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-   -   Who had a positive impact on your collection ? (http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=248316)

Baseballcrazy62 12-31-2017 07:32 AM

Charles Dutko owned a card store in Warren, Mi (Common Cents and More). Got to know him and his family well over the years. The store closed a number of years ago and kinda lost touch with him. Heard he passed away a few years ago. He smoked like a chimney but had a lot of neat stuff in the store. Bought some pre war stuff that I still have. He was a great guy!!

cubman1941 12-31-2017 10:54 AM

For me it was my daughter. In 1975 I had been out of collecting since 1954 and had no real interest in getting back. I had spent 9 out of the previous 15 years out of the country. She bought me a Hostess Twinkies box both because she knew I loved Twinkies and also baseball. This one had the cards on the bottom one of which was a Cub, my favorite team. This got me interested in collecting baseball again and I have never stopped. I recently sent her the four Cubs 1915 PM1 Ornate-Framed Pins I had as she had always admired them.

rgpete 12-31-2017 11:03 AM

My DAD

CobbSpikedMe 12-31-2017 11:32 AM

The biggest early influence on my vintage collecting when I first got back into the hobby was Kit Young. I could actually order t206 and vintage from him when I couldn't find them anywhere else.

Then I found Network 54 (remember back then?) and the boards before this incantation of them. I loved the pick up threads and all the info I was getting. I learned so much about prewar it was nuts. I don't post that much but I've been here for many many years.

Then I found OBC and my collection really took off. The OBC guys are the best friends I have in the hobby by far. They are awesome and I love being in the group.

Thanks,

AndyH

robw1959 12-31-2017 03:39 PM

Frank Nagy sticks out as being quite influential to me as a new hobbyist back in the 1970s. His mail order auctions were so cool. He would actually ship you the winning lots before payment, giving you the option to pay if you liked the merchandise or just return it if you didn't. Only once did I return something . . . a 1934 Jimmy Foxx Batter Up card that came with the top half discarded. I complained that I was only getting half a card for my $11.50 winning bid, and I got this long detailed letter from Frank replying that he had seen this card go for more money and in worse condition than mine was. But he balanced it all out by saying that it was ultimately my choice, and I had the right of refusal after all. Often he even gave me bidding tips. What a guy Mr. Nagy was!

Hankphenom 12-31-2017 04:10 PM

Larry Ritter. Reading "The Glory of Their Times" around 1975 or so sparked my interest in old time baseball and led to all kinds of adventures about it, including collecting, that I don't think I would have ever pursued otherwise. It's always been a pet theory of mine that it's no coincidence at all that not long after the publication of "Glory" in 1966, and it's subsequent success, collecting the cards and memorabilia of the players and teams of the period covered by that book started getting into full swing.

obcbobd 01-01-2018 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve B (Post 1726288)
All three of the Halls from Halls Nostalgia.

I moved to Arlington in late 77, and asked a couple kids about older cards. Discovered there was a full time shop right in town!

Maybe I was one of the kids you asked :-). Lived the first 25 and last 7 years of my life in Arlington. I was one of Hall's first customers in 75 or 76.

By 1980 I was graduating high school and on to other things, went to a few shows in the 80s/90s but was turned off by the high prices and greed in general.

Then around 1998 I found OBC (http://www.oldbaseball.com) a great group of guys into old beatup card board more for fun than profit. Made a lot of friends, completed or started all of the Topps/Bowmna sets and a few pre-war. Its been a blast!

cardcountry 01-02-2018 01:56 AM

Thanks Sam! Sorry to have cursed you with my OCD! lol

My dad and mom were huge influences on my collecting- as a kid we loved doing shows together, so the main reason I started buying cards again as an adult was so that we could do shows together.

The other big influence has been my wife, who strongly encouraged me to start up collecting again.

Jeff

steve B 01-02-2018 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by obcbobd (Post 1734541)
Maybe I was one of the kids you asked :-). Lived the first 25 and last 7 years of my life in Arlington. I was one of Hall's first customers in 75 or 76.

