George Peppard, best known for his roles in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and TV’s The A-Team, had a deep passion for baseball that extended beyond just being a fan of America’s pastime. Throughout his life, Peppard amassed a sizable collection of baseball cards that showcased his love and appreciation for the game.
As a child growing up in Detroit in the 1940s, Peppard became enamored with both acting and baseball. He would spend hours flipping through his growing collection of cards, studying the stats and photos of his favorite players. Two of the cards that held special meaning for the young George were a 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle and a 1952 Topps Stan Musial. While the condition of the cards was nothing special by today’s standards, to Peppard they represented his two favorite ballplayers.
When Peppard moved to California as a struggling young actor in the 1950s, his card collection took a backseat to pursuing his Hollywood dreams. It wasn’t long before his passion for the cards was rekindled. In the late 1950s, Peppard befriended fellow actor James Garner on the set of a TV Western. Garner noticed Peppard’s Mantle and Musial cards and the two soon realized they shared a love of the hobby. Garner reignited Peppard’s interest and the pair spent many an off day trading and discussing their collections.
Around this same time, the modern baseball card collecting frenzy was beginning to take shape. High grade vintage cards from the 1950s and prior were in demand. Peppard began to see the collecting aspect as both an enjoyable pastime as well as a potential investment. He started strategically adding to his collection, searching mom & pop shops and rummage sales for hidden gems. One of his biggest early finds was an unopened 1909-11 T206 set he purchased for $50 in 1958, a true steal even then.
As Peppard’s acting career took off in the 1960s with big screen roles in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, his collection continued growing. Any spare money he had went towards filling gaps, acquiring difficult stars, and high grade examples of his favorites. His prized Mickey Mantle and Stan Musial cards were joined by extensive runs of 1900s tobacco cards like Eddie Plank, Nap Lajoie and Cy Young. Peppard also assembled nearly complete vintage sets like 1933 Goudey and 1952 Topps.
In the 1970s, Peppard starred on one of the most popular TV shows ever, The A-Team. Now quite wealthy, Peppard was able to focus more of his finances into his true passion of collecting. He teamed up with dealers and made significant purchases that dramatically upgraded his sets and stars. Some of his biggest splurges from this peak earning era included a PSA 8 1909 Honus Wagner for $100,000 and a near pristine 1916 Sporting News Babe Ruth for $250,000. Peppard also flew to baseball card conventions, delighting fans by openly discussing his dedication to the hobby.
Sadly, Peppard passed away in 1994 at the young age of 66. His legendary collection lived on. Valued at well over $5 million at the time of his death, Peppard’s card albums and boxes showcased not only his fine taste but also the growth of a lifelong pursuit. In following auctions and private sales over subsequent years, his prized cards continued appreciating in value, cementing George Peppard as one of the earliest and most dedicated celebrity collectors in the hobby’s history. For Peppard, his baseball card collection represented much more than just glossy pieces of paper – it was a gateway to reliving fond childhood memories of America’s pastime and appreciating the athletes who were his boyhood heroes.