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Evolution of a Hobby
TJMAC
Posts: 864 ✭✭
I thought it would be fun to go over the key cards in that ignited my passion for both the love of sports and card collecting. I have stated in other threads for over half my life I have been collecting sports cards and there are certain ones that trigger great memories. None of these cards are mine.
I'll start with baseball:
1980 Topps was the first year I started collecting this card was the one I had to have.
Reggie Jackson was my favorite player growing up and whatever team he went to was my favorite. I collected baseball until about 1982, then my passion for football cards took over.
1981 Topps Football were the first packs I opened and I was a huge Cowboys fan. So, I was looking for cards of Tony Dorsett, Tony Hill, Pat Donovan, Randy White, Too Tall Jones and of course my favorite player growing up:
Joe Montana who? Danny White was the must have card for me! Too bad Montana ripped my heart out that year.
My passion for baseball cards started up again in 1987 when my paperboy showed me his baseball card collection and told me there was a dealer who sold cards out of his house. I ended buying a 1987 Topps Set and Donruss Set for like $40.00 for both of them. Then I was going to the local grocery store buying pack after pack of 1987 Donruss to find this guy:
Reggie Jackson retired with the Oakland A's and Mark McGWIRE was the hot rookie of 1987. So, I transitioned into being an A's and Mark McGwIRE fan.
I was an off and on Football collector meaning I would get the Topps Set each year. In 1988, I went to a YMCA card show and my passion for vintage football started when I picked up about an EX to EX-MT Johnny Unitas rookie for $25.00. I later sold it for over $200.00. That began my passion for collecting Johnny Unitas cards. Here was my favorite at the time:
In 1988, I took over my paperboy's route and spent a good portion of my collection money on sports cards. I remember putting this card on layaway at the local card store. It was in excellent condition and cost me about $65.00. I knew that all good collections had to have at least one Mantle. This is still my favorite card of the Mick.
In 1989 I was a disgruntled Cowboys fan after the great Tom Landry was fired by Jerry Jones. I remember seriously considering not following them anymore until I became a big fan of this guy:
1989 Pro Set were probably my favorite cards as a kid. I could not get enough Troy Aikman rookies. I wish I would have bought more Score looking back.
In 1991, I became fed up with all the companies coming out and focused primarily on basketball cards since it was my favorite sport to play. My favorite players were Magic Johnson and Chris Mullin. Here are my two favorite cards of theirs:
I remember picking up boat loads of 1989 Hoops. I must have 10 or so Johnsons, 8 or 9 Jordans, but only a few David Robinsons. I bought the 1986 Fleer Chris Mullin at my local card store for $20.00. I remember thinking that was a bargain.
In 1992, I graduated from High School and quit collecting all together.
So, there you have it. This is a brief chronology of how I became involved with cards and how they marked my childhood and teen years. I would not get back into the hobby until 2000.
I'll start with baseball:
1980 Topps was the first year I started collecting this card was the one I had to have.
Reggie Jackson was my favorite player growing up and whatever team he went to was my favorite. I collected baseball until about 1982, then my passion for football cards took over.
1981 Topps Football were the first packs I opened and I was a huge Cowboys fan. So, I was looking for cards of Tony Dorsett, Tony Hill, Pat Donovan, Randy White, Too Tall Jones and of course my favorite player growing up:
Joe Montana who? Danny White was the must have card for me! Too bad Montana ripped my heart out that year.
My passion for baseball cards started up again in 1987 when my paperboy showed me his baseball card collection and told me there was a dealer who sold cards out of his house. I ended buying a 1987 Topps Set and Donruss Set for like $40.00 for both of them. Then I was going to the local grocery store buying pack after pack of 1987 Donruss to find this guy:
Reggie Jackson retired with the Oakland A's and Mark McGWIRE was the hot rookie of 1987. So, I transitioned into being an A's and Mark McGwIRE fan.
I was an off and on Football collector meaning I would get the Topps Set each year. In 1988, I went to a YMCA card show and my passion for vintage football started when I picked up about an EX to EX-MT Johnny Unitas rookie for $25.00. I later sold it for over $200.00. That began my passion for collecting Johnny Unitas cards. Here was my favorite at the time:
In 1988, I took over my paperboy's route and spent a good portion of my collection money on sports cards. I remember putting this card on layaway at the local card store. It was in excellent condition and cost me about $65.00. I knew that all good collections had to have at least one Mantle. This is still my favorite card of the Mick.
