TCMA past and present...

[TCMA]

Hey guys, Andrew and Mike Aronstein here. This is our first post .

We're in the car on our way up to Cooperstown right now, discussing my father's T206 collection from the 1970's, the Wagners he owned, and other stuff that boggles my mind about his time in the hobby.

Anyway, just wanted to say hello and introduce ourselves to the forum. If anyone out there has any questions regarding collecting in the 70's and 80's or would like information regarding TCMA sets, reprints, SSPC cards, or anything else we can help with, feel free to let us know.

Yes, TCMA still exists to this day! Though they are now published through Photo File, we continue to produce the 8x10 Induction Day Cards found in Cooperstown every summer. In-fact the reason for our trip today is to deliver our 2014 cards of Maddux, Glavine, Thomas, and the three managers being inducted.

Bit of a drive, but the scenery is nice and we get to talk collecting .

[KCRfan1]

Welcome aboard guys, I enjoy your sets. Nice products.

[Leon]

Welcome to the forum, guys!! Glad to have ya'll on board. We all LOVE to hear stories of collecting from the past so will be eagerly awaiting some when ya'll have the time. My only question is "what took ya so long to find us?"

I know there is a ton of TCMA stuff out there , and I have heard great stories, but really most of the post-war cards are beyond my realm.



Have a safe trip today and once again, welcome!!

edited to add, I agree with Rich, it's great to see hobby pioneers write in the first person.

[ethicsprof]

welcome aboard the board!
would love to hear your stories about the ancient days.
all the best,
barry

[whitehse]

Welcome...I had quite a bit of TCMA "Stuff" in my collection as a kid and still have a good deal of it here and there. Looking forward to some great stories.

[moeson]

Welcome aboard! I remember your dad so well from those 1970s shows at the Union Center in Greenwich Village.

[E93]

Welcome aboard.
JimB

[Rich Klein]

Always great to see hobby pioneers speak in the first person.

[Seiklis]

Welcome to the board. The TCMA minor league cards have really bailed me out of over the years in my Indians streak, letting me get players that otherwise wouldn't exist.

The Japanese set was especially helpful as you just so happened to print it in 1979, the one year little used Red Sox and Indians LOOGY Rick Kreuger pitched in Japan which created his one and only card

[TCMA]

Originally Posted by Seiklis

Welcome to the board. The TCMA minor league cards have really bailed me out of over the years in my Indians streak, letting me get players that otherwise wouldn't exist.

The Japanese set was especially helpful as you just so happened to print it in 1979, the one year little used Red Sox and Indians LOOGY Rick Kreuger pitched in Japan which created his one and only card

Doing those cards was fun and we were growing, that era was an exciting time for TCMA. We wanted to do more Japanese sets but unfortunately, it didn't work out.

Doing cards of obscure players, guys who played in one game, etc. was part of the fun for us . My favorite was Manuel Onis from "The 1930's" set, who was 1 for 1 in his major league career.

[DaClyde]

Originally Posted by Seiklis

Welcome to the board. The TCMA minor league cards have really bailed me out of over the years in my Indians streak, letting me get players that otherwise wouldn't exist.

The Japanese set was especially helpful as you just so happened to print it in 1979, the one year little used Red Sox and Indians LOOGY Rick Kreuger pitched in Japan which created his one and only card

Rick Kreuger actually has at least three cards. However the other two, a team issue from Pawtucket in 1977 and a Japanese baseball game card from Takara in 1979, are likely a lot more difficult to track down.

[SteveMitchell]

Welcome, Mike and Andrew! It's been a pleasure following and dealing with Mike since the early days of TCMA - actually pre-dating TCMA when Mike headed up SCFC (pre-1970). The TCMA commemorative sets certainly filled a collecting void during the days of virtually Topps-only and today hundreds of hobbyists appreciate having sets such as 1936-37 New York Giants, 1942-49 Play Ball, Stars of the 1950s and 1960s and, of course, the comprehensive "The 1930s" set of 500+ cards, among many, many others including minor league sets which Mike's company produced by the hundreds.

Which brings me to my question: Why was Babe Ruth not included in "The 1930s" set?

A final, personal note: Mike and TCMA were among the biggest boosters, 1973-74, for the 20-issue run of Sports Scoop magazine and went on to produce his own collector periodicals - helping keep alive our great hobby. Thanks, Mike! We collectors owe you a great debt of gratitude.

