Vintage Guru Reveals Her Glamour Secrets
The Killer Mobile Device for Victorian Women
Gloriously Grotesque 19th-Century Pipes
The Beautiful Chaos of Improvisational Quilts
Our Dad, the Water Witch of Wyoming
This 1959 Goggomobil Is Insanely Cute and Gets 55 MPG. Why Can’t Detroit Do That?
California Cool: How the Wetsuit Became the Surfer's Second Skin
The Unfiltered History of Rolling Papers, Plus Tommy Chong's Big Fat Jamaican Vacation
World's Smallest Museum Finds the Wonder in Everyday Objects
Fightin’ Femmes: Unmasking Female Superheroes with Author Mike Madrid
The first recorded baseball game was played in Hoboken, NJ in 1846 between the NYC Knickerbocker Base Ball Club and the New York Baseball Club (the Knickerbockers lost). By 1858, the National Association of Base Ball Players was formed, consisting of around 30 small teams. After the Civil War, the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first professional fully-paid team.
Over the next hundred years, a number of leagues emerged, including the National Association, American League, National League, Federal League, and Continental (items from defunct leagues are highly sought after today).
Baseball cards are widely collected today. The earliest incarnations (1840s) were cardboard-backed photos of local players and teams, which came in cabinet card size and the smaller carte-de-visite size. Commercial baseball cards emerged in the late 1860s when a sporting goods dealer called Peck & Snyder printed cards with an ad on one side and a baseball player on the other. Within a few years, cards began appearing in packages of Old Judge tobacco and other tobacco, candy and chewing gum brands...
Other promotional items such as baseball programs became popular in the 1890s. Advertisers bought space on these score cards, and cards from famous games (e.g. the World Series) are highly sought-after. Other collectible promotional items include gloves, statuettes, plaques, posters, and pins.
And of course, there's a huge market for authentic baseball memorabilia linked to specific players, including greats such as Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams, and Willie Mays. They produced plenty of signed baseballs, bats, gloves, photos, and other autographs. But be careful, as fake sports memorabilia is a lucrative business.
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by Interviews & Articles
How To Build a Killer Baseball Collection: Scouting the Minors With Dave Bloomer
Like most people my age, when I was growing up, baseball memorabilia meant baseball cards. The great thing about baseball cards at… [more]
The Secrets of Collecting Baseball, From Cards to Signed Bats and Balls
I played baseball, basketball, and ran track from the time I was eight years old all the way through high school. Like the other k… [more]
Hitting a Home Run with Baseball Cards
I started collecting in 1986. If you’re in Boston and you’re a baseball fan, the Red Sox may take over your life. They take over y… [more]
Now Batting, National Baseball Hall of Fame Curator Tom Shieber
The Baseball Hall of Fame officially opened in 1939, so we’re coming up on our 70th anniversary. If you include baseball cards, we… [more]
19th-Century Tobacco Cards
Dave Campbell contacted me after reading a post on The Baseball Card blog. He's been collecting baseball cards non-stop since 1981… [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Old Cardboard
Check out this well-organized collection of 500 sets of baseball cards, each over 50 years old. Browsable by type a… [read review or visit site]
The Baseball Card Blog
Ben Henry's lively vintage baseball card blog, started in January 2006, offers hundreds of great posts on (and pict… [read review or visit site]
Cardboard Junkie
Dave Campbell's in-depth blog on old baseball (and some football) cards lives up to it's motto: 'do cards, not drug… [read review or visit site]
Baseball Cards 1887-1914
Roll up your socks for this Library of Congress collection showcasing hundreds of players on colorful early basebal… [read review or visit site]
Baseball Hall of Fame
A home run for baseball collectors, this site features special online exhibits, ranging from a baseball-uniforms da… [read review or visit site]
Other Great Reference Sites
Top eBay Auctions
2010 Topps Heritage Chase '61 Babe Ruth Mickey Mantle Roger Maris Cut Auto 1/1
Babe Ruth Single Signed Baseball Psa 6 Mint Auto, New York Yankees Hof
Babe Ruth, Cochrane, Dean, & Herman Signed Autographed Baseball Ball Psa/dna
1958 Topps #158 Indians Team Checklist Back Psa 10 Gem Mint Centered Pop 1 Only 
1933 Goudey Baseball #144 Babe Ruth Psa 5 Ex 
1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle Rookie Rc Hof Yankees Psa 4 Vg-ex 
"shoeless "joe Jackson Game Used Textile League Baseball Bat. Purchased 1932.
