Sharing the hobby with the next generation...

[bn2cardz]

Yeah I had a lot of bonding time with my dad. From the first time I got "Myfirst baseball card collecting kit" through a mail away book program when I was in kindergarten. I remember my dad sitting down with me when I got that and going through the cards. Then to when I was a teen my dad and I would set up at shows. He put up all the money for the table, and I got to keep the money from what sold. This last year my dad did one last show and had me go with him and he sold off everything, that is when I realized he had only done it to spend time with me. Now that I had my own family he just didn't see the point anymore.

[vintagerookies51]

My dad doesn't even collect, but he got me into the hobby a few years ago when he bought me a '65 Hank Aaron for my first vintage card. (got it at a Minnesota Twins fest)

[teetwoohsix]

Hey Andy-

Congrats on the good news (son on the way) , that's awesome !!
Also cool to see your daughter enjoying those cards. I wish I had known about pre war cards at that age

I don't have anyone in the next generation to share cards with, but there were a couple of people I worked with who collected back in the 60's and would love to talk about cards/baseball from that era. One guy in particular seemed to enjoy these talks, so I brought him a beater T206 and gave it to him hoping he would be as fascinated with them as I am and get into collecting them. It didn't work , so I just lost a beater, that's all

Sincerely, Clayton

[bn2cardz]

In my original post I said she was looking through t205 and t206 cards. Looking back at the photos, though, I don't see her looking at any of the t206 cards (she did have access to some). I guess the gold borders on the t205 cards interested her more. Also her favorite from the stack she had out was the Kid Elberfeld T205. This was the card that she was asking me wife about. I think it was the nice bright red with the gold borders that caught her interest.

The Elberfeld card:

[steve B]

Those pictures look familiar. My daughter is 2 and also enjoys looking at cards now and then. She also enjoys using empty screwdowns as glasses.
She's done ok with some cheap ones in semi ridgid toploaders as well as graded.

I've let her handle modern cards for a long time now, usually ones that are already damaged, as they'll only get worse.

Yesterday she showed me a new sorting method. Start with a stack of cards on a desk, remove the top one, examine, drop it on the floor, repeat. Better than the examine then chew method she used to use.

Steve B

[Davids]

Great pictures. Brought back fond memories. My middle daughter is now 22 years old. I have a vivid recollection of when she was about 2 or 3 years old and finding her with my "Mickey Four Mantle" chewing on him!! Thankfully he was in a very thick screw down. Enjoy this time in her life, it goes by too fast!

[Texxxx]

I will have to say that I am the reverse of this. My son is the one that got me back into collecting. I collected when I was a kid but mainly like most kids did back then. With no concern for condition just trade each other for what we wanted. I wish I still had all of those 50's and 60's cards. About 3 years ago my son started collecting and I fell back in love with the cards all over again. Especially when I started looking at the prewar and 206's. My son loves me buying the cards. I think it is really because he knows he will get them when I am gone.

[bn2cardz]

Originally Posted by steve B

Those pictures look familiar. My daughter is 2 and also enjoys looking at cards now and then. She also enjoys using empty screwdowns as glasses.
She's done ok with some cheap ones in semi ridgid toploaders as well as graded.

I've let her handle modern cards for a long time now, usually ones that are already damaged, as they'll only get worse.

Yesterday she showed me a new sorting method. Start with a stack of cards on a desk, remove the top one, examine, drop it on the floor, repeat. Better than the examine then chew method she used to use.

Steve B

My daughter's "sorting method" is she puts them on the ground and mixes them up and randomly picks one up and looks at it, after examining it she picks them all up and scatters them on the ground again mixes them up and looks at them.

I told a story on another post about how I was missing a card from a shelf. I was convinced that someone may have stole it (we had someone come do a repair that day) but I kept looking for it anyways. Finally I told my wife, if it wasn't stolen by the repair guy it was stolen by our daughter. She went up to my daughters room and found it mixed in with her toys. I figured if she wanted it that bad she could have it. It is now on display on her room.

She has also acquired a 55 Hank Aaron from me. After she got that card she climbed up on a chair in her room to get it off the shelf, the whole shelf came down. That evening she went to bed with the Hank Aaron, I didn't get a picture, but to see a 18 month old girl cuddling up with a 55 Aaron card instead of a baby doll... it can bring a tear to a daddy's eye.

[honus94566]

Call me weird, but I don't plan on really trying to pass the hobby down to my sons. I have a 6 year old and 4 year old. They enjoy seeing the cards, but, I dunno.... I am involved in a number of different interests and hobbies, it just bugs me how dirty and greed-filled so many people in this hobby are. It's just the people on this board that keep me going and enjoying it. Well, that and the cards themselves of course.

Anyway I just have minor addiction to cards, my problem I guess. But I am not entirely convinced it is a good thing, or that it would be in my kids' best interest to head at all down the same path.

I am not going push them or pull them any direction. If they're interested in it, great! If not, fine too. I am sure they will find their own passions in life.

As I look at myself and my dad, we actually have very different personalities, and very different interests. I am sure it will likely be the same with my kids.

I do like to share the hobby a bit with family and friends though. Most people simply have no idea that baseball cards this old even exist. Show them an 1887 old judge and even people not interested in baseball or cards raise an eyebrow. For my brother's birthday last year I gave him a T206 common. He thinks its really cool and has it sitting on their living room bookshelf. Then for christmas last year I gave my older brother a T206 common and a copy of "The Glory of their times". He called me up asking questions about the card and stuff.... so I guess it is good to share the hobby, but when I think of how much money you can go through in vintage, it just doesn't seem like serious collecting is something I'll want to steer my kids toward.

[Zone91]

That is GREAT to see!!!! I have niece she is 1 and a half I hope to get her into it as well!!!

[EvilKing00]

OMG be careful with those!!! they are over 100 years old! lolol