Best regards,
Steve Mitchell

[pawpawdiv9]

I remember as a kid (and my brother), that my mom got us something from Sear for Xmas and it was a starters kit. It came with a binder and sheets and bunches of cards (tcma)
I still got it till this day, sits in my closet. It was those 'immortals' set, I think there were 3 versions in the collection. Havent touch it in years and years...I do remember looking thru it and say look at these old people...yeah it the Babe, Lou, and etc.
This is what got us into the hobby of collection cards. Thank you Mom.

[toppcat]

Awesome! I have a few TCMA sets scattered throughout my collection and am all ears if you guys want to get into your history.

[joeadcock]

This article I cut out of my dad's INCOME OPPORTUNITIES magazine in 1975, I have saved all my life. It is about how Mike Aronstein started TCMA. It's a quick easy read and you'll love it.

Mr. Aronstein found plates of older baseball players from an antique shop, and hence began the corp.

Love the paragraph in which it is explained he paid $300 for Goudey Lajoie, and $250 for a T206 Plank, and that he pays top dollar. Who would have imagined today's prices?

[ullmandds]

I used to have some TCMA stuff when I'd buy sets from Renatta Galasso in the late 70's-early 80's. Welcome and enjoy your road trip!

[TCMA]

Originally Posted by joeadcock

This article I cut out of my dad's INCOME OPPORTUNITIES magazine in 1975, I have saved all my life. It is about how Mike Aronstein started TCMA. It's a quick easy read and you'll love it.

Mr. Aronstein found plates of older baseball players from an antique shop, and hence began the corp.

Love the paragraph in which it is explained he paid $300 for Goudey Lajoie, and $250 for a T206 Plank, and that he pays top dollar. Who would have imagined today's prices?

Amazing that a copy of that article still exists! It's mostly accurate. I do have to read it over more closely but some of what's in that article needs correcting. I'll try and delve into that more tomorrow.

[TCMA]

Originally Posted by toppcat

Awesome! I have a few TCMA sets scattered throughout my collection and am all ears if you guys want to get into your history.

We definitely will .

[TCMA]

Originally Posted by pawpawdiv9

I remember as a kid (and my brother), that my mom got us something from Sear for Xmas and it was a starters kit. It came with a binder and sheets and bunches of cards (tcma)
I still got it till this day, sits in my closet. It was those 'immortals' set, I think there were 3 versions in the collection. Havent touch it in years and years...I do remember looking thru it and say look at these old people...yeah it the Babe, Lou, and etc.
This is what got us into the hobby of collection cards. Thank you Mom.

Was that in the early to mid 80's? If they are the kits I'm thinking of those were done by us through a company called CMC, or Collectors Marketing Corp. Located in Manhattan on 27th Street and 12th Ave. Incidentally, this was also the building where George Matesky "The Mad Bomber" stored his explosives.

[pawpawdiv9]

Originally Posted by TCMA

Was that in the early to mid 80's? If they are the kits I'm thinking of those were done by us through a company called CMC, or Collectors Marketing Corp. Located in Manhattan on 27th Street and 12th Ave. Incidentally, this was also the building where George Matesky "The Mad Bomber" stored his explosives.

Sorry for the late reply...i just looked ans YES INDEED thats what is was.
Its still in the blue binder that has the gold striping and lettering.

[TCMA]

Originally Posted by SteveMitchell

Which brings me to my question: Why was Babe Ruth not included in "The 1930s" set?

(This is Andrew typing, but I'm partially dictating for my father).

Interesting question, and to be honest we don't have a great answer. There was definitely a Ruth glass negative in the find that the set was created from, but it could be that we used that image for so many other sets we decided not to use it, or it was mistakenly left out. Most likely not a conscious decision .

[SteveMitchell]

Andrew & Mike...

Thank you for the response. I have wondered about this for quite some time and will pass your response along to the several collectors we are assisting in the completion of their TCMA The 1930s sets - including one fellow who resides in Switzerland! (He loves the set and is willing to pay the shipping/insurance costs.)

Again, thanks for the reply and have a great time at Cooperstown!

Best always,
Steve Mitchell

I]

Originally Posted by TCMA

(This is Andrew typing, but I'm partially dictating for my father).

