Shout out to our OBC Friends !!

[Leon]

I just want to give a quick shout out, and big thanks, to all of the OBC members on Net54baseball whom I spoke with at the National and are on our board. It seems each and every one of you is as friendly as can be. I wish all of our collecting family would be so nice. I can't say I have ever met one of ya'll with a bad attitude or unfriendly thing to say. You guys are some of the best around and I am most appreciative of your attitudes on collecting and life in general. May your collecting goals be met and your good-natured attitude spread throughout the hobby. Ya'll are some of the best!!

[frankbmd]

He means y'all.

[jimivintage]

Thanks, Leon! Compliments are always gladly accepted.

I've been an online hobbyist now since the late '90s (thanks to EvilBay), but once I discovered places like OBC, VCT, and Net54 and others....I've been hooked....errr.....addicted! The best thing about the hobby is the people we meet.

I saw you from a distance, but got caught up in hunting down everything on my lists and hangin' with other OBC members. Next year!

Jimi
OBC, VCT, Net54, OCT, Trading Bases, Dugout Traders

[obcmac]

Leon,

Very kind of you to speak so highly of our group. We're throwbacks in many ways...lots of set builders, not too into condition, like hitting each other's wantlists as much as our own. I feel lucky to enjoy generosity, kindness, and knowledge of the group.

We did have a discussion about you as well. Not many guys left who will bring such great stuff to a show just to talk about and share the joy and knowledge. So thanks for that as well. Safe to say that the admiration is mutual.

Mac

[Spike]

Much appreciated, Leon, we OBCers enjoyed talking with you. And I'm sure everyone at the show enjoyed those jewels from your collection. I know it was the first time I'd seen several of the issues, let alone been able to hold and appreciate them in person.

[Wite3]

Leon (and Net54 in general) has always been good to OBC...

For those of you who do not know the reference...OBC (Old Baseball Cards) is one of the oldest online trading groups. We have been around for more than 20 years and focus on collecting in a more relaxed, old school way. We often just send out cards to members that need them with out working out a trade. A "what goes around, comes around" attitude suits our group fine and has worked for over two decades. We are also not condition sensitive (many of our members prefer cards that looked like they have gone through a harvester!). Many dealers all across the country recognize us and even bring product for us specifically and although I could not make it to the National this year, I hear the OBC group was well represented and had a fantastic time.

Just as an FYI, we can be found at oldbaseball.com

Thanks again Leon for the kind words...

Joshua Levine
Original OBC member since 1991ish

[obcbobd]

Leon

Thanks for the kind words.

Definitely, two different groups. OBC has a screening process, a prospective member needs two references from existing OBC members and then our advisory committee (7 members) votes to allow the applicant in. We've about 150 members. Contrasting that, you've got many thousands of members, anyone can, I think, join. A lot harder to manage :-)

More and more OBC members, most who collects 50s/60s, are venturing into pre-war and finding this board a great resource. I know I speak for a lot of OBCers that I appreciate this board and the amount of time you spend policing it.

Keep up the good work.

Bob Donaldson

[LuckyLarry]

Thanks Leon nice to have met you and thanks for the Babe a Ruth pin! Speaking of Babe Ruth I picked up my first Ruth card this weekend a 1935 Goudey PSA 2. I am SO excited!
Over here I am LuckyLarry and in the OBC circle I am know as "Guru".
OBC member since 1991.
Larry

[mrvster]

what's obc?? the original board??

[obcbobd]

Originally Posted by mrvster

what's obc?? the original board??

See post #6 above by Joshua (Wite3)

[Tim Fritz]

I've traded with a few members of OBC. They are a fantastic group. I used to be a member of VCT (Vintage Card Traders) and they are also a great group of collectors. I couldn't get to this years National, but I had the pleasure to meet several at the 2013 show in Chicago. It's always nice to put a face to a name.

Sharing our knowledge and passion for collecting with others is one of the best parts of this hobby. And both groups are filled with just plain good people.

[kailes2872]

It was a pleasure meeting you. Me and my boys had a fantastic experience during out 2 day quest. Thanks for the Babe Ruth Pin. My youngest has been wearing it since he got it.

Take Care!

[grainsley]

The highlight for me in OBC is watching what happens within the group when one of us is in need, whether through illness, tragedy, or whatever. Usually some individual will champion a project, to raise funds for medical needs, memorial scholarship, or similar, often through an in-house auction...guys put up cards, we all bid without a price guide, and every penny goes to the rightful destination. Whoever donated the card for auction also gets the privilege of paying for the shipping. Just a great family atmosphere.........we just happen to have the love of cardboard in common.

[MikeGarcia]

These guys maintain the best checklists in the hobby ; I've had the pleasure of chatting/e-mailing with several of them about updating new finds and correcting old information ....they are a class act.

