Why do you like pre-war cards?

[Leon]

I agree wholeheartedly, Scot. It is also why this board has always been very pro-hobby in almost every way possible. I love collecting and love reading the old stories of the ballplayers. However. it is probably the artwork/photos on the little gems that really draws me in. There is a lot to love about collecting pre-war baseball (cards) but I agree it could be dwindling and it is a shame.

Originally Posted by sreader3

Interesting post. Hardly anyone alive today has "vivid memories" of Cobb/Wagner/Ruth/etc. So something else must account, at least in part, for the staying power of prewar cards. Many have offered valid reasons on this thread.

That said, I am fearful like others that the fate of prewar card collecting is somewhat beholden to the fate of card collecting in general. The undeniable fact is that the younger generation has not "taken up the Mantle" (pun intended) of card collecting en masse. Thati will be a drag on prewar to some extent. The best thing we can do is not just collect but advocate card collecting in general, and prewar card collecting in particular, in every way possible. A business is not viable without marketing; neither is a hobby.

[kcohen]

I think that the answer is multi-faceted for most. For me, it connects me with my late father, born in 1908 and having grown up in the DC area, who saw play at Griffith Stadium many of the players of the tobacco, caramel, and early gum card eras. His recounting of seeing Walter Johnson, Same Rice, Bucky Harris, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, etc. evokes warm memories and brings those cards to life.

Furthermore, none of us ever saw these guys play. The cards, along with some footage, is as close as we'll ever get to touching them.