Hello...I'm Exposing myself...

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Posted By: Ricky Yoneda

Long time lurker and cardboard junkie. I must be totally addicted to this site since I peruse through it almost everyday. I actually read the rules first so I promise I won't be posting any photos of my 1973 Topps cards with those hideously airbrushed baseball caps. I began collecting "seriously" to the chagrin of my parents at the tender age of about 10 or so and was seduced by the vintage stuff at an early age. I subscribed to Trader Speaks, ordered cards from Galasso, Solon, Frisch, Lew Lipset, bugged a really nice man named Frank Nagy..even sent in a order to and got yelled at by Goodwin Goldfaden...My collecting reached each it's peak during the 80's with my attendance of the National in SF but with the end of the decade (and the subsequent decline in the popularity of big hair, parachute pants and Duran Duran) my interest went down as well...Fortunately, with the coming of the new millenuem, the invention of the internet...and a rediscovery of my tattered copy of SCD from 1978..my interest was renkindled...and finally... reading this board has been a primary impetus and reaffirmation that this stuff is indeed fun after all..so I am now sloowly getting back into it and now focused on finishing off some of my collecting goals (trying to finish a low grade raw 33 Goudey set; collecting exhibit cards of HOF players and a type set although not to the scale of Leon's amazing stuff).

My apologies for the incoherent ramblings (hope I didn't sound like Rick Sutcliffe last week) but, I just wanted to say hello, introduce myself and say thanks for giving people like me a forum to be like a kid again...

Cheers.

Rick

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

Rick,

Sut was only trying to be friendly in the broadcast booth. Who would've "thunk" that his bamblings would have more replays than Barry's 714th HR will (whenever that may come).

The funny part is that true vintage junkies/collectors never really get this stuff out of their system. You can take a hiatus for a while but it's something that only hibernates for a while (sometimes decades) and before you know it, you're roped again.

Welcome back to the real world!

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Posted By: ethicsprof

Welcome aboard, Rick.
Glad to have you with us.
Make sure to take a look at Fred's 'butt ugly' cards for
sale.
They're rarely offered but always good for a laugh.

all the best,

barry

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Posted By: Andy

Rick, I share your sentiments exactly. I was hooked as a kid, grew out of it and have been sucked back in over the past couple of years.

Fred, You are absolutely correct. This stuff never really leaves your system if you are truly a collector.

This forum has helped to rekindle the fire that was slowly burning low these last several years. Thank you all for this forum.

Andy

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Posted By: Scot Reader

Your dreams are your ticket out. Welcome back! To that same ol' place that we laughed about ....

Seriously, Rick. My story is a lot like yours. Mom and Dad never approved of my baseball card collecting habit. All I wanted for Christmas in 1981 was a 1955 Bowman Mantle; all I got was ... well, I can't remember now. Left the hobby in the late '80s as part of "growing up" only to return in the early aughts after doing a search of "T206" on eBay just for old times' sake. Next thing I know I'm intensively studying the set and even writing about it. And now I'm a friggin' prewar type collector! Thanks for sharing your story and best of luck with your collecting goals, wherever they may lead.

Scot

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Posted By: Griffin's

I wonder how many of us were yelled at by Goody Goldfadden as a kid- I certainly was, as were all my friends at some point or another.

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Posted By: Patrick McHugh

Welcome Ricky i also was at the san fran national in 1987. What a crazy show Mark McGwire rookies at 5 dollars each were all the rage. A 33 goudey set is a great goal. As someone once said You Can Do It!

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Posted By: jay behrens

looks for an exposed kidney for a good sucker punch

I was set up at the 87 National. I was towards the front on left hand side of the room. If you were there sunday, I was the guy wearing the Hi! I'm Bart Simpson, Who the hell are you? name tag and handing out business cards that read Al Bundy's Shoebox Nightmares. If it isn't creased, it doesn't make cents. Great show though. I bought a huge group of wire photos from Mike Jasperson and bought a near set of 48 Bowman basketball that included Mikan and most of the hi numbers.

Jay

I like to sit outside, drink beer and yell at people. If I did this at home, I would be arrested. So, I go to baseball games and fit right in.

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Posted By: leon

Welcome to our little board, now that you're out of the "lurker" status. No one bites ....much, except Jay B. He means well though. Thanks for the kind words on my little type collection. I think we all love our collections in our own way. I am just as proud of mine as the guy with a multi-million dollar one or the guy or gal with a two hundred dollar one. You go go back to the good ole days. I sure wish I went back there. I was too busy getting into trouble and learning life's experiences. I am slowly catching up though, at least on the "time invested". Since you have been reading for a while you can see that about 98% of the threads are good clean ones. The other 2% are not for the faint of heart and people inadvertently get ran over. Time heals though and we are a very friendly, close, community. Once again welcome aboard and jump in whenever you want to. Take care and see ya round here....(btw, Bill Mastro introduced me to a gentleman 2 Nationals ago that I believe was one of the pioneers son's and a pioneer himself, I think it was "Goldfadden" but not sure)...

