Topps baseball cards hold a special place in the hearts of many baseball fans and collectors. Since the early 1950s, Topps has produced iconic baseball cards that have not only captured the sport’s biggest moments and stars, but also fueled the hobby of collecting for generations. Their flagship set – Topps Big League – stands out as one of the most recognizable and beloved in the industry.
Topps got its start in 1938 as a Brooklyn-based company known for producing bubble gum. In the late 1940s, they began experimenting with including small collectible photos inserted inside the wax paper wrapping of their gum packs. These early products did not feature any specific sports league licenses at first. However, Topps soon realized the potential of including professional athletes on these small photo cards and began negotiating exclusive deals with various leagues.
In 1951, Topps signed the first-ever exclusive license with Major League Baseball, allowing them to produce cards with team and player likenesses and statistics. These first modern baseball cards issued under the license that year are known today as the 1952 Topps set. Rather than going straight into a full-sized card format, Topps’ first post-licensing baseball releases in ’51 and ’52 featured small 1 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ photos resembling their original gum wrappers.
For 1953, Topps transitioned to the now-standard 3 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ large card stock size that would define their “Standard” size format going forward. This is considered the true genesis of the classic Topps baseball card, though the ’52s are still highly coveted by collectors today.
In 1957, Topps issued their first set branded as “Topps Big League” rather than just “Topps.” This marked the debut of their larger “Size B” card format, measuring approximately 3 5/8″ x 2 1/2.” The 1957 Topps Big League cards featured multi-colored team logos and provided richer photography and stats than previous Topps issues.
Through the late 1950s and 60s, Topps Big League continued to gain popularity alongside Topps’ standard release. They incorporated more vibrant colors, including the first true color photos in 1961. Each set captured the bigger stars and storylines of that particular baseball season. Mantles, Maris, Mays and more graced the cardboard, immortalizing the peak of sports’ Golden Age.
By the 1970s, Topps Big League had firmly established itself as the company’s premier baseball card product line. The expanded size allowed for enhanced photography and design elements compared to the standard issue. Sets from this era like 1971, 1972 and 1977 are considered some of the finest in terms of image quality and content from the vintage era. Rising stars like Bench, Fisk and Carlton started to gain mainstream attention through their Topps Big League cards.
The 1970s also saw Topps begin experimenting with innovative technological advancements in their card production. The 1973 Topps Big League set introduced the “3-D” lenticular card design that provided moving images when tilted. While shorter-printed due to production issues, these early video cards remain a technological marvel and highly sought novelty item for collectors today.
In 1980, Topps’ exclusive MLB license was challenged for the first time by rival card manufacturer Fleer. This opened the door for more competitive offerings and new ideas within the growing sports card market. Topps responded with their most notable Big League innovation – 1981 Traded sets that featured players photographed in the uniforms of their new teams midseason. This captured immediate real-life trades and was a huge collector attraction.
The competition of the 1980s led to greater experimentation across various Topps lines. Big League saw notable oddball issues like 1983’s blue tint photo variation sets and the huge 1987 Traded subset. New technologies also emerged, like the extremely rare 1985 edition that implemented Swatch patch card stock. The late 80s boom years are best remembered through the mega-sized rookie class depicted in mainstream and traded variants of 1988 Topps Big League.
Topps continued producing their flagship Big League product into the modern collection era of the 1990s and 2000s, alongside numerous insert and parallel sets. Highlights included historic milestone cards in the late 90s commemorating 3,000 hit clubs, and comprehensive Traded sets tracking that year’s wheelings and dealings. Mounting production costs and broader industry changes led Topps to discontinue Big League as a stand-alone release after 2002.
While no longer an active set, Topps Big League remains one of the most storied brands in the hobby due to its place documenting baseball’s classic eras. The enlarged format, sharp photography and aggressive chase variants created an experience distinct from Topps’ standard issues. Big League cards of the stars from the 1960s-80s in particular are still highly valued today for their visual pop and nostalgic appeal. Even casual fans can instantly recognize and relate to the iconic cardboard branding that helped shaped modern baseball card collection.
