What is a "Sports Card Historian"?

[deweyinthehall]

I can't add anything to the definitions offered. But since we have any number of members of these boards who collectively probably comprise the greatest source of card history there is, I will ask a question again here that I never have been able to find an answer to:

In the old cardboard days (52-91, with an emphasis on, say the 60s-80s), what was the process of card making? From snapping a pic on the field, to finding the pic on a card in a pack, what were the steps?

So often, it is hard to follow discussions like the Thomas NNOF thread or understand all the different proofs, color separations, blank backs, slick proofs etc that came out of the Topps Vault or fully comprehend how some cards consistently wound up next to each other in packs because to my knowledge no one has published a 101- or whatever-step guide to the overall process which would explain it all - those slick proofs? Those are step 37. The Thomas NNOF? That happened during step 65.

Does anyone know where I could find a reference like this?