Nearly 28 years ago, college student Jim Anderson and his father Vic opened a hobby shop in the Chicago suburb of Elgin, IL. His dad has passed on but Jim and the store are still going strong. Shoebox-Memorabilia relies on a network of regulars who have formed a community of collectors, some of whom come in to break boxes and wind up making a day of it. The … [Read more...]
Notes: Olivares Autograph Impersonator; Card Show News in TN, MO, NY, TX
The Manchester, MO Police Department has arrested a man who has been impersonating former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Omar Olivares. His name hasn’t been released yet but officers say the man had stolen Olivares’ identity and was using the ruse to set up paid autograph signings. He also used this scam to trick victims into “loaning” him money that was never paid … [Read more...]
Photo of the Day: Bowman Gum’s Right Hand…Woman
“No, it’s not my terrific personality. They know I come bearing gifts—contracts, checks and immortality of sorts.” Joan Crosby had a pretty good handle on her job when she was interviewed for the production of a wire service photograph in the summer of 1953. Crosby was Bowman Gum’s representative, a woman responsible for not only acquiring player agreements … [Read more...]
¡Pleibol! Exhibit At Smithsonian Pays Tribute To Latin Americans In Baseball
The influence of Latin Americans in major league baseball has never been more apparent. In 2018, Latinos accounted for nearly 30% of the 877 major league roster spots, plus there have been Hispanics who served as scouts, managers and even a team owner. The passion of Latino players will be celebrated later this year in the Smithsonian’s exhibit, “¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and … [Read more...]
5 Missing Stars from the 1933 DeLong Set
The 1933 DeLong set is one of the more popular issues for pre-war gum card collectors. The 1930s set features a really cool look with mostly black and white pictures of players against colorful backgrounds. If nothing else, they stand apart from other issues because of the aesthetics of the cards. While the Goudey sets were unmistakably king in the 1930s, sets like the 1933 … [Read more...]
Notes: Blockchain Sales; Gehrig Letters; Ovie Pucks Bring Big Bucks; Morant Jersey; Phil’s Pulls
Panini’s initial run of cards produced and released through blockchain technology included one big sale: the Kobe Bryant card offered by the company brought $61,714.29 last week. Of the ten one-of-a-kind cards sold on Panini’s website, nine went for more than $1,000 including a dual autographed Ja Morant/Rui Hachimura card that sold for $3,591.85, a Kyler Murray rookie auto … [Read more...]
1908 Cobb World Series Photo Among RMY Headliners
An original photo of 21-year-old Ty Cobb sliding home during what's considered to be the finest World Series performance of his career is part of RMY Auctions' newly opened Winter Premier catalog. The auction includes over 1,400 sports, historic and entertainment photos. The quality of the 8x10 silver gelatin photo rivals the more famous image of Cobb sliding hard into … [Read more...]
What Qualifies as a Vintage Baseball Card?
So, just what is a vintage baseball card, anyway? The idea came to me recently, though it certainly wasn't on my own. See, a baseball card group to which I belong, Old Baseball Cards, debated the topic a week or so ago. As you can imagine, answers were sort of all over the place because getting a consensus on something like that is basically impossible. To find a … [Read more...]
Notes: New York Show; Old Rated Rookies Analysis; Modern Card Hobby Killing Itself?
There's a three-day sports card show at the Westchester County Center in New York this weekend. The JP Sports/Rock Solid Promotions Show takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Former AL MVP and one of the oldest living ballplayers, Bobby Shantz, will sign free autographs with paid admission on Saturday from 11 AM -1 PM. Other signers during the weekend include … [Read more...]
Notes: BC Shop Going on 31; Stolen Boxes; Jeter SP Auction; Jersey News; Rick Barry Chat
Ray and Susan Stonehouse, owners of Great Canadian Sports Card in Port Moody, B.C., recently celebrated their 30th year in business. The shop was launched during the “boom era” of the late 1980s, survived the bust that followed a few years later and has managed to thrive the internet age without a website or social media presence. Hockey is king there, with the vast … [Read more...]