..I keep several of their pre-war ''Mega-Checklists'' in my bookmarks , as I'm sure others here on 54 also do . Great source . The hobby is lucky to have dedicated people like these OBC members.

[brightair]

Leon, many thanks for the kind words.
Great to run into you, even briefly, at the National. I can't thank you enough for this forum, which I use pretty much daily for information sharing and news.
Also highly appreciate your National dinners which will continue in the future I hope. If anyone could sign up in advance for 2015, you can sign me up now. Anyone who shows their love for animals like you do deserves plenty of respect.
I've been an OBC member for 6 years, and now can't imagine attending a National, or any card show without the OBC community. At a great event like the National, it's tough enough to cover the immense and overwhelming floor looking for the cards and related items you love, by yourself, but with OBC friends, you have many eyeballs on the hunt for you!
OBC - collecting the way it should be!
brightair
Richard Dingman

[CobbSpikedMe]

As a member of both Net54 and OBC I had to chime in on this thread.

First off, thank you Leon for the shout out to our group. Since I've joined OBC I've met the best group of collectors ever. We don't just trade with each other, we help each other with our collections. We send cards to someone just because he needs it, not expecting anything in return. But it always come back around from someone else. Of course there are trades too, but those aren't everything with us. We all just love old cardboard. In any condition.

Hello to all my OBC brothers out there! OBC Rules!!!

AndyH


.

[markstalbot]

Leon,

Thanks for the very kind words. I've been a member of OBC for over 14 years and look forward to the gatherings at the National because I will be reuniting with my friends - it's like an annual family reunion (for many of us, myself included, the cardboard is secondary). We share a comradeship that I have felt in few other places or organizations, it is truly a unique group.

I am not a regular contributor to the discussion forums here at Net54 but have peeked in from time to time and have certainly looked into some discussion strands to learn more about various topics. Although I was at the event in Cleveland this past weekend I somehow missed out on checking in at your booth and seeing the items you brought to display. We did meet last year in Chicago and I shared with you that I appreciated your efforts on the Internet and providing the forum that you do, that sentiment has not changed - keep up the good work!!!

BE WELL!!!

- MARK

[hangman62]

I agree...OBC is a nice club with great members who enjoy swapping cards for the fun of it.
and VCT,OCT are also top notch

[hoot-owl]

Appreciate the kind words Leon. I made a one day madcap dash through the IX Center on Saturday. Enjoyed my 15 second peak at your type cards and chuckled about your "museum" prices--and then I was off to the next table.

OBC is a great group of folks with a love of the Game and small pieces of cardboard.

[tjv815]

Leon,
Thank you for the kind words regarding our collecting group, OBC. Although I was not able to attend the National this year, I am a frequent reader of the net54 forums and have learned so much about vintage cards from yourself and many of the board members here. Thank you to all of you who share.
As for OBC, I believe Joshua said it best - "What goes around comes around". We simply look to help out with each others collections, sending cards to other members to fill holes in their collections and expecting nothing back in return. What goes around really does come around.
Thank you again and I look forward to hopefully meeting you at the Chicago 2015 National.
TJ

[mrvster]

really what card collecting should be about.....

[familytoad]

17th year for me in this incredible group!
I've had the great fortune of meeting many in person (including last weekend!) and have been the recipient of hundreds (thousands?) of cards through mainly RAOK( random acts of kindness). I have tried over the years to send out cards to match what has come in, but it's impossible...the generosity and camaraderie is unparalleled.
I haven't made it to the National, where a swarm of spirited OBC clan can be found, but I am with you in spirit guys!

What's really neat, is how Net54 compliments my collecting passion ...prewar is really where my heart lies now, but I get my Topps fix through OBC primarily. I'm getting close to completing the 1953-1980 Topps run, which would have never happened without OBC.
I probably wouldn't have the prewar cards I have without the information gained on Net54 over the years either

Hearty hello to the guys who posted above. My brothers, as I always sign out...
OBC Forever!
Brian

[TNP777]

"We are OBC, and we come in peace."

Great thread. Nice to see the group getting some public recognition. I hope to make it to Chicago next year so I can get reacquainted with guys I haven't seen in a long time and also meet lots of the newer membership.

[CurtisFlood]

It is a lot of fun to watch the members of OBC interact with each other. I jokingly told a couple of OBC guys that they were quite a "gang". I mean that in a complimentary way. They have each others backs and if I have a card that a member is looking for they call or text the member and it results in a lot of sales.

I have been out of the National from 2010 to 2013 due to health issues, coming back it is great to see these guys are stronger than ever in the relentless pursuit of cardboard and fellowship. Kudos to all the OBC members!