By 1980 I was graduating high school and on to other things, went to a few shows in the 80s/90s but was turned off by the high prices and greed in general.

Then around 1998 I found OBC (http://www.oldbaseball.com) a great group of guys into old beatup card board more for fun than profit. Made a lot of friends, completed or started all of the Topps/Bowmna sets and a few pre-war. Its been a blast!

That's really cool!

I was a year behind you, graduated in 81.
The kids I asked would have been other freshmen, as I was new and didn't know anyone yet.
I don't recall you, but I'm sure we must have run across each other at Halls. I was there often enough that they put me to work sorting sets in 78. Like 2-3 times a week.
I also bought cards from the little antique shop in Fabric Corner.


Steve B

MVSNYC 01-02-2018 09:19 AM

I could list many...here's a few...Jay Wolt, Scott & Hank Levy, Wonka.

A special mention of Derek Hogue, who, about 5 years ago, really impressed me with having only (about) a 10 card collection, but each one was a jaw-dropper (all were T206 HOFers with rare backs). I always employed the "quality over quantity" mantra, but his collection really inspired me.

clydepepper 01-02-2018 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankbmd (Post 1726422)
I’ll say it if no one else will

Net54

My father didn’t give a damn about cards or baseball.

My mother threw out my childhood collection from the fifties.

My cousin who might have been a positive influence died prematurely.

My wallet tells me that a host of dealers had a negative impact.

Leon, if I’m wrong about the positive impact of this site, I gather that everyone who posted above me in this thread disagrees with me, since Net54 hasn’t been mentioned once.:eek:


Frank - I could not agree more! Here's to Leon and all his minions!

Chris Counts 01-02-2018 05:42 PM

Nobody played a bigger role for me than my dad. When I was nine in 1970, my mom gave me $1 and sent me to the grocery store for some broccoli. For reasons beyond my reason, I spent the money on baseball cards. As I was walking home, my dad drove by and offer me a ride. I explained what had happened, and he drove me back to the store, where he bought some broccoli — and some more baseball cards.

For the next half dozen years, he drove me and brother around to card shows in Orange County, and even the occasional trip to LA to visit Goodwin Goldfadden's legendary shop.

My brother and I still collect, and dad is still alive at 95. Thanks dad!

Another guy I give a lot of credit too is John Parks. I'm not sure if he is still alive, but he later founded the monthly card club meetings at the Issac Walton School in Garden Grove in the mid 1970s. He lived nearby, and I literally discovered vintage cards in his garage. My brother and I would spent hours going through his cards, and he was always patient with us, and never charged us much. He was truly an old school collector/dealer, and I mean that as a supreme compliment ...

Baseballcrazy62 01-05-2018 06:10 PM

There is a good chance that most of our dads had to cover for us once in a while. My Dad is 94 and we still talk about cards all the time. Mostly about all the stuff we should have bought and didn't. Thanks for the story!!

xplainer 01-05-2018 06:47 PM

Three guys on here have really educated me on T206 cards, and have helped me out on purchases(from them) and advice on others.
Scot Reader
BocaBirdMan Mike
Luke Lyon.
Scot is very open and glad to share information he has worked on very hard and spent alot of time on. Great researcher that doesn't mind telling you what he knows.
Mike and Luke are long distance friends who has taught me things, shared opinions, and we have worked out sweet deals. For both sides! My favorites sellers on this site.
That is my top three.

angolajones 01-05-2018 07:40 PM

My Mom got me into baseball cards. I was 4 years old and 1977 Topps packs are what she bought for me. After opening them, I was hooked. She would take me to the corner grocery store and get packs and open and sort them with me. We bought the cardboard organizer by team in 1980 with the two rows and blue silhouettes on the outside. I remember going to card shows at the fairgrounds and how packed it was. We came home with a 1962 Maris that a neighbor boys stole from me.

Unfortunately, the majority of my collecting was during the junk wax era.

Got out of collecting after high school and just recently got back thanks to finding this site on the Internet.

