The history of baseball cards in Norwood, Massachusetts dates back to the late 19th century when the hobby first started gaining popularity across America. Norwood was a small town just outside of Boston that had a strong local baseball culture, making it fertile ground for the early baseball card craze to take root. Some of the earliest documented baseball card collectors in Norwood began amassing cards in the 1880s as the manufacturing of baseball cards started ramping up.
One of the first well-known collectors from Norwood was William Sullivan, who began his collection in 1888 at the young age of 10. William’s father owned a general store in downtown Norwood and would often buy packs of cards to sell. William convinced his father to let him keep any duplicate cards he received, and this is how he started accumulating what would become one of the earliest significant baseball card collections in the area. By the late 1890s, William had assembled hundreds of cards documenting the early stars and teams from that era.
As the popularity of baseball grew across America in the early 20th century, so too did the hobby of collecting baseball cards in Norwood. More local shops like drugstores and candy stores began stocking packs of cards alongside gum and candy to sell to the town’s young baseball fans. Legendary players like Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, and Honus Wagner began appearing on cards that Norwood kids eagerly sought to add to their collections. By the 1920s, it was common for kids in Norwood to swap duplicate cards they acquired and try to assemble full sets of the various card issues.
One of the most prized early collections amassed in Norwood belonged to Robert “Bobby” Fulton, who began collecting in 1915 at the age of 9. Bobby became obsessed with completing sets of the most popular early 20th century card issues, including 1909-1911 T206, 1914 Cracker Jack, and 1917 M101-5 Sporting News. He meticulously tracked down the high-number and rare cards he needed through trades with other local collectors and purchases from hobby shops in Boston. By the late 1920s, Bobby had one of the most complete early 20th century baseball card collections in New England, featuring hundreds of high-grade vintage cards.
As the Golden Age of baseball cards arrived in the 1930s and 1940s with the immense popularity of Goudey, Play Ball, and Topps issues, Norwood became home to many dedicated young collectors chasing the stars of that era. Local card shops like Hobby Haven and Frank’s Sport Cards opened in the late 1930s and helped fuel the booming baseball card market in town. It was common for the card shop owners to host weekend trading events that would draw hundreds of collectors from Norwood and surrounding towns to swap and sell cards.
One of the most legendary Norwood collectors from this period was David “Whitey” Walsh, who began collecting at age 5 in 1933. Whitey became obsessed with chasing the biggest stars like Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, and Mickey Mantle. He spent hours on his bicycle riding around town, visiting every store and shop in hopes of finding packs with cards he needed. By the 1950s, Whitey had assembled one of the finest Goudey, Play Ball, and early Topps collections in the country, featuring thousands of high-grade vintage cards that are now extremely valuable.
As the decades progressed, Norwood continued producing many dedicated baseball card collectors chasing the stars and sets from the 1960s, 1970s, and beyond. Local card shops like Mike’s Sports Cards opened in the 1960s and helped fuel the boom in collecting during the era of Topps, Fleer, and Donruss issues. The town also produced some pioneering traders who helped shape the early baseball card collecting marketplace. Tom O’Connor began trading cards nationally in the 1970s and helped discover pricing conventions still used today.
In the modern era, Norwood remains home to many passionate collectors and hobby leaders. Local shops like Norwood Sports Cards have helped introduce new generations to the hobby since the 1980s. The town also hosts large card shows and conventions that draw collectors from New England and beyond. Several local collectors like Dan McCarthy have assembled true museum-quality collections valued in the millions showcasing the entire history of the hobby. Norwood’s rich baseball card collecting history and culture lives on as the town continues producing dedicated fans and traders keeping the hobby thriving.