In 1989 I was a disgruntled Cowboys fan after the great Tom Landry was fired by Jerry Jones. I remember seriously considering not following them anymore until I became a big fan of this guy:
1989 Pro Set were probably my favorite cards as a kid. I could not get enough Troy Aikman rookies. I wish I would have bought more Score looking back.
In 1991, I became fed up with all the companies coming out and focused primarily on basketball cards since it was my favorite sport to play. My favorite players were Magic Johnson and Chris Mullin. Here are my two favorite cards of theirs:
I remember picking up boat loads of 1989 Hoops. I must have 10 or so Johnsons, 8 or 9 Jordans, but only a few David Robinsons. I bought the 1986 Fleer Chris Mullin at my local card store for $20.00. I remember thinking that was a bargain.
In 1992, I graduated from High School and quit collecting all together.
So, there you have it. This is a brief chronology of how I became involved with cards and how they marked my childhood and teen years. I would not get back into the hobby until 2000.
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Comments
What a great thread! Love hearing about how others got started and how the journey changed along the way. Nice touch with adding the pics also. Best of luck in your future collecting.
Jeff
and 1983 ron kittle fleer
I just bought a few 83 kittles.. still don't have an 82 fisk.. I should get one.. or 100
I love having tons of the same card.. does that make me weird?
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Let's see, I started collecting in 1959 when I started little league. My mom thought it was cool to get me a "box" of Topps cards to open after every game, which was every Saturday. It was supposed to be a combination incentive/reward deal but I got the box no matter what. I can still smell that gum as I opened the wrappers on those cards. And yeah being in the LA area I would take any Yankee card especially the Mantles and closepin them on my stingray bike to hear the awesome sound they would make in the spokes. ouch $$$ Oh well I was young and very happy doing it.
I can remember going to the LA Coliseum to watch Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. Drysdale seemed bigger than life as did Frank Howard. We would go to the games early and stand behind the right field fence with glove on trying to catch a batting practice home run and as luck would have it I got one off the bat of big Frank. He would routinely aim out there to try and please the kids chasing the hits. Life was simpler then.
Thanks for starting this thread and helping me remember some fun stuff ! !
MULLINS5,1966CUDA,nam812,nightcrawler,OAKESY25,PowderedH2O,relaxed,RonBurgundy,samsgirl214,shagrotn77,swartz1,slantycouch,Statman,Wabittwax
But it was the 71 Bobby Orr card that caught my eye. My cousin had one in really chewed up shape in his collection. I did lots of ripping and tried to put together a set of 76 hockey. When the craze really hit around 90, it was the Orr RC that put the hook in me. Who could resist that???
Always looking for Chipper Jones cards.
Im a very focused collector of cards from 1909 - 2012...LOL
Mike
My first memories of my father buying me and my brother cards were in 1974 at our local Ralphs store which was just down the street from our house. I don't think he bought too many but it's my first memories of getting cards. In 1975, I remember my dad buying us lots of rack packs at our local Treasury store in Granada Hills, CA. I have total recall of getting the cards and ripping them. I think I liked the Treasury store better than Gemco...LOL
During 1975 to 1983 I collected tons of cards. Sadly many had gotten damaged over the years, but many of the 1980 to 1983 cards are still in near mint shape. Although I've always been a Dodger fan some of the cards that stick out in my mind as really getting me into the hobby would be cards like the 1976 Johnny Bench and Steve Garvey, but I collected all of the star cards and I never traded any away. I can remember how hot the Rookie Rickey cards were, but I don't know where they went????
For some reason, I didn't buy any cards from the mid 80's until a few years ago?? I have a little boy who will be 4 next May and I'm trying to get my collection in order to get him started.
Right now my little boy will ONLY watch cartoon or his Disney movies, but he will watch baseball games when I watch them. When mommy is watching her cooking shows or the Opra, he get pizzed. lol
<< <i>I started collecting in 1980 at the age of 10. I've had the passion every since. >>
Come on man, Tell the truth, It took the neighbor kid that lived right behind you to come to your house, peak in your windows and ruffle through all your cards to REALLY get you back into cards in 1988. Then it took these same two friends to make a drive from Boston to New York and then back to Boston for a guys Baseball weekend at which time you got me back into cards in August 2007.
True Story!
This new board member is Bobby Porter, one of my oldest friends, best man in my wedding, and card collecting friend. When one of us seems to burn out and put cards down, the other is there to pick him up and get him back into card collecting!
