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View Full Version : So you want to rewrite the ACC? Here is a 1976 critique of a try- SCB


Leon
06-05-2010, 10:39 AM
Not too long ago I picked up some old hobby reference ephemera from Rob D. One of the items is a "The Trading News" pamphlet, Vol 1 No 1, from March 1976. In it is a review of what is probably the best try yet at rewriting the American Card Catalog with a new system. It was called "The Sports Collectors Bible" by Bert Sugar. It was first printed in 1975 and then there were 2-3 later versions that were updated and many of the mistakes in the first edition were corrected. This short article was a critique of the 1st edition a year after it was put out. I found it interesting so figure I will share. BTW, there are quite a few of the SCB numbers that have stuck with us through today, so it can be done. It would be a monumental task though. regards

http://luckeycards.com/sportscollectorsbiblereview.jpg

barrysloate
06-05-2010, 10:49 AM
Leon- there were at least four editions of Burt Sugar's book. I have the 3rd and 4th editions, and the copyright dates are 1975, 1977, 1979, and 1983.

FrankWakefield
06-05-2010, 10:53 AM
Reminds me of a quote I like. I think she'd read a book and was writing a review for a newspaper....

This novel is not to be tossed lightly aside, but to be hurled with great force.
- Dorothy Parker (1893-1967)

Jewish-collector
06-05-2010, 10:54 AM
I sold it recently on the B/S/T board.

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=120349

barrysloate
06-05-2010, 11:01 AM
I just randomly flipped through a few pages of the 3rd edition, and on page 315 there is a picture of a T205 labeled a D359. Looks like even subsequent printings were sloppily done.

If you are going to try and catalog all the known sports card issues, you need to do it more diligently.

Yipes- a few pages later an E90-1 is labeled an E145. What is with this book?

Leon
06-05-2010, 11:03 AM
Leon- there were at least four editions of Burt Sugar's book. I have the 3rd and 4th editions, and the copyright dates are 1975, 1977, 1979, and 1983.

My mistake....I have 3 of the editions, missing the 2nd one, but was too lazy to go look :) .....regards

ps...and it isn't really "at least", though that would be technically correct. There were exactly 4 editions. And as we all know Sugar authored other, non-baseball reference material too.

steve B
06-05-2010, 03:24 PM
I've got one of the earlier editions. In its day it really wasn't that bad for a new collector. It doesn't have pictures, so there are probably fewer mistakes. I saved up for one to get the lists and descriptions of sets I'd never actually seen.

At the time (77-78)the ACC was I think long out of print, so the info wasn't all that easy to find. The Beckett/Eckes book that came out in 78 was much easier to use and had pictures, but it was limited. It included only the most common sets. I think it had - Bowman, Topps, but no inserts or test issues,
T205,t206, Maybe t207? 48 Leaf, and maybe 33 and 34 goudey. I'd have to dig around to gind one to be certain.

But for any other set it was just the SCB, articles in hobby papers, or a copy of the ACC which wasn't easy to come by.

Every time I use the current big book I think how easy things are now.

Steve B