Cooperstown question

[bravos4evr]

Interesting that so many fans think the HOF is owned and operated by MLB. I always have to explain that it was created by a hotelier so as to create a way to fill his hotel year round!

[Vintagecatcher]

I used to visit Cooperstown regularly when I lived in MA. My favorite store to visit was The National Pastime. It had all kinds of prewar cards, trophies, art work, and memorabilia from the Deadball Era.

It was a sad day when that store closed.

http://www.visitingcooperstown.com/nationalpastime.html

Patrick

[TCMA]

Be sure to visit Baseball Nostalgia in the Doubleday Field parking lot. Been in biz since 1974 and they still carry a lot of the old TCMA cards, tons of autographed photos, and lots of HOF Induction Day Cards. Pete and Bruce are two of the most knowledgeable guys in town and live in Cooperstown year-round.

[BBB]

Originally Posted by TCMA

Be sure to visit Baseball Nostalgia in the Doubleday Field parking lot. Been in biz since 1974 and they still carry a lot of the old TCMA cards, tons of autographed photos, and lots of HOF Induction Day Cards. Pete and Bruce are two of the most knowledgeable guys in town and live in Cooperstown year-round.

That store was not even in the top 5 back in the 90s. I used to like Mickeys (before it stopped carrying cards and then eventually shut down.)

Not a knock on Baseball Nostalgia, just hint as to how awesome the lineup of shops was back in the day.

[vintagesportscollector]

Originally Posted by Vintagecatcher

I used to visit Cooperstown regularly when I lived in MA. My favorite store to visit was The National Pastime. It had all kinds of prewar cards, trophies, art work, and memorabilia from the Deadball Era.

It was a sad day when that store closed.

http://www.visitingcooperstown.com/nationalpastime.html

Patrick

For those that never had a chance to visit National Pastime, here are some photos of what it used to be...very sad day when it closed.

http://s26.photobucket.com/user/vint...?sort=3&page=1

[btcarfagno]

Originally Posted by vintagesportscollector

For those that never had a chance to visit National Pastime, here are some photos of what it used to be...very sad day when it closed.

http://s26.photobucket.com/user/vint...?sort=3&page=1

I remember going there several times during my collecting hiatus. It was like entering another museum. Seeing these pictures with a renewed collecting spirit makes me wish I had been collecting the last time I was there.

Or maybe not. I don't know anything about how good or bad their pricing was.

My wife even enjoyed going in there. Such a cool place.

Tom C

[Eggoman]

Originally Posted by btcarfagno

I remember going there several times during my collecting hiatus. It was like entering another museum. Seeing these pictures with a renewed collecting spirit makes me wish I had been collecting the last time I was there.

Or maybe not. I don't know anything about how good or bad their pricing was.

If I remember...they were fairly priced...for Cooperstown! I thought as a younger collector that they DID have some eye-popping things...

[Huck]

Originally Posted by vintagesportscollector

For those that never had a chance to visit National Pastime, here are some photos of what it used to be...very sad day when it closed.

http://s26.photobucket.com/user/vint...?sort=3&page=1

Wow! When did the store close?

[vintagesportscollector]

Originally Posted by biohazard

Wow! When did the store close?

Several years ago, I don't recall exactly. They were very high priced. Everything had a price tag, but nothing really priced to sell - more of a museum. More show than sale. But based on today's prices for some of the rarer items, there could have beem some real bargains comparing to today. I know a few people that picked up a couple rarer pieces and were willing to pay. They were a souvenir shop too (t-shirts, etc..) so I think think that is how they paid the bills. As a younger collector I was in awe of the place and spent as much time there as the HOF.

[khkco4bls]

Then the town jacked up his rent like 3 or 4 times and he jump ship

[Vintagecatcher]

Joe,

Thanks for posting the photos from The National Pastime.

One of the most treasured items in my collection is shown. I purchased the D&M catcher figural trophy from another board member, and knew I had seen it previously in The National Pastime store. I had the silver plated trophy replated, and they discovered that the topper with the catcher figural had been glued to the base of the trophy at some point. They restored the trophy to it's original condition.

Here is a picture of the trophy from one of the photos you posted as well as 2 pictures of the restored trophy.

Thanks again,

Patrick