Josh Evans Passed Away

[bobfreedman]

Press Release

[prestigecollectibles]

Wow, that is horrible. Josh was a great friend to me and I knew he had been sick. RIP buddy.

[prestigecollectibles]

Wow, that is horrible. Josh was a great friend to me and I knew he had been sick. RIP buddy.

[autograf]

Josh had won a few items in my Nonsports auction and I’d conversed with him some and knew he was sick. RIP Josh.

[aelefson]

I heard it too. I am really sorry to hear about his passing as I considered Josh a mentor for years. He was always good to me, from the first time I sold him a few college programs in my early teens to my more recent visits to his home and office for sales. I enjoyed hearing his stories about finding things at Brimfield years ago and he always paid well for items that excited him. He helped direct me to my passion of 19th century baseball items and he encouraged my unusual pursuit of those items through antiquing, rather than typical hobby sales.

Alan

[Hankphenom]

Wow, so very sorry to hear this. One of a handful of true hobby creators and icons. I had many dealings with Josh, and they were usually fun and always interesting. One time at a National we got to chatting about Fillmore concert posters, and not long after I got home a copy of "Art of Rock," the incredible definitive coffee table book of psychedelic posters, came in the mail with an inscription by Josh. The hobby will go on, of course, but it won't be quite the same without him.

[sb1]

Very sorry to hear this, Josh and I have been hobby acquaintance's for over 20 years. He always had time to sit down and talk one on one, each and every time we ran into each other. He will be missed in the hobby as he was one of the hobby pioneers of the modern era.

[Rich Klein]

I knew Josh for almost 35 years and he was always very interesting to chat with. I will miss seeing him at the big shows.

His mom posted this on FB:

Josh is most wonderful son to me. He made my life happy and complete.
Sad to say that my darling son is no longer with us. Missed by his sister Andrea Young.
Sincerely,
Maxine Rosen Evans

RIP Joshua Leland Evans

Regards
Rich

[Leon]

This is awful news. I knew he had been very sick. He was always a strong supporter of our forum. And more importantly he and I had a special relationship. It was all good. At least a few times he yelled at me and we ended up hugging. I believe he spoke at no less than 3 Net54 dinners. He was always a trooper. I appreciated every thing he did for the forum and the hobby.
I will definitely miss him a lot. RIP friend.

Condolences to his family and friends.

[Wite3]

I too was dismayed to hear of Josh's passing. We had exchanged emails and messages on hobby related stuff (including postings here on this board) for years and I had a chance to talk to him a handful of times over the years. Great guy who will be missed.

[Vintage Yankee]

So sorry to hear this. The first live auctions I attended were Leland's live auctions in NYC across from Penn Station in the early-mid 1990's. Josh had a meaningful impact on my personal collecting focus and he will be missed. My deepest condolences to his family.

[Kevin Savage]

Josh Evans was one of the most interesting and colorful characters I ever met in this hobby of ours. He had a keen sense for value, a quick mind, and a piercing wit. It was truly a pleasure to visit with him at hundreds of card shows over the years- and I especially remember fondly hanging out with him at Kit Young's Hawaii shows in the 1980's and 1990's.

He founded and helped build a great hobby company- Lelands. There he employed many great people - and served many, many collectors for decades. He will be remembered by me as an innovator and a guy who really "loved the stuff". I will miss him- as will this hobby.

I am sure the card show in the next life - just got a little more interesting-

RIP Josh

[sando69]

when josh was originally diagnosed with lymphoma years ago, he responded to the well wishes of our community by saying,
"I will be fine
If not, I will still be fine."
i hold a profound & sincere respect for his wisdom & perspective.
these are words that will stay with me forever.
may you rest in peace, joshua leland evans

[Keith H. Thompson]

I've known Josh since he was a high school student helping his mother set up and sell at New England antique shows. He had a precocious instinct for baseball cards and memorabilia, and his enthusiasm was infectious. I believe Josh is a graduate of Babson College. In those years he usually had a corner of the family booth devoted to baseball, and it took off from there.

My collection of seats and chairs from all of the fourteen parks that the "original" sixteen major league teams played in (say 1950) owes much to Josh. He had a good eye, and always described the chair accurately.

I will remember Josh and his family with great fondness.

[oldjudge]

I remember going down to Leland’s Saturday morning auctions in the early-1990s. Josh ran them and all the big names from the New York area were there. I did some, but not a tremendous amount, of business with Leland’s over the years, mainly because they were more memorabilia than than cards. However, despite not being one of their active customers Josh always treated me well. He was a hobby scholar and a gentleman and I will miss him.

[danmckee]

It is true and so sad... Josh was a true hobby Icon and a damn good friend. RIP Josh! 2020 SUX!

[painthistorian]

Lelands had their location across the street in Seaford, NY from my Benjamin Moore headquarters store for many years and he and his key personnel always showed me great service, respect, courtesy and knowledge....I remember when he first came into the hobby, he did many great things in the hobby and will be missed...RIP Josh!

[T.S. OConnell]

I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Josh Evans. I have known him for about 35 years, having met at the old Philly Shows at Willow Grove. He was one of the true giants in the hobby and will be long remembered as such. My deepest condolences to his family, Mike and the rest of his wonderful crew. TS

[MVSNYC]

Very sad news. Met him many times. A true hobby pioneer in the sports auction house arena.

RIP Josh.

[Fred]

Truly sad. Another huge loss for the hobby and most of all, his family.

[sforaker]

RIP hobby pioneer, icon and friend.

[Baseball Rarities]

So sorry to hear this. RIP Josh.