Tag Archives: louis

ST LOUIS BASEBALL CARDS SCHEDULE

Leave a reply

The St. Louis Baseball Cards are gearing up for another exciting season of minor league baseball action. As a Class A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, the Cards play in the Midwest League and face off against close geographic rivals like the Peoria Chiefs, Quad Cities River Bandits, and Cedar Rapids Kernels on a regular basis. In addition to these intra-Midwest League matchups, the Cards also take on other Class A clubs from both the Midwest and other minor league classifications throughout their 132 game regular season schedule.

The Cards kick off their 2021 campaign on the road with a three game set against the Beloit Snappers starting on April 8th. This Northern Division opponent provides a good early test for the squad as they begin working out any kinks. After wrapping up in Beloit, the Cards will then head straight to Peoria for their home opener against the Chiefs on April 13th at GCS Ballpark. This always highly anticipated Crosstown Showdown draws big crowds and marks the first chance for Cards fans to see their team in action at home this year.

After hosting Peoria for three games, the Cards hit the road again for a long nine game road trip taking them through Wisconsin, Iowa, and back to Illinois. First up are four games against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in Appleton starting on April 16th. Then it’s on to Clinton, Iowa for three versus the LumberKings before wrapping up the trip with a pair of games in South Bend, Indiana against the Cubs affiliate there. While road trips are never easy in minor league baseball, this early season stretch will be a good test of the team’s endurance and depth.

Once back home, the Cards get a chance to settle in at GCS Ballpark for an extended eight game homestand. First on the docket are four against the Quad Cities River Bandits on April 27th. This I-70 rivalry series always brings out big crowds. Next up are four with the Cedar Rapids Kernels, another key Midwest League foe. This homestand in late April provides a great opportunity for the Cards to gain momentum and put some wins on the board in front of their faithful fans.

May kicks off with the Cards back on the road starting with four games at West Michigan facing the Whitecaps. Then it’s back east for three in Lake County against the Captains. The month of May also features home series’ against Quad Cities, South Bend, and Peoria as the Cards look to climb up the division standings. Two more notable series in May sees the Cards hosting the LumberKings for three May 18th-20th and then a rare visit from the Fort Wayne TinCaps for three May 25th-27th.

June begins with the Cards back at GCS Ballpark to face the West Michigan Whitecaps for three games June 1st-3rd. After hitting the road for a brief two game set in Burlington against the Bees June 4th-5th, the Cards return home to host the Lake County Captains for three June 8th-10th. More important Midwest League series on the June schedule include four games each against the Beloit Snappers June 15th-18th and Cedar Rapids Kernels June 22nd-25th, both at GCS Ballpark. The Cards will wrap up the month with four in South Bend against the Cubs starting June 29th.

July starts with the Cards on the road in Wisconsin Dells to face the Timber Rattlers July 2nd-5th. After a brief stop back in St. Louis, the Cards hit the road again for matchups in Clinton July 9th-11th and Quad Cities July 13th-15th. A season-long nine game homestand then kicks off July 16th welcoming in the LumberKings for three, Kernels for three July 20th-22nd, and River Bandits for three July 23rd-25th. More important Midwest League play takes place at the end of July with four in Peoria July 27th-30th.

In August, the Cards will play eight of the first twelve games on the road including series’ in Burlington August 3rd-5th, Lake County August 10th-12th, and Beloit August 17th-19th. They’ll also host a pair of home series against West Michigan August 6th-8th and Cedar Rapids August 24th-26th. A key late season road trip sees St. Louis head to Clinton August 31st-September 2nd and Quad Cities September 7th-9th. With the pennant race heating up, these late season games take on added importance.

To wrap up the regular season in September, the Cards play nine of their final twelve games at home. Highlights include hosting Peoria September 14th-16th, South Bend September 21st-23rd, and Fort Wayne September 28th-30th. The Cards close out the regular season on the road with a season-ending three game set in Cedar Rapids October 1st-3rd.

If the Cards qualify, the Midwest League playoffs would begin in early September. As the Cubs’ High-A affiliate, developing top prospects while aiming for a championship is the goal each season in St. Louis. With so many regional rivals and meaningful games on the docket, 2021 promises to provide great minor league baseball drama throughout the summer. The St. Louis Baseball Cards can’t wait to get the season started and deliver exciting games for their loyal fans all year long.