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Posted By: warshawlaw

Just keep your hands and feet away from the animals while they are feeding and you will do fine.

Goldfadden...there's a name I haven't heard in a while. I remember going to that rathole store of his and being totally intimidated by the odd little man in the grubby clothes and his boxes of junk piled up to the rafters. Mostly I remember overpriced (for the time) cards and a gruff demeanor (but not too gruff; the store was too far away from home for me to go it alone so my mom was there with me, which tempered his natural irritation with kids, I think). Imagine, ten bucks for a 1954 Aaron...the nerve.

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Posted By: jackgoodman

First, please add my welcome back to the hobby as well. The expertise and desire to share within this group continues to blow me away.

Second, and not to continue the hi-jacking (no pun intended) of this thread, but I lived within walking distance of Goldfadden's store so was there often enough to be yelled at, when he felt like letting you in after you rang the buzzer. Also remember him bragging about driving to Bakersfield to buy a collection of early 50's cards for about $100 that included a 1952 Mantle. He fanned through a bunch of them (oh the humanity....) in front me.

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Posted By: Scott T

"Just when I thought I was out...they pull me back in."
Michael Corleone



Welcome and enjoy!

Scott

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Posted By: Bob

Wow Scott! I was going to post that exact quote. Great minds, huh? Rick- I had the same experience, I started collecting pre-war in the early 80's, gave it up in the late 80's and sold (to my chagrin) almost everything, and started the long trek back, thanks in great part to ebay, in the early 90's and have never regretted it.
I had to grin at leon's post somewhere in one of these threads when he commented on the fact that he didn't share a poster's concern about the shape of his cards 100 years from now. Me either. If they still exist in nice shape I will be glad they are passed on to someone else. I feel sometimes like we are only renting these cards we own. With only daughters (but one small grandson!), the chances are 30 years from now someone might be bidding on and wondering who the hell "tbob" is when the lot is described as from the "tbob" collection.

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Posted By: Chris Counts

Welcome to the board, Ricky ... I love hearing Goodwin Goldfaden stories. I remember his rathole shop well. I would get my dad to drive me and and my brother there in the early 70s. Even as a 12-year-old, in an era long predating the grading of cards, I was appalled by the way he treated cards. I can't even imagine how many 7s and 8s he turned into 3s and 4s. He also seemed grumpy, and I figured he must have resented cards by the way he handled them so roughly. I seem to remember a story he started out in the card business in Cleveland back in the late 30s. I heard recently he left a bunch of stuff to Notre Dame. I also remember is lovely wife, Esther, who came to shows with him and who everybody seemed to adore. I recall an amzing outpouring of grief for her at local card shows and clubs when she passed away. As I grew older, I recall Goodwin mellowing a bit. The last time I saw him, which must have been close to 30 years ago, he even remember him smiling ... I'd love to hear more Goodwin stories. Whatever did become of him? I can't imagine he still alive. Maybe I'll try to dig up an old thread I recall seeing on this board a few years back ...

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Posted By: Ricky Y

I appreciate all the good cheer and heartfelt hello's. Its great to hear that Godwin was equally grouchy to more than one kid...haha...he's certainly a character. I recalled getting his address from an ad in Sporting News or some similar publication...ordered some baseball pictures and some cards...when I called to inquire about its status he yelled that he was busy and the order will go out if I sent the payment. I would have loved to hit his store..I did hear it was cramped to the rafters in the old days...

Jay I probably did come across you...I scoured the aisles for almost the whole weekend..nice to hear you mention Mike Jasperson...I recall buying some baseball photos and guides from him.

This place is definitely a panacea from the daily stress of work. I feel better now already!

Cheers,

Ricky

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Posted By: Bruce Babcock

In about 1976 I sold 2000 Topps baseball (1956-1964) to Goody Goldfadden for $60. At least 5-6 1956 Aarons and Mantles. But at the time my rent was $67 a month so I thought I did pretty well.

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Posted By: jackgoodman

Goldfadden's store was like walking into one of those rooms that belong to someone who has never thrown anything away. Tables full of "stuff," shelves piled with "stuff" to the ceiling and a backroom that I would have given anything to go in to. If it was card related and issued sometime during the prior century - HE HAD IT! (and in dups).