<< <i> man,you guys are young, my first cards were 50's stuff, and i helped fuel the prices for them all by shooting them and throwing knives at them ,all ripped off from my best frineds mom and pop store his parents had, just to get the gum, cards came secondary >>
Rube, I heard from Lawnmowerman that you used to run moonshine across the east coast in exchange for baseball cards. That's how old you are.
I know some aren't, but I am optimistic about the future of our hobby. As long as sports remain popular I think card collecting will. Sure, it will change and not be the same as it was when we were kids (it already has), but it will exist in one form or another.
I have an older brother who is into collecting as well - not as much as me, but he enjoys the hobby. My earliest memories of cards came from him. I remember when we would have cards spread all around his room and sort through them while watching our black and white T.V. My parents gave us their old set from when they first got married. He was really into Hockey and I remember sorting through his cards. Guys like Gilbert Perreault, Lanny McDonald, Borje Salming, Gary Unger, Rick Martin. He is a big Sabres fans, so those cards were the most special. I remember thinking Al Smith sure has greasy hair! The funny things you think of as a kid.
We would flip out when my Mom's little poodle, would run through the room and step on our cards. One time he tore the corner off my brother's 1979 Topps Bob Griese
The first vintage card I owned was a 1961 Fleer KiKi Cuyler. I am pretty sure I bought it at hotel card show in about 1980. I have no idea why I chose this card. I was for some reason drawn to older cards and the price was probably right. He also had a cool old sounding name.
Anyway, for some strange reason I remember this 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth selling for $200.00. I have no idea what shape it was in since condition meant nothing at the time.
It is funny that Babe Ruth made an impression on a 5 or 6 year old kid 40+ years after he played. I guess iconic figures become household names to even young kids.
Thanks for indulging me. I had sometime on my hands and felt like writing some. For some reason, I find myself reflecting on my past collecting lately. Maybe, it is the Christmas season.
iam so old, i got a autographed card of king ramses the 2nd
<< <i> Thanks for sharing your stories guys. Collecting for me is as much about the memories as the love of sports themselves. Bman, it is going to be people like you who keep the hobby alive through their children. I have a 10 month old son myself and I hope one day enjoys collecting as much as I do. >>
TJMAC,
My pleasure sharing my story with everyone and I know you will have a blast getting your children into collecting as well. Right now my son doesn't understand the significance of cards, but he does know they are baseball cards.
One thing I left out of my story. My wife has always been a big Dodger fan too and she's younger than me and collected alot of cards during the mid 80's up to the early 90's. She was a great collector and instantly put her cards in cases and albums. She had several MJ rookie cards in PSA 8 to 9 condition all the way up to Mike Piazza Fleer Update rookie cards. I didn't know about her collection until we had been dating for about a year and was very surprised how awesome her collection was. Sadly enough when we moved a few years ago, I stored all of her cards at my mothers house and they ended up disappearing this year. My mother is a big collector of antiques and lets people in her house to view items. I believe someone must have stolen her box of cards.
Because of that sad incident, my wife is NOT interested in card collecting anymore and has been very pizzed at my mom, but she isn't even a fraction as mad as I am.
During the 1989 year, most of the Kroger stores in Knoxville had Hoops display stands, which contained around 16 boxes of Hoops (Series II). I had already put together about 3 dozen Series I sets and was now looking at completing more sets, although the short printed cards made it tough. A friend, who worked at Kroger, alerted me to the cards being put out and on one winter's night, we raided all 13 of the area Kroger stores and did what all broke kids did at the time, search the packs. We knew the order of the cards and by the end of the night, had over 200 Robinsons, Jordans and Birds. As it turned out, we ended up with tons of KJ rookies as well.
That showed me that money could be made buying and selling the right cards. I have always used any money I make to buy stuff I want to keep, no fun in spending that money on my wife!! That summer I paid $25 for a 1970 Nolan Ryan, which I still own. Since then, I have increased my Nolan Ryan card total to well over 1000 and my Jordan total to well over 2000 and have started building my Peyton Manning collection to over 400 now (cards, not $$$). I buy and sell in my store and online to increase my collection, which with commons and stuff is well over 3 million cards I would estimate.
Mtcards, they are probably still printing 89-90 Hoops. That stuff is so plentiful. It is funny how much we spent on these cards thinking they were going to be worth so much. Oh well, I wouldn't trade the memories they evoke.