T205 GB 01-06-2018 08:46 AM

An older board member gave me some words of advice. He passed away unfortunately about a year later. I have visited his site at Arlington Cemetery and that's the closest to in person I ever got but the emails and stories we shared is what lit my passion for prewar. I am sure Joe is deeply missed on this board.

bauce 01-06-2018 09:19 AM

For vintage: this place.

Now I am intimidated by all the great stuff in other people's collections.

glchen 01-06-2018 12:41 PM

I'd thank Brad Green, a member on this board. His Lefty Grove collection (Link) with all of the color variations gave me the start and motivations for my player set collections.

Baseballcrazy62 01-06-2018 03:44 PM

Just checked out that Grove Collection. I really like those Wheaties panels.

Bicem 01-07-2018 10:17 PM

Think my earliest influencers were Steve Murray, Kevin Struss, Craig Lipman, JC, Wesley Liu, Robert Silverman.

Even before I knew them I admired their collections and taste in cards.

Leon 01-10-2018 08:23 AM

Getting back to this question the early influencers were Smiling Dave (don't know his last name), Scott Brockelman and Lew Lipset..... The latter 2 helped me a lot when I first started out.

Chuck9788 01-12-2018 05:55 AM

My mother. When I wad 12 she purchased me a mint Rod Carew rookie. Best gift ever! Either that or the G.I. Joe "Headquarters Command Center".

http://www.yojoe.com/images/resize/w...q_box_back.jpg

WillBBC 01-12-2018 08:15 AM

My parents. My mom was always willing to pick up a pack while grocery shopping and my dad was always willing to drive me to different shows around New Jersey/New York.

My mom's friend also gave me a Don Mattingly Topps rookie as a birthday gift then a Donruss rookie as a first communion gift...needless to say I cherish those.

But outside of family--Gary from Card Mart in Verona, New Jersey. Always treated me kindly and was very generous. He always made it feel like my five bucks was stretched as far as possible! When I ran into him at a show years later while in my 20s I was thrilled to say hello. Great guy/dealer--wish I knew what his last name was so I could give him due credit! Gary, if you're out there, cheers!

Rich Klein 01-12-2018 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leon (Post 1737244)
Getting back to this question the early influencers were Smiling Dave (don't know his last name), Scott Brockelman and Lew Lipset..... The latter 2 helped me a lot when I first started out.

If Smiling Dave is a local DFW person, his name is Dave Marshall

Rich

sb1 01-12-2018 09:53 AM

it was Dave Hopkins(not the ball player), lived down by Gun Barrell city.

Leon 01-12-2018 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Klein (Post 1737956)
If Smiling Dave is a local DFW person, his name is Dave Marshall

Rich

Not sure he is very local but somewhere like Waxahachie....Scott B knows him. I think he might be from East Texas or could be from around here, just not sure. My very first (as an adult) card experience was seeing him set up at the Valley Ridge (in Allen but almost vacant now) mall card show. He had table after table of bicycle spoke 50s and 60s cards and I thought they were the coolest thing. A crumpled Banks rookie for 15 bucks (that card is still worth about 15 bucks)!! This was around 1995 I guess...

.(thanks Scott for the above ID)

Rich Klein 01-12-2018 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sb1 (Post 1737958)
it was Dave Hopkins(not the ball player), lived down by Gun Barrell city.

Thanks Scott! Dave Marshall was also a good guy

Bicem 01-12-2018 11:07 AM

That GI Joe base brings back a lot of memories.

Chuck9788 01-20-2018 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bicem (Post 1737983)
That GI Joe base brings back a lot of memories.

Yea, I was given the base towards the end of my GI Joe playing days. So therefore many wartime atrocities were committed in that facility. I vaguely remember the jail cell being overfilled with Cobra Commander foot solders. Poor Scarlett was also put in the cell before her brutal execution via fire crackers.

Aquifer 01-20-2018 11:23 AM

GI Joe
 
That last comment cracks me up. Right there with you!

tedzan 01-20-2018 03:53 PM

I can name many fellow collectors who have had a positive impact on my collection. And, a good number of them are members of this forum. Thanx guys.

