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A Selection of Hallmark Ornaments: Baseball

A Selection of Hallmark Ornaments: Baseball

Written by	Andy Stupperich

Andy Stupperich is an associate curator at The Henry Ford.

Bat-and-ball games have been around for many years, and over time they evolved into today's sport of baseball. Whether young or old, pro or amateur, players love to hit, throw, catch, and run the bases. Fans eagerly root for their favorite team and players. Hallmark has celebrated America's "National Pastime" with Christmas ornaments since the late 1980s. These examples help remind us why we love the game.

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Hallmark "Santa at the Bat" Christmas Ornament, 1987

People have been hitting balls with sticks or bats for ages, but in the mid-1800s, Americans began to refine various bat-and-ball games. Over time the game evolved into what we know today as baseball.

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Hallmark "Surprise Catch" Christmas Ornament, 1998

Many children are introduced to baseball by throwing a ball around with family. Others learn to play the game in grade school or with friends in an empty field or a neighborhood sandlot. Sometimes, parents sign their children up to play in organized youth sports leagues.

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Hallmark "All-Star Ballplayer" Christmas Ornament, 2009

Many young players dream of making it to the big leagues. A few good players make it to the minor leagues, and fewer still get a call from a team in the majors. Today's Major League Baseball team's rosters consist of only 26 to 40 players throughout the season.

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Hallmark "Baseball Heroes Series: Babe Ruth" Christmas Ornament, 1994

Hallmark introduced its "Baseball Heroes" series, highlighting some of baseball's greats, in 1994. George Herman "Babe" Ruth was the first in the series. Ruth played most of his career (1914-1935) for the New York Yankees. He hit 714 home runs — 60 of them in one season.

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Hallmark "Baseball Heroes Series: Jackie Robinson" Christmas Ornament, 1997

In the early 1900s, racial prejudice deprived talented African Americans of the right to play professional, major-league baseball. In 1947, Jackie Robinson faced the challenges of discrimination and abuse to champion the rights of African Americans to compete in Major League Baseball. Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking baseball's "color line" and excelling at the game. Robinson appeared on Hallmark's 1997 "Baseball Heroes" ornament.

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Hallmark "Chicago Cubs" Special Edition Christmas Ornament, 2000

Some Major League ballparks have become part of the fabric of the game, strengthening the bond between fans, players, and the team. Today's Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park. The Cubs moved in in 1916, and ten years later, the ballpark was named for Cubs' owner William Wrigley, Jr. Hallmark created this ornament celebrating Wrigley Field in 2000.

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Hallmark "San Francisco Giants: Willie Mays" Christmas Ornament, 2004

Hallmark's "Cooperstown Collection" ornaments honored major league players who had been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame located at Cooperstown, New York. Willie Mays, known as "The Say Hey Kid," joined the Hall of Fame in 1979. Mays, who garnered more than 3,200 hits playing for the New York/San Francisco Giants and New York Mets, is considered one of the greatest players of the game.

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Hallmark "At the Ballpark Series: Albert Pujols" Christmas Ornament, 2005

This 2005 ornament — made for Hallmark's "At the Ballpark" series — depicts St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols. The series began in 1996 and ended in 2010. Hallmark, however, continued to produce ornaments showcasing Major League Baseball stars after the official series ended.

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Hallmark "Happy Holi-Doze" Christmas Ornament, 1996

As each season ends and winter snows cover the ball fields, fans begin to dream. They dream of next year — a winning season and perhaps a championship for their favorite team. They dream of hearing the crack of the bat or the padded thump of a long fly ball caught for the third out. They dream of a hit, a catch, the go-ahead run on first, the slide into home. They dream of spring, when it will all start up again. They dream of baseball.

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