Dealers (or fellow collectors) who lit the fire

[robedits]

For me,it was Ron St Angelo of RST cards.
I had a few of my dad's cards from his childhood (Goudeys etc). I had also always been a baseball history buff,ever since we visited my mom's ancient relative George (Nap) Rucker down south when I was a child...and I found out he was an old time ballplayer.
Anyway, Ronnie was a former student of my dad's (from about 15-20 years earlier).Sometime in the mid 80s, my retired dad must have run into him during a walk in town (Ron had a store in town, in my hometown of Lindenhurst,Long Island).
My dad knew I loved collecting as a child,and it had been at least a dozen years since I looked at my cards. He suggested I stop into Ronny's store some weekend,so I did. And I was hooked again. Old cards,some new cards,only baseball cards. he had a good selection of vintage,had weekly raffles etc.
There was another dealer in Farmingdale,LI,name of Frank. And another guy,who was a former gym teacher of mine,also in Lindenhurst. THey all got me back into going to the hofstra shows,then the White Plains shows,SCD,and the like.
I admit I spent way too much of my money in Ronnie's store and at the shows,considering what I was making at the time,and unfortunately I was just getting back into the hobby during it's peak and before the fall. Still,it was challenging and fun.
At the shows,there was a gracious older couple from PA,that always set up at the WHite Plains shows, who always had a ncie vintage selection and I bought from them often.Still setting up there last time I attended ( a year or so ago). Always nice to talk to,and THEY got me back into OPC collecting.
Meeting the ostentatious Mark Murphy at one of the WP shows got me into older wax,BIG time,in early 90s. Had a large collection at one time;all now sold.
Finally,the gentleman (Jim Ryan) who now runs the WP shows was a great dealer and helpd me out plenty over the years. Also purchased the bulk of my vintage collection years ago. Super nice guy,and very knowledgeable.

[wolfdogg]

that I started buying from back in '83 (started collecting in '82) was Kit Young (still have the old "catalogs" from early 80s), Larry Fritsch (bought my first T206s from him--group lot of (5) w/ 1 HOFer...Bresnahan portrait..and my 1st Old Judges...still have a lot of old "One-of-a-Kind" catalogs from early-mid 80s) and David Kohler (SportsCardsPlus---still have "catalogs" from early 80s).....those were the days...........few others were Conlon, Festberg, Mayfield..........

[Bill Stone]

Richard Gelman's Card Collectors Co. of New York.

[GRock]

I just ran across a price list (circa 1982) from Howard's (Findlay, Ohio) 1952 Topps #311, $925.00

[Brian Van Horn]

My fire was self-lighting. I found a ripped in half 1972 Topps Jimmy Rosario on the hill next to my grade school. I took it home to be stapled together by mother. I still have the card and the staples are still in place.

[SteveVerkman]

I was into 1950s and 1960s Topps cards from about 1979 but after seeing Dan McKee at a show in Silver Spring MD in 1989 and his table of exclusively pre-war cards, I was hooked. I immediately bought a pair of high grade 1940 Play Ball Lajoies and met him a few days later to get a 1938 Goudey DiMaggio. I have been more or less addicted in various degrees to pre-war cards since then...

[Jantz]

OJ did it.

I hate to admit it. When the OJ story hit the TV, I said to my father that I probably have a dozen of his football cards from when I was a kid. Of course the story was on the TV non-stop, so I couldn't get the thought of my old sportscards out of my head. So few days later I stopped down to my parent's house, went through the attic and found all my sportscards from when I was younger. That was all it took and I was hooked again.

Jantz

[judsonhamlin]

Mark me down for Renata Galasso, as well. 1000 1977 Topps, throw in the 76 traded set and a pack of Galasso Stars of the 30's or whatnot. All for 8.99 or something insane.
Then I discovered the Route 1 Flea market in New Brunswick. There were always 5-6 dealers with cards. I still have a 1941 PB Foxx that i got there for next to nothing.

[Theoldprofessor]

Two guys whose patience and generosity are surely worth mentioning:

-- Max Nanney, retired principal of Mooresville HS, Mooresville, NC. Max and wife Beth would set up at the local "big" flea market once a month. I still own the first T206s he sold me. Two Cobbs, red and bat on, in Ex-Mt. $150 each, which was about right in those days;

-- Chandy Greenholt, whose knowledge of cards was (and I hope still is) matched only by his friendly and helpful approach to selling them.

If either of you happens to read this, thanks from an old guy who stilll hasn't learned enough.

[robedits]

Forgot to add Howards Sports Cards (Lepsic,Ohio). Loved to get their mailers. I constantly bought the groups of cards from them (for instance, 10 ExM to M 1961 Topps) and many singles. They were always super pleasant to deal with and they were very helpful starting me on set builders.

Wonder whatever happened to them?