But, I must 1st credit my Daughters..Debbie and Zoe..who motivated me to get back into this hobby in 1977. I brought them up to play Baseball & Tennis.
I would take them to Yankee Stadium to see the Old-timer's game in the Summer, so they could appreciate the players I saw in my youth. They even saw
Mickey Mantle hit his last HR at the Stadium (1973).
The resurgence of the NY Yankees in 1976-78 era inspired Debbie and Zoe to start collecting BB cards. Which led to their persuading me to dig-up my BB
card collection from my youth (1947-1952). I was lucky, my sportscards were stashed up in the attic of our home by my Mom and my Aunt. My sister and
her husband purchased our home in 1967. So, the "goodies" stayed in the attic till I discovered them in 1977.


Zoe and Debbie posing silly.. circa 1977
http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan7...ieZoe1977x.jpg


http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan7...raPhoto100.jpg . . http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan7...nePowerAdv.jpg





TED Z

T206 Reference
.

prewarsports 01-20-2018 04:13 PM

I had to respond when I saw the GI Joe command center. Did anyone on here ever ACTUALLY obtain or know anyone who had a USS FLAG back in the day? GI Joes were the only thing I was more passionate about in my life than baseball cards became. My life centered around those things between watching the cartoon everyday after school to immediately setting up a battle and playing it out until dinner. That was an awesome blast from the past to see that box in this thread!

1952boyntoncollector 01-20-2018 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prewarsports (Post 1740389)
I had to respond when I saw the GI Joe command center. Did anyone on here ever ACTUALLY obtain or know anyone who had a USS FLAG back in the day? GI Joes were the only thing I was more passionate about in my life than baseball cards became. My life centered around those things between watching the cartoon everyday after school to immediately setting up a battle and playing it out until dinner. That was an awesome blast from the past to see that box in this thread!

I was about to say whoever had the navy ship was the bomb....i remember a school mate had the ship and said he would love gi joe forever when i questioned why it was so expensive..

Baseballcrazy62 05-14-2018 07:54 PM

I meant to post this yesterday on Mother’s Day and didn’t get around to it. I got to thinking about my mom and the impact she had on my card collection. I am sure I am not alone on this but I am one of the lucky ones because my mom didn’t throw away my cards. I remember very clearly the ultimatum I received as a 7 year old in 1969. It went like this “ you better get your cards organized or I am going to throw them out”. In all fairness to my mom I had cards in every room in the house. My dad helped me get things picked up and organized and the rest is history. My dad and I have enjoyed this hobby for 49 years. Thanks Mom!

RedsFan1941 05-14-2018 07:58 PM

great post

1880nonsports 05-15-2018 08:09 AM

for me it's mom
 
1 Attachment(s)
I believe she might have passed the gene to me. Pictured here in the 60's in her studio loft. I learned "stuff" was cool. My dad was in the Navy and best friends with Eddie Shorin and his family - the TOPPS guys. Two unopened vending boxes circa 1966 sent to me at camp. Lots of flipping and knockdowns. Fast forward 26 or so years and my friend Scott unloads one of his two Alan Hager back-door procured Topps Stadium Club pre-production sets on me. It went downhill from there ;)

mikedurrett 05-15-2018 09:41 AM

My beloved '86 Mets got me going on cards at age 10~

timn1 05-15-2018 10:05 AM

great thread
 
1. My uncle Don who gave me my first prewar cards (R313-R314, W711 Reds) back in the 1970s.

2. the 1970s collecting community who communicated by US mail !@ - I particularly remember corresponding with and learning from George Vrechek all those years ago. Now George is probably our foremost historian of the hobby.

3. More recently: Even though I got HIM into prewar cards, my best buddy Mike Peich has had a huge and happy impact on my own collecting.

4. My local buddy Chris Bland has taught me so much!

5. OBC, which welcomed me into their ranks c. 2000 and gave me a great collecting community.

6. And Net54!!! (Thanks Elliot, Bill, and Leon!)

irv 05-15-2018 10:48 AM

This is easy! Definitely my Father.