1933 Sport Kings Babe Ruth. Psa 5. Sharp Corners, Crisp Clear Focus!
1963 Topps # 537 Pete Rose Rc Psa 8 Reds, Yankees
1952 Topps #333 Pee Wee Reese Hof Dodgers High# Psa 8.5 Nm-mt+ Centered Low Pop
1952 Bowman Baseball Set - Vg+
1964 Topps #50 Mickey Mantle New York Yankees Hof Psa 9 Mint Centered 
1950 Bowman #35 Joe Perry Rc (hofer) San Francisco 49ers Psa 9 Mint - Pop 6 Rare
1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #181 Psa 3 Vg
2000 Spx Spectrum Tom Brady Rookie Stars Red Rc Sp #'d 8/25 Bgs 8.5 W/ 2 - 9.5!
Beautiful 1970 Topps #123 Pete Maravich Psa 9 Mint Rookie Rc!
1950 Bowman #52 Elroy Hirsch Rc (hofer) Los Angeles Rams Psa 9 Mint - Pop 5 Rare
(14) 2003 Lebron James Bgs 9.5 Rc Auto, Exquisite , Patches Rookie Card Mix Lot
1966 Topps #35 Bobby Orr Rookie Enm!! Ksa 6 - Looks Better!!
1934 Tour Of Japan W/ Ruth & Gehrig ~psa/dna Loa~ Team Signed Baseball 14 Auto's
1933 Goudey Babe Ruth 53 Psa 2 Good
1964 Topps Baseball Complete Set (-1)-nm+
1955 Topps #123 Sandy Koufax Rookie Rc Hof Brooklyn Dodgers Psa 7 Nm "high End"
1954 Topps Hank Aaron Rookie #128 Psa 7 Nm **high End** !! Hof Rc Henry
1956 Topps #135 Mickey Mantle Yankees Psa 7.5 Nrmint+ Partial Set Break
1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente Rc Psa 6 Ex/mt Hof Pirates Very Tough Card
