Home Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

The History of baseball cards....Help!

Hey guys. I need a bit of information. I'm going to be doing an informative speech about baseball cards 10 days from now,
and was wondering if I can get some insightful info from you guys.

I want to discuss 3 things.
1) The history of baseball cards and how it was introduced.
2) Why people collect them (monetary, enjoyment, etc.)

3) Need help on a 3rd point. Something informative, not persuasive.

As far as the history of them, (please help if I'm wrong) I don't know too much except they were introduced in the late 1880s? Inserted into cigarette packs. In the early 1900s, still in cig. packs and then into food products; ie Cracker Jacks, and what else?
When did card come in packs? Was it in the 1930s? From my understanding, kids bought them for the gum/treat....the cards were
just there for the fun?

Any help is appreciated.
Thanks!

Comments

  • csmtampacsmtampa Posts: 1,828
    3 - Maybe something about the fraud involved with sportscards such as alterations, counterfeits, etc..
  • EagleEyeKidEagleEyeKid Posts: 4,496 ✭✭
    3 - Maybe something about the fraud involved with sportscards such as alterations, counterfeits, etc.

    Ooh, that's a good one. I didn't think about that. Would be an easy transition discussing why they have value
    to being counterfeited. Thanks!
  • csmtampacsmtampa Posts: 1,828
    Not a problem. Good luck!
  • slantycouchslantycouch Posts: 1,704 ✭✭✭
  • billwaltonsbeardbillwaltonsbeard Posts: 3,748 ✭✭✭✭
    I wrote a paper in school back in 98 or 99 about how buying sportscard packs and boxes has become more of a gambling activity instead of a collecting or hobby experience.


  • << <i>3 - Maybe something about the fraud involved with sportscards such as alterations, counterfeits, etc.

    Ooh, that's a good one. I didn't think about that. Would be an easy transition discussing why they have value
    to being counterfeited. Thanks! >>



    You could also go with measures the companies are taking to prevent counterfitting...from upper deck using the hologram back in '89 to today...it'll give you a nice timeline and you could incorporate the use of grading services as well. In taking it further, you could discuss the attempts unscrupulous people have made to defraud in today's day and age. Just from these boards alone you could end up with more than enough information about the history of scamming.
  • Nathaniel1960Nathaniel1960 Posts: 2,332 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Your topic is suffering from scope creep. Why not do a presentation on the entry of Donruss and Fleer into the hobby in 1981 following federal lawsuits? You can start with a very brief history of cards, discuss Topps and Bowman and then go to a discussion of these two new players.

    Kiss me once, shame on you.
    Kiss me twice.....let's party.
  • EagleEyeKidEagleEyeKid Posts: 4,496 ✭✭
    Thanks guys.
  • Alfonz24Alfonz24 Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Thanks guys. >>



    I love your video sig!
    #LetsGoSwitzerlandThe Man Who Does Not Read Has No Advantage Over the Man Who Cannot Read. The biggest obstacle to progress is a habit of “buying what we want and begging for what we need.”You get the Freedom you fight for and get the Oppression you deserve.
  • PoppaJPoppaJ Posts: 2,818
    Hi Bryan,

    It still amazes me to this day, that so many vintage cards from my youth and before, somehow made it all these years in such nice conditions.

    My father's generation used to open those old cigarette packs, remove the tobacco cards, look at them, pick their teeth with the corners, and then toss them aside somewhere. They cherished the tobacco, not the cards!

    My generation used to do everything from tacking their 52 Topps cards etc to their bedroom walls, to using them as noisemakers between the spokes of their bikes, to flipping them in such a way to have them land on jagged concrete schoolyards and sidewalks. We liked the cards, but we mainly wanted the gum!

    I remember when I was around 10 or 11, my friends and I would lay a baseball card flat atop a clenched fist, and then forcefully flick it at each other, trying in vain to cause pain (no one ever got their eye poked out by the way!).

    Tightly rubberbanding a stack of 56 Topps with your favorite cards on top was a specialty of the times too!

    In comparison, my kids grew up in a world of collectibles .... "don't open that, it'll be worth something some day!"

    I guess, in a way, that it's a good thing past generations abused the cards the way they did .... what would cards be worth today if they were all kept in pristine condition?

    Just a thought!
    PoppaJ

Sign In or Register to comment.