He gave me 148 52 Topps cards and over 250 old Beehive Hockey cards/photos. If it weren't for those, and although I collected as kid, I highly doubt I would be collecting today.

I'll have to ask him, and even though he may not have been the one to get me started as a kid, I am pretty sure whatever got him started as a kid, is also in me.

sreader3 05-15-2018 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xplainer (Post 1735867)
Three guys on here have really educated me on T206 cards, and have helped me out on purchases(from them) and advice on others.
Scot Reader
BocaBirdMan Mike
Luke Lyon.
Scot is very open and glad to share information he has worked on very hard and spent alot of time on. Great researcher that doesn't mind telling you what he knows.
Mike and Luke are long distance friends who has taught me things, shared opinions, and we have worked out sweet deals. For both sides! My favorites sellers on this site.
That is my top three.

Hi Jimmy,
I hope you are well. A very belated thanks for your kind words. It’s always my pleasure to share information with other T206 collectors — both giving and receiving.
Scot

ejharrington 05-15-2018 12:08 PM

In the 1980's, my friends and I took the bus into Springfield, MA (55 cents each way) on weekends to go to Card Collector's Closet. Bob and Gary were the owners (I never knew their last names). They were very good to us and we all have fond memories of our time their, which also included Burger King next door and the occasional wrestling matches at the Civic Center.

Also, my wife. She actually encourages me to "go one bid higher" on the cards I really want. I don't think a lot of wives would be so supportive!

Yoda 05-15-2018 01:44 PM

Charlie Conlon helped rekindle my interest in cards and steered me in the direction of vintage. We become good friends over many years and countless deals. I can't ever remember an argument or disagreement. Very much missed by me.

tedzan 05-17-2018 07:21 PM

Who had a positive impact on your collection ?
 
There are many in this hobby who have made an impact on my collection. Too, many to list here.

But first & foremost, I have to credit my two daughters, who in 1977 encouraged me to get my original Sports and Non-sports
card collection (1947 - 1952) from out of the attic of my folks home in Hillside, NJ.

I taught Debbie and Zoe when they were young age to play Baseball and Tennis. Also, to be avid Yankees fans. We were at the
Oldtimers Game in 1973 when Mickey Mantle hit his last HR. Deep in the Left Field stands in Yankee Stadium. During the great
Reggie years (1977-1978), Debbie and Zoe collected BB cards. And, they kept "bugging" me to get my collection so they could
see the DiMaggio's, Mantle's, Yogi Berra's, Ted Williams', Jackie Robinson's, Stan Musial's, etc.
I'm glad this Dad took his teenage daughters' advice :)


Circa 1977
http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan7...bieZoe1977.jpg



Debbie
http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan7...raPhoto100.jpg . http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan7...nePowerAdv.jpg



TED Z

T206 Reference
.

ullmandds 05-17-2018 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedzan (Post 1777876)
There are many in this hobby who have made an impact on my collection. Too, many to list here.

But first & foremost, I have to credit my two daughters, who in 1977 encouraged me to get my original Sports and Non-sports
card collection (1947 - 1952) from out of the attic of my folks home in Hillside, NJ.

I taught Debbie and Zoe when they were young age to play Baseball and Tennis. Also, to be avid Yankees fans. We were at the
Oldtimers Game in 1973 when Mickey Mantle hit his last HR. Deep in the Left Field stands in Yankee Stadium. During the great
Reggie years (1977-1978), Debbie and Zoe collected BB cards. And, they kept "bugging" me to get my collection so they could
see the DiMaggio's, Mantle's, Yogi Berra's, Ted Williams', Jackie Robinson's, Stan Musial's, etc.
I'm glad this Dad took his teenage daughters' advice :)


Circa 1977
http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan7...bieZoe1977.jpg



Debbie
http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan7...raPhoto100.jpg . http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan7...nePowerAdv.jpg



TED Z

T206 Reference
.

