Anyone else read "Mint Condition" yet?

[M's_Fan]

It came in the mail this week and I couldn't put it down until I was done. So many great stories about the hobby! I highly recommend it. He writes about everyone in the hobby, including some folks on this board, I'm sure not everyone accepts his account. Nevertheless, I found it very very intriguing.

http://www.amazon.com/Mint-Condition.../dp/0802119395

A few funny things:

• Topps came out with a "CD Rom" card in the 90's

• Upper deck executives taking home boxes of inventory and printing rolls and of Griffey Jr. cards (probably the most common "iconic" baseball card of them all)

My Main Discussion Point:

The most interesting thing I learned was that not only did the card companies themselves ruin the hobby, the players union also got too greedy thinking that it could license anyone to print cards, that the market was insatiable. People will quickly attribute this downfall to greed, but I'm one of those cynical folks that believes that the world has always run on greed. The card companies in the very beginning didn't like printing baseball cards, they did it to make money and that's it. So card companies have always been greedy, the hobby collapsed instead because the card companies and players unions were really really stupid.

[Bicem]

I really enjoyed the chapter or Jefferson Burdick.

[collectbaseball]

I think I still have some Upper Deck Powerdeck (the CD-ROM cards) around! I remember getting two in a pack one time -- I think you were only supposed to get one.

Looks like a cool book, I'll have to check it out.

[FUBAR]

I had about 30 powerdecks i got in an estate lot, just not one from Grandpa's attic!

[ethicsprof]

waiting for it in the mail---
also for the T206 book which i have bought but have to wait 'til June or so.
i'm eager.

best,
barry

[M's_Fan]

Originally Posted by Bicem

I really enjoyed the chapter or Jefferson Burdick.

I LOVED the chapter on Burdick, what a guy he was, who we all owe so much to. But it pained me to read about him glueing all those cards in albums! It seems he could have thought of a better way to preserve them!

Has anyone here ever handled in person some of his albums from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York? I think they have some of his collection on display, but most is all hidden in albums the public can't handle.

[4815162342]

How do you grade a CD?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ALEX-RODRIGUEZ-2...item439d40d803

[iggyman]

Originally Posted by M's_Fan

Has anyone here ever handled in person some of his albums from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York? I think they have some of his collection on display, but most is all hidden in albums the public can't handle.

Here is George Vrechek's excellent article on the subject.

http://www.sportscollectorsdigest.co...ArticleId=3642


Or just visit the OBC website, click on the "Library" link and you will find a couple of articles on the subject written by George...

http://www.oldbaseball.com/

Lovely Day...

[Griffins]

Adaw W. went thru some of the Burdick albums a few years ago when he was researching his Boxing book.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/15365...llection+Visit

[barrysloate]

I've visited the Burdick collection many times, but primarily in the 1980's and 1990's. Back then you just called and made an appointment. After a while the museum was inundated with requests to see the baseball cards, and they finally had to change their rules. Now it's quite difficult to see.