It wasn't just the cards themselves. It was the era (in this case, 1980's and early 90's California and Southern California). I must have visited at least 10-20 different shops around the state on various trips. Carmel, Solvang, Sacramento, San Diego. Pretty cool being 10-12 years, going to shops with $20 or $30 in your pocket, looking for a Robert Parrish rookie or Paul Molitor. Many cards I associate with a certain shop.
-First baseball cards, 1985 Topps.
-First football cards, 1986 Topps.
-Basketball, 88 Fleer. Hockey, 88/89 Topps.
Alot of ups and downs collecting, some stupid decisions (piecing together a 91 Leaf gold rookie set? At $150-175? Seemed cool at the time!). I didn't get in on all the "hot" sets. But like, when the 1990 Fleer Rookie Sensations were hot, I remember buying packs at the local drug store. And not paying the inflated premium from hobby shops.
And some other funny goofs....thinking the dover reprints in the sears/jc penny catalog were real vintage cards! I remember seeing the green '33 Goudey Ruth, Cracker Jacks, etc in the ad. It was like $29 or $39 for the set. And I'd run to the hygrade price guide, and tally up the vintage cards....yes, I was on my way to making thousands, if not millions
Then the tail end of my "evolution" was Star basketball around 92-94. I got the bright idea that regular cards didn't have much of a future. So I sold all my Ripken, Griffey,Yzerman rookies, etc. For about $1,500, $2,000 grand. Then put it all into Star basketball. Hilarious. Breaking out $475 in cash to buy an Olajuwon rookie bag in 94, etc. Star cards seemed like such a sure bet. The NBA was invincible. Basketball cards hadn't yet caught on like baseball (potential upside). The cards were rare (by mainstream standards). Gorgeous design. Great player selection. Tons of rookies...well, lost on that bet. In retrospect, it would have been better to put the money into going to live NBA games. Especially when Jordan, etc visited the Lakers. Those were one time only. Or seeing Magic play.
But learned a great "investing" lesson. When you think it's "different this time", something can "never go down", etc, that's the time to get worried. Whether its Star basketball, stocks, or real estate.
-In 1992 or 93, I remember going to a card show and seeing a box of "Doll House" cards. That's what they said on the wrapper. They were with a bunch of nonsport boxes. Being 14 or 15, I thought it meant doll house, as in an actual dollhouse. So I bought a few packs for my mom. The dealer looked at me sort of funny.
Turns out they were stripper doll house cards! Oh. Some hot florida stripper girls. Opened them up before I got picked up from the show by my parents. That would have been funny.
-Great memories of the summer of 1990. Trekked around southern california with a friend, going to shops all the time. Sort of a card shop odyssey. Went to like, 8 shops in a day. That sort of thing. Shops in the back of grocery stores. Shops in the back of regular stores, like a gift shop, greeting card store. That was probably my peak card shop year.
-Some kids got into albums, I never did. All I had was the Topps album (with 50's to 80's cards on the front), I think sold from pennys or sears. And a regular blue or black album. But that was about it.
-Still own my first 52 and 53 Topps cards bought as a kid. Bob Kuzava and Eddie Stanky. I sold a ton of my cards in the 90's, and mid 90's, but hung onto those. Its funny what you hang onto, and what you don't. But those were always off limits, even if I needed the $10 or $20.
-Most I ever paid for a promo or error card. I think $50 for a 1990 Pro Set Johnny Holland, no name on back. Most I ever paid for a pack as a kid, I think $10 or $15 for French Upper Deck hockey. Bought a few of those.
Picture taken off of Ebay
Sweet Morsels Toffee and Chocolates
<< <i>
<< <i>I started collecting in 1980 at the age of 10. I've had the passion every since. >>
Come on man, Tell the truth, It took the neighbor kid that lived right behind you to come to your house, peak in your windows and ruffle through all your cards to REALLY get you back into cards in 1988. Then it took these same two friends to make a drive from Boston to New York and then back to Boston for a guys Baseball weekend at which time you got me back into cards in August 2007.
True Story!
This new board member is Bobby Porter, one of my oldest friends, best man in my wedding, and card collecting friend. When one of us seems to burn out and put cards down, the other is there to pick him up and get him back into card collecting! >>
I love the search feature on this forum.
<< <i>I love the search feature on this forum. >>
Yea you just happened to stumble across this post from 2008. You must think everyone on here is an idiot Mo.