Interesting question, and to be honest we don't have a great answer. There was definitely a Ruth glass negative in the find that the set was created from, but it could be that we used that image for so many other sets we decided not to use it, or it was mistakenly left out. Most likely not a conscious decision .

[footlong]

The first sspc set i purchased was the 42 card set. I believe Jeff Morey took a lot of these pics. Is Dave Zemsky still around?

[TCMA]

Originally Posted by footlong

The first sspc set i purchased was the 42 card set. I believe Jeff Morey took a lot of these pics. Is Dave Zemsky still around?

IIRC Jeff Morey lived in Syracuse and he shot only AAA players for us. It's been a long time but most likely it was Bill Hongach who shot many of the players for the SSPC set, and Rick Cerrone (former Yankees PR Director) may have shot some as well.

[TCMA]

Originally Posted by SteveMitchell

A final, personal note: Mike and TCMA were among the biggest boosters, 1973-74, for the 20-issue run of Sports Scoop magazine and went on to produce his own collector periodicals - helping keep alive our great hobby. Thanks, Mike! We collectors owe you a great debt of gratitude.

Best regards,
Steve Mitchell

Thanks so much for your comments, Steve. I definitely recall your name but it's been a long time. I think we met way back when, and I seem to have a picture of you in my mind but it's a 40 year old picture .

[DaClyde]

I just put together a blog post on the TCMA reprint cards that were produced for the various collecting kits and grab bags one used to see in the late 1980s. Would anyone care to give it a once over and point out anything blatantly wrong with it?

http://clydes-stalecards.blogspot.co...ollectors.html

My assumption/conclusion about the MLB logo on the backs of cards led to a lot more possible reprints than I originally thought were out there. Expert insight would be greatly appreciated by the more knowledgeable TCMA enthusiasts here.

[Minor Leaguer]

Just saying hello. I'm Chris. As my collection focus is first cards of players from my birth year of 1969 to about 1991, (I call it Reggie to Chipper, lol), TCMA minor league cards are very prominent in my collection. They are very hard to find in high-grade condition, if even at all. I'm enjoying the thrill of the chase. I think they are great cards and just wanted to say thanks!

[DaClyde]

Over on TradingCardDB.com, someone just posted asking for help identifying this card:



I did not realize TCMA had issued any collegiate sets. Was this the only one, and does anyone have any idea where I might be able to find the rest of the checklist?

[TCMA]

Originally Posted by DaClyde

I did not realize TCMA had issued any collegiate sets. Was this the only one, and does anyone have any idea where I might be able to find the rest of the checklist?

This is a funny story actually. From what my father tells me the team called him up and asked if he could do the cards, to which he agreed and offered to do them as a favor to the team. They sent him a team jacket as a thank-you though he wasn't expecting anything at all in return. That's typical of my dad.

[TCMA]

Hey, guys. Thanks for all your enthusiasm regarding TCMA Ltd. We're going to respond to everyone's comments individually and hopefully answer your questions! Here we go...

[jason.1969]

Hello and welcome, TCMA! I remember as a kid in 5th or 6th grade getting this set at a card show.

I can honestly say it was what spurred the love for baseball history and the older players that I still hold today.

[jsq]

that is a nice looking set you are showing. do you recall the name of the set? so it can be located on ebay?

thanks,
jsq

Originally Posted by jason.1969

Hello and welcome, TCMA! I remember as a kid in 5th or 6th grade getting this set at a card show.

I can honestly say it was what spurred the love for baseball history and the older players that I still hold today.

[TCMA]

Originally Posted by jason.1969

Hello and welcome, TCMA! I remember as a kid in 5th or 6th grade getting this set at a card show.

I can honestly say it was what spurred the love for baseball history and the older players that I still hold today.

Great cards! Those are known as "Galasso Greats" and there were six series of 45 cards each. TCMA printed them for Galasso to distribute. Some good info here:

http://fleersticker.blogspot.com/200...a-galasso.html

[jason.1969]

I think it is called Stars of the 1950s and will name either TCMA or Renata Galasso as the maker. There are equally nice versions for other decades as well that match and extend the series, though I recall some eventually deviate from this style, moving to color or changing the card design.

Of course, there are definitely greater N54 authorities on the subject than myself, especially now!