AWESOME, Ted!!!! Your daughter was on survivor!!!! How cool!

tedzan 05-17-2018 08:34 PM

Hi Pete

Zoe was in the 2nd "Survivor" episode. Filmed on an island in the South Pacific in December 2001. Shown on TV during the 2002 season.

Out of the 16 contestants, she made it thru to the final six.



TED Z

T206 Reference
.

hcv123 05-18-2018 05:08 AM

Great to give thought to
 
First up is my Great Aunt Lena - she had no children or husband - just about every week on Saturday's she would drive from her home in Manhattan where she lived with my great grandmother ( she would come as well). Take my brother and I out to lunch and from the time I started collecting (around 11 years old) would take us to the Incredible Pulp in Baldwin NY and give me few bucks to purchase first comic books and later baseball cards.

Next up is mom - after begging and pleading for longer than I care to remember she shelled out $48 for my Clemente rookie card ( a sum she thought completely insane for a " piece of cardboard". She also continued to support my collecting both verbally and financially despite " not getting it" simply because she saw how much joy I got from it. Also patiently listened to many stories I'm sure she was not very interested in about this card or that.

Next up my brother Myles - he tried to get into collecting first comic books, then baseball cards as he knew each week we were going to the Incredible Pulp when my aunt came. As kids he would sometimes accompany me to shows he had less interest in. For about 12 years when we were older he would drive out and help me at the Robert Morris shows as a table holder even though he had very little interest in the hobby. Those drives were incredible bonding times and some of the best conversations we've ever had.

So many in the hobby have had a positive influence Larry Deleo ( owner of the original incredible pulp), Bob Lemke, Levi Bleam, Mike Mosier, Jim Cszesnakowski, Brian Slusser, Paul Kutch, Rich Butkowski, John Rumierez, Chuck Tomasco, Steve Radcliffe, the people who have and continue to run some amazing shows.

So many here at net 54- what fun would it be if there wasn't someplace to share my hobby victories, defeats, opinions and knowledge as well as have an opportunity to learn SO MUCH from others.

jchcollins 05-18-2018 08:11 AM

I had started with cards in 1985 at age 8, with Topps and their Garbage Pail Kids series down at the local 7-11. They were a quarter a pack. The GPK cards were insanely popular among my 3rd grade classmates, and at my school as with elsewhere in the country - they were soon banned. I traded cards with a kid in my class named Jason, who was quick to inform me that he also had the entire 700+ card 1985 Topps baseball set at home. I remember thinking that was impossible. Anyhow, that led me to purchasing my first wax pack of baseball cards some time later, '86 Topps - down at the local grocery store. These if I recall were 35 or 40 cents a pack.

Not long after I started buying current packs, I discovered old cards at a local antique store in the town we lived in. I was allowed to purchase some modest items, among them I remember a '62 Topps Gil Hodges and a '55 Bowman Andy Pafko. Old cards along about 1987-89 were everywhere, if you recall. Every town had about 2 or 3 baseball card shops, and most had the old stuff in screw-down cases under the glass. Some great memories there, it was like being able to walk into a little museum several times per week.