BASEBALL CARDS ST LOUIS

Leave a reply

Baseball cards have a long history in St. Louis dating back to the late 19th century. As one of the earliest and most passionate baseball cities in America, St. Louis saw some of the earliest baseball card sets and collections emerge. The city’s love for the sport and memorabilia collecting helped fuel a booming baseball card culture that still thrives today.

Some of the earliest baseball cards featuring St. Louis players date back to the late 1800s during the early days of the professional game. In 1886, a set called Old Judge featured cards of star players of the day including several from the St. Louis Maroons franchise. This set helped popularize the emerging trend of collecting player cards as souvenirs and representations of the stars of the national pastime.

Throughout the early 20th century, St. Louis was home to several major league franchises including the St. Louis Browns of the American League and the iconic St. Louis Cardinals of the National League. Both teams produced many star players that were heavily featured in the tobacco card sets that dominated the baseball card market from the 1890s through the 1910s. Sets like T206, T207, and others contained cards showcasing Cardinals and Browns legends like Rogers Hornsby, Bob Gibson, Dizzy Dean, and more.

The tobacco era cards established St. Louis as a hotbed for baseball card collecting. Young fans across the city eagerly sought out cards of their favorite local heroes and would swap, trade, and collect sets featuring the Browns and Cardinals stars. This helped ingrain the tradition of baseball card fandom in St. Louis that still thrives over a century later.

In the post-tobacco era that began in the late 1910s, St. Louis continued to be well-represented in the new candy, bubblegum, and magazine style card issues that emerged. Goudey, Play Ball, and other 1930s-era sets contained many Cardinals stars of the day like Pepper Martin, Ducky Medwick, and Billy Southworth. St. Louis fans eagerly snapped up these newer card designs to build on their collections first established in the tobacco era.

By the mid-20th century, St. Louis had fully cemented its status as one of the epicenters of American baseball and baseball card fandom. Iconic Cardinals stars like Stan Musial, Enos Slaughter, Red Schoendienst, and others were staple inclusions in the 1950s Topps and Bowman issues that helped spark the modern baseball card boom. Young collectors in St. Louis flocked to stores, candy shops, and drug stores to find packs of these new cards showcasing their beloved Cardinals heroes.

The 1960s saw St. Louis emerge as a hotbed for one of the most iconic baseball card sets ever made – Topps’ 1968 issue. Featuring rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Lou Brock, Joe Torre, and Bob Gibson, many consider the ’68 Topps set to be the high-water mark of post-war baseball cards. In St. Louis especially, finding packs of these cards at the local corner store was akin to a religious experience for countless young collectors. The city’s passion for the Cardinals combined with the allure of these rookies to make the ’68s a true local sensation.

Throughout the 1970s, 80s, 90s and beyond, St. Louis remained a focal point in the baseball card industry. Iconic stars like Ozzie Smith, Keith Hernandez, and more graced the cardboard of the era and fueled local collectors’ passions. St. Louis also became home to a vibrant sports card show and convention scene, with events like the annual St. Charles show drawing collectors from across the Midwest and beyond. Venerable local card shops like Bob’s Baseball Cards and Sports Collectibles emerged as hubs where fans could trade, buy, and sell with other rabid local collectors.

In the modern era, St. Louis’ baseball card scene continues to thrive. Stars like Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, and Adam Wainwright remain highly sought after rookie cards and parallels in today’s ultra-modern card issues from companies like Topps, Panini, and more. Meanwhile, the city’s collector community has expanded online as well through social media groups, online forums, and sales platforms. Local card shows still draw crowds each year as fans both young and old keep the tradition going.

From the earliest tobacco issues to today’s digital card platforms, St. Louis has cemented itself as an epicenter of baseball card fandom and collecting. Generations of local fans have cut their teeth chasing down the newest cardboard of their favorite Cardinals, building lifelong collections and memories in the process. With the rich history of the sport in the city and its continued passion for all things Redbirds, the future remains bright for St. Louis to remain a leader in the baseball card world for years to come.

