaged or lost. They frequented Al’s Sportscards and other shops across the region, hoping to find replacements for treasured cards that depicted the players and teams from before the war. This post-war period saw enormous growth in the hobby as new collectors joined those getting back into it.
The 1950s were the golden age of the baseball card industry, with iconic sets like Topps and Bowman producing vivid color photos on the front of each card for the first time. In Lake George, little league baseball also boomed during this time. Between games and practices, local youths could be found trading and discussing players. Weekend trips were regularly made by carloads of kids from Lake George to card shows that sprung up in nearby cities. Major exhibitions drew hundreds including the largest in Albany and Glens Falls where entire gymnasiums would be filled with card vendors and collectors from all over.
The 1960s saw Topps dominate production and the rise of the first superstar athletes like Mickey Mantle who appeared on a vast number of cards. Their popularity translated to higher values for collectors. In Lake George, the older collectors from the 1950s were now young adults and the hobby had passed down to a new generation of children. Weekly card shows set up shop around the village as the collecting boom continued strong. Icons of the era like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Sandy Koufax were the most coveted by Lake George kids looking to fill out sets.
By the 1970s, inflation and a changing marketplace led to the end of cards primarily being included in cigarettes. Brands like Topps and Fleer sold wax packs exclusively in stores. This allowed for easier access but also increased production which diluted scarcity and value over time for new issues. In Lake George, the heyday of dedicated sports card shops began declining as big box retailers entered the mix. A tight-knit community of avid collectors remained, gathering in local hobby stores, the village library, and community centers to swap newest acquisitions. Regional shows were still major weekend events attracting collectors from all over the Adirondacks.
During the 1980s, speculation and investment replaced childhood enjoyment as the primary motivator for many collectors. The rise of grading services led to mint condition vintage cards skyrocketing in value, including key Lake George-era pieces from the pre-war and 1950s golden ages. Local auctions drew out of town buyers looking to acquire valuable vintage Adirondack collections. The trading card industry also rebounded with stars like Ozzie Smith and Donruss sets appealing to a new generation. In Lake George, older collections were sometimes broken up and cashed in on by collectors looking to profit rather than play.
By the 1990s, the baseball card market had stabilized after the 1980s boom and bust. Productions numbers remained high but interest held steady. In Lake George, the collecting community shifted more towards casual fans and adults rather than being kid-driven. Online communities also emerged allowing for easier trading beyond the local area. Card shows and shop gatherings continued strong traditions. Newer collectors sought affordable team sets and stars of the day like Ken Griffey Jr while vintage enthusiasts pursued high-grade T206s, 1952 Topps, and complete 1950s runs which all originated from the early Lake George area collectors.
As baseball card collecting entered the 2000s and 2010s in Lake George, the focus shifted more towards appreciation of the history and nostalgia rather than investment potential. Young collectors turned to online random team pack breakers for fun rather than chasing complete vintage sets. Local card shows catered as much to vendors selling memorabilia and equipment as cards. In the digital age, online groups and blogs allowed geographically dispersed collectors with Lake George roots to stay connected. Vintage collections that originated in the village were sometimes rediscovered and their stories shared.
To this day, baseball card collecting remains an integral part of the culture and heritage of Lake George, New York. From the early tobacco era through modern times, cards provided generations of local youth and adults a connection to the national pastime. While production methods and motivations changed, the tradition of coming together at shops, shows and online to share in the hobby endured for over 130 years in the small Adirondack village. The legacy of early Lake George collectors from the sportscard boom days lives on in some of the most valuable vintage cardboard in the world. Their pieces are a reminder of how deeply embedded baseball cards became in the history and identity of the entire region.