Baseball cards have been an integral part of American culture and childhood for over a century. From the early tobacco cards of the late 1800s to the modern trading cards found in packs of gum and candy, baseball cards have captured our fascination with America’s pastime and its legendary players. The story of baseball cards is also deeply intertwined with the history of Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City that was once a hotbed for the baseball card industry.

In the early 20th century, Overland Park was still a small farming community located just west of Kansas City, Missouri. After World War II the town began to grow rapidly as families moved to the suburbs seeking more affordable housing away from the city. As Overland Park’s population swelled, several small businesses popped up along Metcalf Avenue to serve the growing community. One such business was the Topps Chewing Gum Company, which established a manufacturing plant and headquarters in Overland Park in the late 1940s.

Topps is best known as the pioneering innovator of the modern baseball card included in wax packs of gum. In the early 1950s, Topps revolutionized the baseball card industry by including a stick of gum with each pack of cards. This new distribution method was a huge success with kids, sparking a surge in demand for baseball cards across the country. From its new Kansas City-area headquarters, Topps quickly grew to dominate the baseball card market. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Topps produced virtually all major league baseball cards found in stores, cementing Overland Park’s status as a hub for the industry.

In addition to Topps, several other smaller baseball card companies set up shop in Overland Park during the postwar boom years. One such firm was Fleer, a Philadelphia-based gum and candy manufacturer. In the late 1950s, Fleer established its first baseball card division, with production facilities located on Metcalf Avenue. Fleer issued its first series of modern gum-included baseball cards in 1959, becoming the first real competitor to challenge Topps’ monopoly. Another baseball card publisher, the Kansas City-based Donruss Company, also operated out of Overland Park for a time in the 1960s.

The baseball card heyday of the 1950s-60s brought great economic prosperity to Overland Park. Topps alone employed over 1,000 workers at its sprawling campus on Metcalf, which included massive warehouses and printing facilities. With several card companies located within city limits, Overland Park truly became the “Baseball Card Capital of the World.” The local economy received a huge boost from the industry, as baseball cards ranked among the top-selling items in stores nationwide every summer. Many families in Overland Park had relatives working in good-paying manufacturing jobs at Topps or the other card firms.

By the late 1960s the baseball card industry in Overland Park began a long, slow decline. As the decade progressed, Topps’ dominance started to slip as Fleer and Donruss gained market share. In 1981, Donruss moved its headquarters out of state. Fleer was acquired by rival Marvel Entertainment in 1992. Meanwhile, the rise of new hobbies and entertainment drew kids’ attention away from collecting cards. Faced with falling demand, Topps downsized dramatically and eventually shuttered its massive Overland Park plant in 1998, laying off over 600 employees. It was the end of an era.

While Overland Park lost its title as the “Baseball Card Capital,” cards have remained an integral part of the local pop culture fabric. The memories of collecting and trading with friends still resonate with generations of alumni from Shawnee Mission schools. Local card shops like Don’s Trading Post thrived for decades, providing a place for collectors old and new to congregate. In recent years, as nostalgia for vintage cards has surged, Overland Park has seen renewed interest in its baseball card history. Places like the Shawnee Mission East alumni museum now showcase exhibits on the city’s pioneering role in the industry’s golden age. Though the factories have long since closed, Overland Park’s legacy as a birthplace of the modern baseball card lives on.

Baseball Cards in Overland Park, Kansas: A Rich History of the Hobby

Located just outside of Kansas City, Overland Park has a long tradition of baseball card collecting and dealing. The city has been home to many notable card shops over the decades that have helped fuel the popularity of the hobby locally. With Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals just a short drive away, interest in baseball cards has always been strong among Overland Park residents both young and old. Whether looking to build a collection, find that elusive chase card, or simply enjoy talking baseball, Overland Park’s card stores have been community gathering spots for collectors.

One of the earliest and most prominent card shops was Sportscards Plus, which opened its doors in 1978. Founder Joe Berger began buying and selling cards out of his home before deciding to take the business full-time. He chose a storefront location in Old Town Overland Park near Metcalf Avenue and became the first true baseball card shop in the area. In the pre-internet era, Sportscards Plus was a hub for the local hobby scene. Kids would flock there after school and on weekends to trade and buy packs, boxes, and singles. The shop also hosted tournaments and organized trips to Royals games.

In the late 1980s, Sportscards Plus expanded to a larger space to accommodate the booming popularity of cards among both children and adults. This was during the peak of the junk wax era when production and speculation ran rampant. Berger’s shop was at the center of it all, offering the latest wax boxes, factory sets, and trade nights. Some of the most coveted and valuable rookie cards from sets like 1987 Topps, 1989 Upper Deck, and 1991 Stadium Club moved through his store. Sportscards Plus thrived for over 20 years before Berger made the difficult decision to close up shop in the early 2000s as the market began to cool off. His pioneering store left an indelible mark on the Overland Park hobby scene.

As Sportscards Plus was winding down, another prominent shop was just getting started. In 2001, longtime collector and former Sportscards Plus employee Dan Hickey opened Dan’s Cards near 87th Street and Metcalf Avenue. He aimed to carry on the tradition of a dedicated baseball card store that could also serve as a fun community gathering place. Under Hickey’s leadership, Dan’s Cards became a favorite spot for people of all ages to buy, sell, and trade. Like Berger before him, Hickey was passionate about the hobby and fostering enthusiasm for it in others. He sponsored local teams, organized charity drives, and welcomed anyone with an interest in cards through his doors.

During Dan’s Cards’ heyday in the mid-2000s, interest in vintage cards from the 1950s-1980s was peaking. Many collectors were seeking childhood favorites or high-dollar stars from the early years of Topps, Fleer, and other pioneering manufacturers. Hickey worked hard to build an extensive vintage inventory that was among the best in the region. His deep knowledge of the early years of the hobby allowed him to help many collectors complete sets or find chase cards to commemorate players and moments from baseball’s storied past. Dan’s Cards also participated in national card shows, further cementing Overland Park’s status as a Kansas City-area hub.

While the Great Recession slowed business for card shops everywhere around 2008, Dan’s Cards remained a staple in Overland Park for another decade thanks to Hickey’s dedication. Increasing competition from online retailers and changing collecting habits among younger generations made brick-and-mortar challenging. In 2020, Hickey made the tough call to close up after 19 years. His shop leaves behind a wealth of memories and an indelible mark on the local hobby scene much like Sportscards Plus before it.

Today, Overland Park collectors have fewer dedicated card shop options but the hobby remains strong. Card shows pop up regularly featuring vendors traveling through the Midwest. Local card collectors also organize Facebook groups and monthly meetups at restaurants and parks to trade, buy, and discuss the latest in baseball, football, basketball, and other sports. While the internet has decentralized collecting to some degree, Overland Park’s rich baseball card history endures. Places like Sportscards Plus and Dan’s Cards helped foster passion for the hobby locally for generations and ensured this suburb of Kansas City would always have a soft spot for the cardboard wonders inside baseball packs.