MOST VALUABLE ST LOUIS CARDINALS BASEBALL CARDS

Leave a reply

The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most storied franchises in Major League Baseball with 11 World Series championships. Among avid baseball card collectors, coveted Cardinals cards can fetch high prices at auctions and through private sales. Let’s take a look at some of the most valuable St. Louis Cardinals baseball cards that collectors seek.

bob gibson rookie (1957 tops) – Widely considered one of the premier pitching talents of his generation, Bob Gibson’s rookie card from 1957 Topps is the undisputed king of Cardinals collectibles. In pristine gem mint condition, examples have sold for over $100,000 at auction. Even well-worn copies still command prices in the thousands due to Gibson’s legendary Hall of Fame career spent entirely in St. Louis. The 1957 Topps design is also a favorite of vintage collectors.

stan musial rookie (1941 play ball) – “Stan the Man” is beloved as one of the Cardinals’ all-time greats and perhaps the best hitter in baseball history. His 1941 Play Ball rookie is exceptional in its scarcity and condition challenges. The few PSA/BGS 10 specimens known could sell for $150,000+, making this one of the most valuable Cardinals rookies ever. Musial spent his entire 22-year career with St. Louis, cementing this card’s significance.

orlando cepeda rookie (1958 tops) – Cepeda was the 1958 National League Rookie of the Year during his time with the Cardinals and Giants. High-grade copies of his scarce ‘58 Topps rookie are highly sought by collectors, especially for the Cardinals’ team collection. Pristine examples might bring $15,000-$20,000 at auction due to the player’s success and Hall of Fame induction. Even worn lower-grade copies still command 4-figure prices.

oomph rookie (1952 bowman) – More often called by his actual name of Enos Slaughter, his 1952 Bowman rookie holds mystique as depicting the outfielder early in his tenure with the Cardinals organization. High-quality specimens change hands for $7,000-$10,000 between serious vintage collectors. Slaughter was an anchor of several World Series championship Clubs in the 1940s-50s. Few players’ tenure and success evokes as much Cardinals nostalgia.

red schoendienst rookie (1945 play ball) – “Red” spent nearly his entire 23-year playing career and 40 more years of his post-playing life with the Cardinals organization. His sentimental 1945 Play Ball rookie satisfies collectors’ desire for a piece of Reds’ amazing legacy in St. Louis baseball history. Even moderately played copies can sell for $4,000+ due to the player’s devotion to the Cardinals for 6 decades.

keith hernandez (1975 topps) – A leader of the 1980s Cardinals championship teams, Keith Hernandez’ 1975 Topps rookie has steadily grown in demand by team collectors. High grades now sell for upwards of $2,500. Hernandez brought grit, defense and a championship attitude to St. Louis that still resonates with longtime fans from that era. His crucial presence makes this a must-have for devoted Redbirds collectors.

ken boyer (1956 topps) – Ken Boyer was the 1964 National League MVP during the height of his St. Louis playing career from 1955-1967. High-quality specimens of his 1956 Topps rookie card reach $2,000-3,000 price tags. Boyer was an integral part of Cardinals teams that appeared in 4 World Series during the 1950s-60s. His rookie is a pillar for collectors focusing on that exciting period of Redbirds history.

darrell porter (1974 topps) – As a member of the 1982 World Series champion Cardinals, Darrell Porter embodied the competitive fire that fueled manager Whitey Herzog’s club. His ‘74 Topps rookie has gained steady interest north of $1,500 for high grades among collectors looking to represent crucial 1980s players. Fans remember Porter for clutch World Series catcher performances and passion for the game.

chris carpenter (1997 upper deck) – A leader and ace of 2000s playoff Cardinals teams, Chris Carpenter won two World Series rings and the 2005 Cy Young Award in St. Louis. His ‘97 Upper Deck rookie has eclipsed $1,000 price tags to highlight Carpenter’s immense impact and playoff heroics with the Cardinals for over a decade. His intensity and success enshrine this card among collectors honoring those glory years.

While new stars may emerge for the Cardinals in the future, these players represent the franchises most storied history on the field. Their most valuable rookie cards satisfy fervent collectors seeking tangible connections to Cardinals lore from eras past. As one of MLB’s most tradition-rich organizations, the top St. Louis collectibles will likely remain strongly sought by those fascinated with reliving the teams’ greatest players and championship moments.