Who are the 10 most important collectors in hobby history

[GoSoxBoSox]

All would be interesting conversations.

I am particularly interested in a thread that addresses "Who has/have contributed most (positively) to the baseball card hobby?" and what was the contribution and impact? I think everyone can learn something on a thread like that and it would not be nearly as self-serving as the original thread topic was meant to be.

Edited to add: Right after Jefferson Burdick I would like to nominate Elliot Bassin for putting Net54 on the map

[teetwoohsix]

+1

[Peter_Spaeth]

Finding and buying cards, and selling them as a collector, was made easier by a quantum leap with the advent of ebay, so I would nominate Pierre Omidyar.

[GoSoxBoSox]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Finding and buying cards, and selling them as a collector, was made easier by a quantum leap with the advent of ebay, so I would nominate Pierre Omidyar.

True, true Peter. I guess we should probably set out by saying the contributions should be specifically made for this hobby (card collecting). If not I can see people adding the inventors of paper, camera's, ink, printing presses, etc. I wouldn't call any of these people, nor Pierre, great sportscard hobby contributors. Just my opinion, of course. But I can see both sides of that argument.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Like him or not (hi Jeff!) Bill Mastro was a driving force in establishing the auction as a fixture in the hobby.

[calvindog]

Bill is an awesome dude. I hope he can be Best Man at my 14th wedding someday.