Sports Card Publications

[brian1961]

OK, so I was off more than "a bit" regarding the high point of SCD's subscriber base. The entire landscape of the print media has been changing, mightily, since I don't know, Y2K.

I recognize that I am a 60-year-old dinosaur. I am very glad that I subscribed to SCD when I did, particularly when I consider some of the interesting articles I might have missed. At this point, I am no longer a subscriber. When I way laid off from my job years ago, I chose not to renew my subscription.

Fortunately, freelance contributor George Vrechek has put some of his best stuff on the Net. His feature articles on pioneers Buck Barker, Lionel Carter, and Bruce Yeko should not be missed by anyone who is a serious student of this hobby.

A striking attitude among people immersed in the wired world is that they expect and insist that others, no matter how gray, come up to their wired world to meet them, lest they be ignored, ridiculed, and downright despised. I was very slow at adapting, and by no means have completed the transition. My point however is that us dinosaurs have much hobby knowledge, and some wonderful collections. We work with people who will treat us with dignity, respect, and show some good manners. Treat us with smug contempt and we tend to shut up tight as an oyster, and you'll get nothing from us.

I recently read a Yahoo News segment (we don't subscribe to the major area newspaper, either) that New York City human resource personnel are at their wit's end because so few of their job applicants are able to carry on an intelligent conversation. Nor do they seem capable of articulating their thoughts well on a job application, be it written or on-line.

Returning to the atmosphere of our little hobby, I'm rather certain your prepared article on the 1962 Topps "Green Tints" would find an eager audience among the several thousand subscribers of SCD. I'm sure they'd be delighted with it. Moreover, since you're free-lancing anyway, you are most free to publish via Lulu and Amazon as well. It might be so good that one of the SCD subscribers may just decide to get their grandchild to help them get on Amazon, set up an account, and purchase your work! Now wouldn't that be something.

Of course, you'll have to very carefully express to your SCD readers exactly how they may obtain the breadth of your work, but if you can somehow keep in mind the discussed fact that many of us gray-haired do not normally use the Net, you'll do fine. It's all about good communication and thoughtfulness.

Have a great week, guys. ----Brian Powell