Who are the 10 most important collectors in hobby history

Here is our list based on their contribution to hobby history and the breadth and scope of their collections. There were 50 collectors on our short list.
We did include dealers who also collected. What do you think?

1. Charles Bray
2. Sir Edward Wharton Tigar
3. Buck Barker
4. Lionel Carter
5. Richard Egan
6. James Copeland
7. Frank Nagy
8. Barry Halper
9. Dr. Robert Wesiberg
10. Mark Rucker


Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List
bdorskind@dorskindgroup.com

[terjung]

I can't imagine a top ten without Burdick if hobby contribution is a consideration.

[iggyman]

What about Howie "T206" McCormick??? Did he even make the cut?

Lovely Day...

[brianp-beme]

I am familiar in varying degrees with 9 of the 10 gentleman listed, but who is Dr. Robert Wesiberg--I don't recall hearing his name before (and is it possibly spelled 'Weisberg'?).

And of course Burdick should be listed.

Brian

[iggyman]

Barry Halper has lost a great deal lot of credibility lately (deservingly so). Because of that, I wouldn't exclude him from the top ten and slide Walt Corson in his place.

Lovely Day...

[usernamealreadytaken]

You guys are forgetting

"America's most important buyer of rare, high grade baseball memorabilia."

[Leon]

Originally Posted by terjung

I can't imagine a top ten without Burdick if hobby contribution is a consideration.

IMHO, Burdick will always be #1.

Of Bruce's list I would not quite say the exact same ones. I would take out Copeland....easy choice there. I have never heard of Wesiberg (which doesn't mean much but I would like to think I have at least heard of the name to be in the top ten) so I would take him out and I would take out Mark Rucker. I would probably put in Larry Fritsch for several reasons....and maybe even good ole Lew Lipset. That would round out my 10, with the others Bruce listed. Just my opinion and I am sure there are some collectors I might be forgetting.......Nice question.

Here is my first take on it.....

1. Jefferson Burdick
2. Sir Edward Wharton Tigar
3. Buck Barker
4. Lionel Carter
5. Richard Egan
6. Larry Fritsch
7. Frank Nagy
8. Barry Halper
9. Lew Lipset
10. Charles Bray

[GoSoxBoSox]

Originally Posted by Yankeefan51

Here is our list based on their contribution to hobby history and the breadth and scope of their collections. There were 50 collectors on our short list.
We did include dealers who also collected. What do you think?

Just wondering, who exactly is "our" and "we" you speak of? Are you speaking for a group of collectors who you polled eslewhere besides here on N54?

I don't mean to sound ignorant by asking these questions. I only ask because I have read a number of your posts and you always seem to be speaking for some group of people?

Thanks in advance for your answer.

I like the list pssted by oldjudge except that I don't know what Keith Olbermann has done for the hobby (not necessary the order he posted them in)? I'm not saying he did nothing. I'm just saying I don't know what he has brought. I do think Fritsch & Randy belong there plus another current collector who I'm sure doesn't want his name mentioned here. My honorable mention might be Marshall Fogel considering his memorabilia. If Halper is considered Marshall should be as well, IMO.

[oldjudge]

Tom-I was ranking collections as much as contributions to the hobby. Keith has one of the greatest collections ever and he has written some very informative hobby articles. While both Marshall and Randy have great collections, I don't think they are in the same class as some of the others mentioned.

[barrysloate]

Tom- Bruce refers to himself in the first person plural. When he says "we" he means "I."

[rdixon1208]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Tom- Bruce refers to himself in the first person plural. When he says "we" he means "I."

Which is about the most annoying thing I've ever read.

[Orioles1954]

We rank myself in the top 10.

We made a mistake in not including Burdick- in fact he was on the top of a list of 50 collectors who served as our short list

We agree that Larry Fritsch (although we only knew Larry as a dealer more than as a collector) and Don MacPherson should be somewhere in top 10-15

Again one of the criteria that we used was contribution to the hobby.

As for more other collectors who are alive and kicking (or recently deceased) albeit,not all of them are active, our list would includes

Jim Blumenthal
John Buonaguidi
Tom Collier (deceased- we think)
Mark Cooper
Ken Felden- best memorabilia collection we ever saw
Marshall Fogel
Larry Fritsch
Dan Gantt
Gerry Glasser
Dennis Goldstein
Jim Horne
Scott Ireland
John Kasmaian
Larry Kelley
Terry Knouse
Lew Lipset
Rob Lifson
George Lyons (now deceased)
Marc MacRae
Dan McKee
Charlie Merkel
Joe Michaelowitz
Gar Miller
Jay Miller
Lew Newman
Bob Richardson
Corey Shanus
Barry Sloate
Don Spence
Don Stenibach (now deceased)
Robert Thing

[lentel]

Originally Posted by rdixon1208

Which is about the most annoying thing I've ever read.

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Tom- Bruce refers to himself in the first person plural. When he says "we" he means "I."

would that be considered normal or slightly askew

[Bilko G]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Tom- Bruce refers to himself in the first person plural. When he says "we" he means "I."

