Baseball cards have long been an integral part of American culture and fandom, allowing fans to collect pieces of their favorite players and relive memories of seasons past. For the city of Muncie, Indiana, located about 50 miles northeast of Indianapolis, baseball cards have played a unique role in the community for over a century. The story of baseball cards in Muncie is one deeply intertwined with the city’s history.
Some of the earliest organized baseball in Muncie dates back to the late 1800s. Local amateur and semi-pro teams like the Muncie Fruit Jars and Muncie Mullens helped grow the game’s popularity amongst residents. It wasn’t until 1909 that the first baseball cards featuring Muncie players were released. That year, the American Tobacco Company included cards of Mullens players Charlie Robertson and George McBride in their 1909-11 T206 baseball card set, immortalizing the local heroes in a national hobby.
As baseball grew across America in the early 20th century, so too did Muncie’s love of the game and collecting cards. The 1920s and 30s saw the rise of many iconic card sets like Goudey and Play Ball that featured the biggest stars of the era like Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb. Local card shops and drug stores became hot spots where kids could trade, buy and sell the latest cardboard. Two shops in particular, Oakhurst Drug Store and Benbow’s Pharmacy, became institutions in the community, known for always having boxes of the newest packs available.
During World War II, production of baseball cards was halted for the war effort. However, Muncie’s passion for the hobby never wavered. Local card collectors formed clubs and networks to trade the cards they had amassed prior to the war. This helped sustain interest until production resumed in the late 1940s. The post-war boom saw incredible growth, led by the hugely popular 1951 Bowman set. Muncie native and future Hall of Famer Stan Musial even had his own card in that set after winning National League MVP the prior year.
The 1950s were a golden age for baseball cards in Muncie, with the city fully embracing modern sets from Topps, Bowman and others. Local card shops did a booming business. Perhaps no shop was bigger than B&B Sporting Goods, located downtown on Walnut Street. Owned and operated by longtime Muncie residents Bill and Betty Jean Haskett, B&B became the epicenter of the baseball card scene. They hosted signings with former players, organized local card shows and events, and always had the newest product available, whether it was packs, boxes or loose singles.
As the 1960s rolled around, Topps had become king of the baseball card industry, producing affordable wax packs that were extremely popular with Muncie’s youth. Their 1961 and 1962 issues featuring rookie cards of future stars like Tom Seaver were particularly hot items. Meanwhile, the city’s two minor league teams, the Muncie Reds and Muncie Pirates, kept local interest in baseball thriving. Their games were attended events, with many fans stopping by B&B or other shops beforehand to add to their collections.
The 1970s saw Muncie’s card scene truly explode, as collecting spread beyond just kids. Stores like B&B did a booming business in high-end vintage cardboard, catering to adult collectors. The rise of specialty shops also occurred, like Ernie’s Sportscards which focused solely on sports collectibles. Meanwhile, the local baseball scene remained strong thanks to the Muncie Pirates and Muncie Mets. Topps also continued to be the dominant force, producing memorable sets like their wildly popular 1973 and 1974 issues.
In the 1980s, the baseball card industry experienced a true boom period. Production increased exponentially to meet rising demand, fueled by the arrival of superstar players like Rickey Henderson and Dwight Gooden. Muncie’s card shops were inundated with product but thrived financially. Shows at the high schools and fairgrounds drew hundreds. The city’s minor league teams also saw a resurgence – the Muncie Mullens returned in 1985. Flagship sets from Topps like 1987 remained extremely popular for both kids and collectors in Muncie.
The baseball card boom continued strong through the 1990s in Muncie. Iconic rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Ken Griffey Jr. and Chipper Jones moved at a premium. The industry began changing as well. Mega-shops like Sportscards Etc. opened to meet increasing demand. The rise of the internet also began impacting local brick-and-mortar stores. By the late 90s, many shops had closed or downsized. Still, Muncie’s passion for the hobby remained steadfast, now spanning multiple generations.
In the 2000s and beyond, while the baseball card industry has contracted overall, Muncie’s connection to the hobby stays as strong as ever. Local card shows still draw crowds yearly. Online groups allow collectors to trade and discuss their collections. Meanwhile, efforts have been made to preserve the city’s baseball card history. In 2010, the Muncie Visitors Bureau opened a small baseball card museum downtown, paying tribute to the iconic shops and players that made Muncie a hub for the hobby. The legacy of over a century of baseball cards in Muncie lives on.
Baseball cards have been deeply ingrained in Muncie’s sports culture since the early 1900s. Local shops, shows and collectors helped cultivate a vibrant hobby scene for many decades. While the industry has changed, Muncie’s legacy as a hotbed for baseball card collecting remains an important part of the city’s history. The names of legendary shops, players, and sets from over a century will continue to be remembered fondly by collectors in Muncie for generations to come.