My Hobby Mentor

[oldjudge]

Great thread! I was lucky when I started collecting to be educated by such hobby greats as Lew Lipset, Rob Lifson, and Barry Sloate, to name a few. However, my most patient teacher, who I learned the most from, was Keith Mitchell. Not many people know his name today, but, at least in the Old Judge arena, he was one of the true heavyweights.

[glynparson]

named Vince at Renninger's Antique Market in Adamstown. Of course my father who always was there helping me build my collection. The final two mentors would have to be Levi and Jimmy from 707. I knew a lot for a kid back in 1993 when I first set up with those guys. My knowledge exploded immeasurably once I started teaming up with those guys over the next 7-8 year period. I owe my passion for the hobby to my father and most of the knowledge from Vince, Jimmy, and Levi. A special thanks to all these gentlemen. Also VERY glad to see and hear Jay is doing better. Possibly the nicest guy in the hobby.

[barrysloate]

Thanks John and Jay, but I'm just a guy who has been around for a long time. And if you pay attention, you learn something.

My mentor was Mark Rucker, who taught me so much about pre-league baseball memorabilia at a time when there was very little written on the subject. We had to learn as we went along, and I found that pretty exciting.

[kkkkandp]

Being almost exclusively an Old Judge guy these days there are three key names I can cite. The very early education came from Terry Knouse; the continuing education comes from Joe Gonsowski and, of course, from the master, Jay Miller.

[nickedson]

I'm proud to say that as an 18-year-old kid setting up at the old Troy, MI show in the summer of 1972, my hobby mentors were the likes of Frank Nagy, Ed Budnick and Don Steinbach. I remember Don getting me started on a 1952 Bowman set with 100 diff. in beautiful condition. He came over later in the show and said, "Nick, I have a '52 Bowman Mantle and Mays, both in great condition. They are yours for $18 each." As a poor college kid, I actually had to debate that price in my mind before pulling the trigger an hour later. Frank was always gave me the old baseball matchbook cover for free. And he sold the 1959 Fleer Ted Williams set - minus No. 68, of course - for $5 at his table. And they were near mint. The bottom line is these guys did a lot for younger collectors like myself, turning us into lifelong collectors.

[emmygirl]

My mentor was the late great Bill Carvalho. Bill owned a little card shop in Reading Ma. for many years and was always willing to teach everyone the true meaning of card collecting and that was to have FUN. In 1982 I met Bill at his store for the first time and he was just great to be around. Always teaching his customers, old and new. He gave out free cards to kids on a regular basis and the kids filled his store to hear Bill tell his collecting stories. Bill was president of New England Sports Collectors Club which held monthly meetings and card shows in Reading, Ma.. Bill was also responsible along with NESCC for holding the Wilmington, Ma. Shriner's Show. The success of that show even today is still due to Bill's love and dedication to the hobby. He is missed by all who knew him. I'm truly greatfull for his freindship and his devotion to this wonderful hobby. Jim MacCord

[steve B]

Originally Posted by emmygirl

My mentor was the late great Bill Carvalho. Bill owned a little card shop in Reading Ma. for many years and was always willing to teach everyone the true meaning of card collecting and that was to have FUN. In 1982 I met Bill at his store for the first time and he was just great to be around. Always teaching his customers, old and new. He gave out free cards to kids on a regular basis and the kids filled his store to hear Bill tell his collecting stories. Bill was president of New England Sports Collectors Club which held monthly meetings and card shows in Reading, Ma.. Bill was also responsible along with NESCC for holding the Wilmington, Ma. Shriner's Show. The success of that show even today is still due to Bill's love and dedication to the hobby. He is missed by all who knew him. I'm truly greatfull for his freindship and his devotion to this wonderful hobby. Jim MacCord

Bill was one of the really good dealers around Boston, and one of the early ones as far as retail goes.

My hobby mentors were in the same area. Joel and Dave Hall from Halls Nostalgia. I moved to Arlington in late 77, and their shop became one of the places I'd hang out at after school.

I still drop into their auction now and then, they haven't had a shop for years.

And in the small world department I'm pretty sure I bought a big part of my RC cola can collection from Bill at Halls. I was collecting them and the guys at the shop knew I was. One day a guy dragged in a huge carton full of the cans. I was paying attention since sometimes I could get a first shot at stuff that they'd just bought. When he asked if they wanted them their answer was that they didn't but "that guy over there probably does" A couple minutes and $6 later they let me use the phone to call home for a ride for myself, my bike and the cans.
Pretty cool. It's not everyone that lets another dealer make a deal in their shop.

Steve B

[mrvster]

John, Jamie and the rest......I don't know what to say, but THANKS SO MUCH!
you guys are just INSANE COLLECTORs who I look up to.....
I can't explain how much that really means to me....

I thank my mom and dad getting me hooked on baseball cards as a kid...

John Dreker got me into T206 in the 90's and it was all over! I found the Net and Ebay....scrap T206 and BOOM! perfect storm...I'm obsessed

Leon for what he does....


and , all the collectors who have truly become my friends....we share such a passion for these cards, the comradere is just insane...

Peace

Johnny V


All of the fine folks I have met, have become my mentors

[slidekellyslide]

I never had a hobby mentor...the hobby was so small in my neck of the woods. I got my first prewar cards from my dad who found some Old Judges in a scrapbook..he removed them and gave them to me with the advice that I should stop spending my money on the new cards and focus on the old stuff. I modified that and bought the crap out of new stuff, hoarding rookie cards of McGwire, Canseco, Mattingly, etc and then trading them to the local card shop for 1950s-60s stars and rookie cards. I traded 3 Mark McGwire 85 Topps cards for an Ernie Banks rookie card...I was doing that constantly...the card shop couldn't move old stuff, but it could move hot rookies with no problem.

I'm much more of a minor league memorabilia collector today than a card collector, and I owe much of my transformation to guys like Clint Hromek and Dave Eskenazi. Both of whom have amazing minor league collections.