Who had a positive impact on your collection ?

[Powell]

Bill Latzko
Great guy
Honest and knowledgeable

[commishbob]

There have been several Houston sportscard storeowners and dealers who have been generous and welcoming over the course on my collecting hobby dating back many decades.

Larry Dluhy, who I met in the early 70s when we both worked at the old Houston post. He turned to cards as a full-time occupation and he's still involved. Larry was always a pleasure to converse with.

The Nelkin family, Harold, Lillian, and their sons Teddy and Todd whose Southwest Houston store was almost a second home to me for many years.

Finally, one of this site's advertisers, Daryll Zingaro, the owner of Sportscards of Houston, puts on regular shows in west and north Houston. I've sold off a large part of my collection so I don't make it across Houston to Daryll's shows like I used to. And I miss my visits with him. He sold me almost all the starter lots of the 50s and 60s sets I chased and so much more. He was always looking out for my card needs and was a valuable 'ear' when I was contemplating a large purchase. Daryll and his family are just good folks.

[Harliduck]

Wow, I missed this thread, and it's been revived several times. Just really enjoyed reading through everyone's stories...


Easy for me...Jack Leatherman...a retired school teacher from Lake Stevens...met him at a Mariners baseball game (which was crazy to travel an hour away to meet someone who lived super close) and he gave me at 12 years old a few written on 63 Fleer cards. They may have been 100 years old. I would meet regularly with Jack for the next 15 years until he passed. He was a wealth of knowledge and really taught me what little I know.

Also, I will add like many here, Leon and net54. Like most I left the hobby in 1991...and came back around 2012ish...found this place, and it's truly been an inspiration and has driven how I focus my collection. So many great people here, so willing to share...love it. Thanks all, Merry Christmas!!!

[Leon]

I have missed threads many times until they pop up again.
It's great to see a lot of members have been influenced by the forum. All of our members are the ones to get credit. I have certainly learned a lot over the years. And still seem to learn something new almost every day.
And a fitting image below...

Originally Posted by Harliduck

Wow, I missed this thread, and it's been revived several times. Just really enjoyed reading through everyone's stories...


Easy for me...Jack Leatherman...a retired school teacher from Lake Stevens...met him at a Mariners baseball game (which was crazy to travel an hour away to meet someone who lived super close) and he gave me at 12 years old a few written on 63 Fleer cards. They may have been 100 years old. I would meet regularly with Jack for the next 15 years until he passed. He was a wealth of knowledge and really taught me what little I know.

Also, I will add like many here, Leon and net54. Like most I left the hobby in 1991...and came back around 2012ish...found this place, and it's truly been an inspiration and has driven how I focus my collection. So many great people here, so willing to share...love it. Thanks all, Merry Christmas!!!

[Baseballcrazy62]

I went to Mark Dehem’s funeral today. He will be missed and it certainly leaves a huge void here in the Michigan collector community. He and his brother Jim have been a huge positive influence in my hobby life. He will be missed but never forgotten. Rest in Peace Mark!

[cardsagain74]

Not the typical answer here, but the Jabs Family youtube channel.

I'd set up at local shows in high school, but had been distanced from the hobby ever since the junk wax era ended the following year. Then about six years ago, I randomly bumped into some videos of Jabs opening up early '80s wax boxes. Before I knew it, I was building the kind of vintage collection that I never had as a kid. Without those videos rekindling my interest, it's extremely unlikely that I ever would've done anything again with cards.

Or have been in this thread (given that it started prior to then)

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

You ever start reading a thread and get halfway through and realize it's years old? (don't know how I missed it years ago) Loved finding this thread today and reading all the great stories. Good to see lots of names mentioned years ago that are still with us and active today.

Someone mentioned being nostalgic about being a kid and trading cards with your buddies. in the early 80's, I have such fond memories of trading cards into the wee hours of the night, drinking JOLT colas with buddies Matt Slavin and Aaron Lindsay. If we were lucky one of Aaron's older bro's would bring his binder and we would wheel and deal some major 4 way trades.

One summer (had to be in 1984) I spent a month with my cousin in Danville CA and in exchange for helping restore the backyard deck (lots of hand sanding), my Uncle would give us some $ and we would ride our bikes down to the local card shop and spend it all on cards. Wish someone had schooled me on vintage because all we cared about was 84 Topps, Donruss and Fleer. I remember the dealer selling us these large format 84 Topps cards that he thought would skyrocket in value. LOL. Wish I had bought CJ's instead!

It's been super fun getting to know so many great guys in the hobby and drilling down with set, type or player focuses.

Shout out to my CJ buddies like Thomas Prince, Jim Chanin, Brady Hill, Eric Pugh, Anthony Nex, Jay Kaplan, Adrian (yes that Adrian), Stan Loch, Andy Montero, Don Hontz, Jason Glasser, Barry Kahn, Scott Smith, Eitan Bouskila, George Tiwari and Bob Dimand.