The hero in all this was my Mom, who bought cards for me and really helped to set the hook. This was all in the area surrounding Charlotte, NC in the late 80's. We lived in the Lake Norman / Cornelius community. Over the years from when I was 9 to about 13, there were many different card shops and experiences, but the apotheosis of that time and those memories was a place called The Red Lantern in the old Cotswold Mall in Charlotte. Like anywhere else at the time, the shop sold current Topps, Donruss and Fleer card packs - but under the glass counters to one side of the store, there was always a wonderful selection of old cards for sale. Many in the aforementioned plastic screw down holders. The bearded gentleman who always ran the store was named Barry - I don't know his last name - but he was always super friendly and willing to trade cards with kids, or even just talk to them about the hobby and baseball. The Red Lantern was the original site of me conning my mother into helping purchase / afford many of my first vintage star cards over that period of a few years back in the 1980's - most memorably a '66 Koufax (the first vintage HOFer I ever owned. The card was sharp, NM or better - but wayyy OC, maybe even miscut - however that was not of paramount concern in 1988...) and a '58 Mantle / Aaron but in addition, many, many more. Some of these cards I still have, but others have gone by the wayside in trades and sales ever since I was a kid - a '55 Bowman Bob Feller, '52 Topps Warren Spahn, '53 Bowman Bobby Shantz, '54 Bowman Roy Campanella, a '64 Topps Hank Aaron, and a creased but still presentable '54 Bowman Mantle. That last card my Mom shelled out several hundred bucks for I'm sure - which if you think about it was crazy for the late 1980's. Adjusted for inflation, the card in that condition is probably way cheaper today. But what fantastic memories...the typical routine was whenever I was with my mother in Charlotte for whatever reason - shopping trips, doctors appointments, whatever - if we were close enough it called for a trip to Cotswold and the Red Lantern. I would convince Mom and Barry to make me a deal on something in the case, then Mom and I would have lunch somewhere in the mall - Phil's Deli and a Dr. Brown's cream soda...then maybe a bit later on there was a restaurant called Spoon's which served great greasy burgers and ice cream.

Kind of hard to realize as you age that entire pieces of your childhood are just gone. This place, for one, and Barry the gentleman who worked at the Red Lantern and as I remember suffered from Lupus is also no longer with us.

The cards funny enough - remain. Thanks Mom, for a time when we really were buddies and life was a lot easier. I will never forget it. :)

Stephen King once referred to stages of life as "Different Seasons" in the title of a collection of short stories he wrote. I know exactly what he means because in retrospect they are so, so brief. It's a moment in time. Cotswold shopping center in Charlotte as an entity at the same location remains, but it has been totally redone and the small, indoor mall as I remember it is gone - torn down to clear the way for a totally open-air set of strip mall stores. If you want vintage baseball cards in 2018, they are more plentiful than ever at least in terms of the efficiency of their distribution - and I would argue even that the kind I collected back then (typically presentable, but not in the best shape if you were judging on technical condition...I doubt anything I ever owned from the Red Lantern would have graded higher than PSA 5 today...) can be had for even cheaper. Just dial-up eBay, and depending on what you feel like spending that day, you will have whatever your heart desires at your doorstep a few days later. But the baseball card shops are all gone. I don't know if there is a single one standing with old cards in the entire state of NC today...that is definitely an aspect of my childhood that I long for.

jchcollins 05-18-2018 08:20 AM

1 Attachment(s)
A newspaper photograph of Charlotte's Cotswold mall, circa 1988. The Ivey's department store to the right is also long gone...

Attachment 316519

Baseballcrazy62 08-02-2018 08:47 PM

Heading to the National tomorrow with my son. Can’t wait to stop by some of the Net 54’s dealer booths and also to see some old friends. Please share your stories about those who impacted your collecting adventures.

cubman1941 08-03-2018 12:35 PM

For me it was my daughter. Back in the early 50's I lived in a small town in Wisconsin that had only one store and I bought packs of 1952 and 1953 Topps. Somehow also found some Star-Cal and pasted them on my dresser. Never knew about collecting or set building or anything of that sort. Larry Frisch had his shop 20 miles away but I never knew that until the 80's. I put the cards in a box and finished high school, started college and then into the Army in 1961. Still had no knowledge about baseball cards, collecting or anything else. I returned home, got married in 1965 and ended up going overseas again for 9 years. My daughter (and a son) were born overseas. When I returned home I started to hear about baseball cards, especially the 1952's and 53's. I had Mantle, Mays and others so I asked my mom where they were. Typical story that she tossed them when I left. I always was a big baseball guy and especially a Cub guy. For my birthday in 1976 my daughter bought me a box of Hostess Twinkees with baseball players on the back. I thought it was kind of neat so started collecting. Today, my Cub collection goes from 1895 to present and I have enjoyed the heck out of it. My time is coming to an end and my kids have no interest in collecting at all. My daughter did want my 1915 PM1 Ornate-Frame Pin collection so I gave it to her since she started me off on this great journey I have been on.


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