Really? I always assumed he was talking about his wife or significant other.

[Jim VB]

Originally Posted by Bilko G

Really? I always assumed he was talking about his wife or significant other.

Not so much.

[FrankWakefield]

Well this is a thought-provoking thread.

Who are the 10 most important collectors in hobby history.

For me, the 'are' and the 'history' have me leaning in differing directions on this. I think what it means (not necessarily what was intended) is that in the history of our hobby (baseball card collecting is inferred) who are the 10 most important collectors. I agree with those who make the distinction between being important to the hobby and having a great collection. So this is about important collectors, not the best collections.

Bruce, Leon and Jay have their top 10s... (Bruce's reflecting his correction)

1. Jefferson Burdick---- 1. Jefferson Burdick------------1.Wharton Tigar
2. Charles Bray---------2. Sir Edward Wharton Tigar---2.Jeff Burdick
3. Sir EW Tigar---------3. Buck Barker----------------3.Lew Lipset
4. Buck Barker----------4. Lionel Carter---------------4.Barry Halper
5. Lionel Carter---------5. Richard Egan---------------5.Richard Masson
6. Richard Egan---------6. Larry Fritsch---------------6.Frank Nagy
7. James Copeland------7. Frank Nagy-----------------7.Buck Barker
8. Frank Nagy----------8. Barry Halper----------------8.Keith Olbermann
9. Barry Halper---------9. Lew Lipset------------------9.Lionel Carter
10. Dr. R Wesiberg-----10. Charles Bray---------------10.Charles Bray

My 10...

1 Jefferson Burdick
2 EW Tigar
3 Lew Lipset
4 Buck Barker
5 Charles Bray
6 Richard Egan
7 Frank Nagy
8 Bill Haber
9 Keith Olbermann
10 Lionel Carter

I know not of Dr. Robert Wesiberg. Copeland and Halper did massive collecting, but I don't think they were that important to the hobby. Sharing information is a major component to be considered. Some major collectors have actually done things that hurt the hobby. So this isn't about the size of a collection. Tigar pushes Burdick closely for 1st...

I would think that there are many collectors of T206s who have no idea who Barker, Bray, Egan, and Haber were. They might know of Nagy and Carter only because of the slabs that bear their names for cards having been in their collections. And that is a shame. Maybe our hobby needs a book on the history of baseball card collecting. Maybe only a few of us care about such...



Either we need this site to accept spreadsheets so columns and such work, or if it already does then I need to learn how to use such. Probably both...

[Orioles1954]

I'm aware of one Sheik Semaj Nigaef of Dubai, a renowned Arabian horse trader who has quietly accumulated a superior type collection over the past three decades. It has been acquired under terms of strict confidentiality and not too many Westerners know of it.

[Kawika]

Ecin yrt, Semaj.

[GoSoxBoSox]

Frank,

I don't recall hearing of Bill Haber. Can you write a few words on him to educate? Thanks much.

Tom

[Orioles1954]

Originally Posted by Kawika

Ecin yrt, Semaj.

Hod! My apologies to Bruce, taking stuff like baseball cards too seriously is not my way.

[FrankWakefield]

Tom,

Bill Haber worked for Topps. He worked there for years, as he worked his way up he eventually reached what I think was a job with the title of Sports Director. He worked on getting at least one card, one image, of everyone who played in the majors. Back in the 60's he had a collection that was on par with, and in some ways better than those of Egan, Barker, and Carter. He had all of the PCL Bowmans. When I communicated with him it was a tug of war, I'd try to pry from him information about the white border tobacco cards, and the players depicted; he was always wanting to know about Colgans Chips, which ones I had, or had seen, which team variations existed. Sometimes we'd answer the other's questions as a way of steering the conversation back to what we wanted to know about. I sent him a few Colgans, at one time he was pushing out on those known, or those that were attributed on the various lists. He was a soft spoken, gentle fellow, had worked in banking at one time. And he was big on getting the birth and death dates, and the locations correct in the old Baseball Encyclopedia. I would think he's still acknowledged in that publication, if he isn't he should be. I know Mr. Lipset acknowledges him in the 2nd Encyclopedia on Early Gum and Candy Cards; I don't recall if he's mentioned in the other two. I'd think his collection in the 60's would have been in the top 10, his knowledge of baseball cards top 10, his cataloging and record keeping top notch. At Topps he was able to determine who got a card and who didn't (subject to the contract crossfire). I deem him one of the more important collectors to our hobby.

As for Sir EW Tigar, if this was about all card collecting then I think he leaps to the top of the list. But since I deem this to be about baseball card collecting, I allow for Mr. Burdick to barely nudge him out.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

I'm aware of one Sheik Semaj Nigaef of Dubai, a renowned Arabian horse trader who has quietly accumulated a superior type collection over the past three decades. It has been acquired under terms of strict confidentiality and not too many Westerners know of it.

So why expose him?

[barrysloate]

Semaj Nigaef is James Feagin backwards.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Semaj Nigaef is James Feagin backwards.

LOL no one ever accused me of being the brightest light on the tree. Good one, James!