Outstanding 1973 Topps Baseball Set Nm - Nm/mt W/ Better Buy It Now Bonus Card
2012 Leaf Ultimate Draft Baseball Hobby 12 Box Case Puig Buxton Sbaycards
Mike Trout Superfractor 2011 Rookie Bowman Psa 10 1/1
1966 Philadelphia #134 Bob Brown Rc Hof Psa 9 Pop 3 Non Higher
1954 Topps Henry (hank) Aaron Rc #128 Psa 6 Ex-mt
2005 Playoff Contenders Aaron Rodgers Rookie Auto Psa 10 Gem Mint
1934 Goudey Lou Gehrig #37 Psa 5 Ex **high End** !! Hof Yankees
1977 Topps Nolan Ryan California Angels #650 Baseball Card Psa 10 (pop 8)
1987 Cubs Canon Greg Maddux Psa 9 Mint Rc Rookie Holy Grail Card 1/1 Pop Hof
1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123 Psa 7
1953 Topps Baseball Complete Set 280 Cards Good
1938 Goudey Joe Dimaggio New York Yankees #250 Baseball Card Gai 5.5 Ex Plus
1957 Topps #77 Bill Russell Rookie Hof Celtics Psa 6 *365851
2003-04 Lebron James Bowman Chrome Xfractor Refractor Rookie Rc Bgs 9.5! 30/150
Amazing Baseball Signed By The Great Lou Gehrig
1960 Topps Baseball Card Complete Set (1-572) (stars Graded)
1958 Topps #380 Charley Maxwell Detroit Tigers Psa 9 Mint Centered Low Pop
2010/11 Panini National Treasures Patch Rookie Auto Paul George Bgs 9.5 /99 Rc
1960 Topps Baseball Complete Set-ex/mt W/psa 6 Mantle
Robert Griffin Iii Auto Rg3 5/10 Bgs 9.5 Gem Mint Finest Atomic Rookie Rc 2012
1962 Topps #287 George Witt Psa 8 Super Rare None Higher!!!
1955 Topps Baseball Starter Set W/ 126 Different Cards W/ Spahn Aaron Plus
Ted Williams Signed Bat Baseball Stan Musial Hank Aaron Psa Autograph Hof Mays 
1971 Topps #630 Roberto Clemente Pirates Hof Bvg 9 Mint Centered " Razor Sharp "
1971 Topps #630 Roberto Clemente Pittsburgh Pirates Hof Psa 8.5 Nm-mt+ Centered
2009-10 National Treasures Stephen Curry Auto Jersey Patch Bgs 9.5 Rc #29/99
2004 Topps Fan Favorites Bob Sheppard Auto Autograph Yankees /10
1964 Topps Set+banks Ford Mantle Maris Yaz Spahn Robinson++very Strong 515/587 
Lebron James Sp Authentic Auto Rc -mint '9' Bgs
2011 Topps Chrome Colin Kaepernick Gold Refractor Auto 1/10 Rc Rookie Card 1/1
*1993 Upper Deck Sp Foil Derek Jeter Rc #279 Psa 9*
09-10 National Treasures Kobe Bryant "black Mamba" Auto Bgs Mint /99! Rare!!!
1980 Topps Nolan Ryan California Angels #580 Baseball Card Psa 10 (pop 18)
Rare 1936 Ty Cobb Autographed Signed Handwritten Letter Full Jsa Loa Psa
Recent News: Baseball Memorabilia
Source: Google News
DEXTER: Civil War Days vintage baseball game a hit
Heritage Newspapers, June 17thFront Row (L-R): Megan Pike, Catie Van Hoek, “Honest Jon” Van Hoek, “Crawdad” Koval, “Kid” Aldrich, “Swede” Sprague, “Hands” King, “Prospector” Oliver, “Hawgcooker” Aldrich, “Sprocket” Olexa, “Deke” Dice, “Grizzly” Roy-Borland. Back Row (L-R): ...Read more
Harrison sesquicentennial to include old-fashioned fair, vintage baseball
Exponent-telegram, June 16thHarrison sesquicentennial to include old-fashioned fair, vintage baseball. Story · Comments. Print: Create a hardcopy of this page; Font Size: Default font size: Larger font size. Previous Next. Batter up! This vintage baseball game shows the Watson...Read more
Vintage baseball game is July 6!
Hingham Journal, June 16thStep back into the 1860s and see the boys of summer play nine frames of Base, that new game of ball that is taking America by storm. The Hingham Derbys and their crosstown arch-rivals, the Mighty Hingham Coopers, begin play at 2 p.m., on Saturday, July...Read more
Vintage baseball at Lincoln Log
Journal Gazette and Times-Courier, June 14thLERNA (JG-TC) — A demonstration of vintage baseball is scheduled for 1 p.m. today at Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site. Two traveling demonstration teams, the Rock Springs Ground Squirrels and the Vermillion Voles, will compete in the event...Read more
Vintage baseball clubs to host game with '19th Century rules' in Hoboken
The Jersey Journal - NJ.com, June 14thVintage baseball clubs to host game with '19th Century rules' in Hoboken. Print · John Ambrosio/The Jersey Journal By John Ambrosio/The Jersey Journal The Jersey Journal on June 14, 2013 at 12:42 PM. View/Post Comments. Hoboken Nine The Hoboken ...Read more
Vintage baseball to be shown Saturday at Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site
Journal Gazette and Times-Courier, June 14thLERNA (JG-TC) — A demonstration of vintage baseball is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site. Two traveling demonstration teams, the Rock Springs Ground Squirrels and the Vermillion Voles, will compete in the event ...Read more
Walker Tavern Wheels vintage baseball team celebrates vintage baseball, game ...
The Jackson Citizen Patriot - MLive.com, June 9thBROOKLYN, MI -- About 25 times a season, members of the Walker Tavern Wheels vintage baseball team lace up their cleats, slip on their pants and button up their old-fashioned jerseys as they prepare to play the game they love. Playing under 1860s rules...Read more
In 100th year, ball field hosts vintage baseball
Marion Star, June 8thTwo Ohio vintage baseball teams helped to preserve that memory Saturday with a game played using rules from nearly 150 years ago. “It's relatively faithful to the way baseball was played in the 1860s,” said team manager Craig Lammers. The were several ...Read more