Pre-World War II Era
1868	Peck and Snyder, a New York sporting goods store creates what is considered to be the first set of baseball cards. Images of local baseball heroes were featured on the front of the cards, while the backs were advertisements for the companies sporting goods equipment.
1886	Goodwin & Co. of New York issues the first tobacco cards by inserting cards with pictures of baseball players as pack liners for their cigarettes.
1895	Mayo Cut Plug Is the only set issued during the 1890's due to the formation of the American Tobacco Company buy "Buck" Duke in 1890 which ended tobacco company competion.
1903	The E107 Breisch Williams, set is produced, marking the first significant release of the 20^th Century, It is also the first Candy issued set.
1909	The American Tobacco Company, the parent company of Piedmont, Sweet Corporal and many other smaller tobacco companies, creates the T206 White Border set. One of the most famous and highly collected sets of all time; this set includes the most valuable sports card in the Hobby. The famous short printed Honus Wagner card.
1914	Cracker Jack joins the game and produces the first of its 2 highly desirable red background sets. Cracker Jack sets are notable for the inclusion of Federal League players.
1920	Following the suspension of card production during WWI (1917-1919), Carmel companies, most notibly "The American Carmel Co." and ICe Cream manufacturers dominated the Baseball card market during the 1920's. Babe Ruth dominated the card market during this era.
1928	The Fro-Joy set featured Babe Ruth on every card.
1933	Boston becomes the center of the baseball card world as three gum comapnies; Goudey, George C. Miller and DeLong all issue sets. These cards were the first to incude extensive player statitics.
1939	Gum, Inc., later known as Bowman, produces its first Play Ball set featuring both Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams.
1941	Gum, Inc., Goudy and Double Play issue the final baseball card sets before America's entrence into World War II.
Post World War II Era
1948	Following the End of WWII card production resumes with Bowman, formerly Gum Inc, printing Baseball cards along with a new player, the Leaf Candy Company. Each company prints small National issues.
1952	Topps produces its first baseball card set, which includes the most important post war card in the hobby. Mickey Mantle's Topps Rookie Card
1954	Bowman issues the first set to contain both Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle
1956	Topps purchases Bowman and becomes the only national manufacturer of Baseball cards. Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams are both represented in the smae Topps set for the first time.
1957	Topps reduces the dimension of their cards to 2 ½ by 3 ½ inches. This size remains the industry standard today.
1959	Ted Williams signs an independent contract with Fleer and Fleer produces the first sportscard issue to be entirely dedicated to one player since the Fro-Joy set of 1928.
1961	Topps produces its last Horizonatal issue.
1963	Fleer attempts to circumvent Topp's exclusive rights to produce baseball cards for sell with gum by issuing their complete baseball set with cookies. Legal action is taken by Topps and fFeer is forced to abandon future production of its cards.
1976	The TCMA company produces its 630-card SSPC set, selling it by mail and without full baseball licensing. It too, lasts only one season before Topps files suit to have it stopped
1980	A Court ruling finds that Topps' exclusive rights apply only to baseball cards sold with gum, opening the door for competitors to finally get back in the game.
Modern Era
1981	Following the 1980 Court Ruling, Donruss and Fleer produce their First Baseball Sets
1988	Score prints its first Baseball card set
1989	The Most significant Baseball set of the Modern Era is issued by Upper Deck. Bucking the current trends of mass production, Upper Deck intentionally kept production levels low to help ensure its issue would be desirable. It worked. The most important card of this issue and this era is the Ken Griffy Jr. Rookie card by Upper Deck
1990	Donruss resurrects a piece of its own corporate history and issues a set reintroducing Leaf to the US sports card market.
1994	Major League Baseball expands to its largest number of licensed card manufacturers by adding Pacific to the list and all but kills the long term investment collectability of cards from this era.
1998	The parent company of Score, Pinnacle Brands, closes shop. Donruss acquires the rights to the Score name, which it still uses for its football card issues.
2001	Pacific drops out of the baseball card business, reducing the number of card companies to four.
2005	Fleer stuns the baseball card world by declaring bankruptcy. Its assets are later purchased by Upper Deck, which decides to manufacture and market products under the Fleer brand names.
2006	Recognizing their error in 1994 and citing a glut in the marketplace and the desire to regain some control over the baseball card industry, Major League Baseball declines to renew Donruss' license, leaving Topps and Upper Deck as the only baseball card producers.