Old sports collectors' magazines.

[TheSportsTrader1964]

Originally Posted by TheSportsTrader1964

Do any of you remember from back in the mid-1960s thru the 1970s any of the baseball card hobby magazines published. I published "The Sports Trader" from Sept. 1964-1970. The "big three" back then were my "Sports Trader". Dan Dischley's "The Trader Speaks" (inspired by my Sports Trader, including a takeoff on the name), Mike Bondarenko's "Sports Collectors News." I recently found out that copies of my 25-cent "Sports Trader" were selling on E-bay (and elsewhere) for $35 each, up to $60 EACH. Mercy! I can't afford to read my own magazine. lol Those were the good ole days when EVERYONE could afford to be a collector, including kids. Nowadays it has changed so much. I have a lot of catching up to do, to just get a hang on the business of trading/buying of baseball cards.

.....January 3, 2025....THANKS to all who replied to this post of mine. Thank you for the very nice comments. I am trying to catch up and respond but am very active in other things at the moment. Thanks again!

[Fred]

Richard,

Out of curiosity, have you been out of the hobby for a while? If so, how long?

I think my first subscription to a publication was the Sport Collectors Digest (SCD) back in the mid-late 70's. I ran across the Trader Speaks back then also, but didn't subscribe. Those definitely were some fun times in the hobby.

[oaks1912]

I checked my archive and found 37 issues, ranging from September 1964 (Vol 1, #1) to June 15,1971 (Vol 7, #3). My run is not complete. I'm not sure how long THE SPORTS TRADER continued, but was an important part of the hobby's foundation. In the first issue I checked for recognizable names in the hobby and found one who is still around but not as active in the modern hobby; Andy Strasberg. Andy would go on to become a VP for the San Diego Padres . Thanks Richard for your contributions.

[TheSportsTrader1964]

Originally Posted by oaks1912

I checked my archive and found 37 issues, ranging from September 1964 (Vol 1, #1) to June 15,1971 (Vol 7, #3). My run is not complete. I'm not sure how long THE SPORTS TRADER continued, but was an important part of the hobby's foundation. In the first issue I checked for recognizable names in the hobby and found one who is still around but not as active in the modern hobby; Andy Strasberg. Andy would go on to become a VP for the San Diego Padres . Thanks Richard for your contributions.

Thanks for the nice words, Mark. And a BIG thank you for your cooperation with writer George Vrececk who is working on an article about my Sports Trader (and other hobby magazines from WAY back) for the giant Sports Collectors Digest. In the latest issue of SCD I received there are about three or four names I recognize from "back then" -- Harvey Meiselman, Kit Young and "Larry Fritsch Cards". Larry passed away a few years ago but his son is carrying on the business. Larry was one of the first full-time baseball card dealers.

[Zach Wheat]

Richard,k

Welcome. Love reading all of the old publications. I completely understand why the prices for these vintage mags have increased. Good stuff.

[oaks1912]

Richard,
I had fun browsing through the pages of The Sports Trader yesterday following George Vrechek's inquiry. It was great to see a lot of names from the past that we no longer think about on a daily basis. As bad as the increase in price for your original copies of TST may seem (From 25 cents to $50-ish), the opportunity to buy a Mello Mint Wagner for $2.50 (In the late 60's) was one that most modern collectors would not pass up today, regardless of the pose.

When you sold TST in 1970, I'd forgotten who the buyer was. Reading through the pages of the 'transition' issue, it reminded me that Len Shapiro purchased it. Len is still involved in sports history as well as the Radio Hall of Fame. Although we still communicate through email and have countless friends, we haven't had an in-person meetup in a few years. Always a pleasure.


As you mention Larry Fritsch passed away almost twenty years ago and his son Jeff passed away about 8 or 9 years ago. It's now Larry's grandson that runs the business. Thanks again for helping to lay the foundation.

[TheSportsTrader1964]

Originally Posted by Fred

Richard,

Out of curiosity, have you been out of the hobby for a while? If so, how long?

I think my first subscription to a publication was the Sport Collectors Digest (SCD) back in the mid-late 70's. I ran across the Trader Speaks back then also, but didn't subscribe. Those definitely were some fun times in the hobby.

I've been out of the hobby for about 40 years but have kept track of it ever since. I remember for year-after-year, the two most expensive cards were the Honus Wagner card and from the modern era, the Pete Rose Rookie card. Rose card bounced from $400 to $1000 before the prices EXPLODED!