Topps baseball cards have been a staple of the baseball card collecting hobby since the 1950s. Starting as just one company trying to compete with Bowman in the post-WWII era, Topps grew to eventually dominate the baseball card market and become a memorable brand associated with America’s pastime.
In the early days of baseball cards, companies like Bowman, Fleer, and Leaf produced most of the cards on the market. In 1951 Topps entered the game with their first complete baseball card release. Though humble with just 165 cards featuring players from that season, Topps’ cheap bubblegum incentive helped make the cards an instant success with kids. As Bowman struggled with distribution issues, Topps took advantage and was soon producing over 400 card releases each year.
Through the 1950s, Topps was refining their baseball card product. They introduced new traditions still used today such as colorful borders on the front, stats and biographical information on the back, and a coded numerical identifier system. Topps also gained the license to Major League Baseball in an exclusive deal, putting competitors like Bowman out of the baseball card business by 1956. This monopoly allowed Topps to focus wholly on baseball while competitors diversified into other sports and non-sports cards.
In the excitement of the 1960s as baseball and America boomed in popularity, Topps thrived as the sole purveyor of officially licensed MLB cards. Iconic sets from the era like 1965 and 1967 are still considered classics. Topps introduced innovations such as “action photos” and multi-player cards while Hall of Famers like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Sandy Koufax had some of their most popular cards made during this period. By the 1970s, collecting baseball cards was a true nationwide phenomenon especially among children eager to trade and swap with their friends.
During the 1970s and 80s, the golden era continued as stars like Reggie Jackson, Nolan Ryan, and Cal Ripken Jr. had defining rookie cards produced by Topps. In 1981 rival company Fleer finally broke Topps’ exclusive agreement with MLB to produce their own set that same year. This marked the beginning of the modern baseball card licensing system where multiple companies like Fleer, Donruss, and Upper Deck could all produce high-quality MLB cardboard.
While new competitors emerged, Topps has remained the consistent veterans of the hobby. They continued issuing popular products like Topps Traded, Tiffany, and the flagship annual sets. The late 80s also saw a boom in the collecting hobby as the arrival of the internet made buying, selling, and researching cards much easier. Into the 90s and 2000s, Topps transitioned well by offering inserts, parallels, autographs, and memorabilia cards to appeal to more serious adult collectors. Iconic modern rookie cards from Topps include Chipper Jones, Derek Jeter, and Bryce Harper.
Though not without challenges, Topps has endured over 60+ years in an ever-changing marketplace by building on the nostalgia for their classic designs and focusing on innovative new products. Today’s Topps now offers immersive digital experiences alongside their traditional card releases. They have remained a beloved brand that sparks memories for multiple generations who enjoyed the affordability and accessibility of collecting baseball cards as kids.
The tradition of baseball card customs also gained great popularity, especially during the heyday of 1970s/1980s when the cards were part of kids’ regular lives. Customizing traded, duplicate, or junk cards allowed young collectors to show fandom, boast stats, or make jokes. Commonly seen customs included drawing player hair/facial hair that may have changed, updating stats, adding/removing team logos, making mashup cards of players on different teams, or transforming cards into creative parodies. Regional stats leaders were also a popular custom subtype.
Nowadays, advanced digital tools have taken customizing to a new technical level. Sites like Photoshop let ambitious fans digitally transplant players onto different uniforms, modify imagery, add creative templates, or realistically alter card designs. 3D printing and enhanced graphics skills have led to incredibly detailed one-of-a-kind customized cards. Custom cards are also now a legitimate genre in the professional card marketplace, with companies producing limited run custom subsets or one-off commissioned cards. Online customs communities have sprung up for fans to share and appreciate each other’s works of passion.
In summary, Topps’ affordable and ubiquitous baseball cards helped turn collecting into a national childhood activity. Their brand and traditional card designs remain classics remembered fondly by generations. While competitors joined the fun, Topps’ dedication carried them successfully into modern times with innovative new offerings. Baseball card customs – from simple childhood pastimes to impressive digital artworks – further show how fans have kept discovering new ways to enjoy America’s national pastime on cardboard for over 60 memorable years.
