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Posted By: <b>Rich Klein</b><p>Tell me what you <i>LIKE or LOVE</i> about the hobby. Let's see some positive repsonses to what you enjoy the most about this hobby.<br /><br />Hey, I'm at work this morning because I LOVE my job -- and it's a hobby job <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />Now tell me whaty you enjoy<br /><br />Rich

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Posted By: <b>andy becker</b><p>i love collecting. <br />keeps me young (at least in my mind)....i feel like a kid in a candy store while surfing ebay.....hmmmmm, what flavor today??<br />i enjoy learning about the cards and the players pictured on them.<br />and most of all, we have a place like this board to share and discuss...make new friends, and keep up with old friends.<br />this hobby is a great thing, we should all try to keep things in perspective. <br />again, great thread rich.....wish i had your job <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br />

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Posted By: <b>Chris Counts</b><p>The bargain bins at card shows. There's nothing like a perfectly flawed and affordable old card ...

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Posted By: <b>Ted Zanidakis</b><p>Rich Klein<br /><br />Knowing guys like you and many more, too numerous to list here. If it wasn't<br />for this Hobby I would not have met all these tremendous people. I have col-<br />lected a lot of "cardboard gems" since returning to the hobby in 1977; but all<br /> the 10's of 1000's of cards cannot replace the people and experiences I have<br /> enjoyed all these years.<br /><br />T-Rex TED

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Posted By: <b>Kenneth A. Cohen</b><p>I love the irrationality! How is it rational to spend substantial sums of money on a little piece of cardboard? Every time I'm about to do so, I have one of those cartoon moments with the "irrational" me standing over one shoulder urging reckless abandon and the "good sense" me standing over the other urging restraint. The former invariably wins out. A gentleman from whom I sometimes buy cards once opined, correctly in my view, that good sense has no role to play here. <br /><br />I loved reading baseball history books as a kid. So I get goose bumps when I acquire a card of a player I remember reading about. I also love cards of players that evoke conversations I remember with my father - telling me about his childhood experiences of going to Griffith Stadium and seeing the likes of Ruth, Gehrig, Johnson, Goslin, et al.<br /><br />Finally, I enjoy reacquiring the cards I had in the 50s, the ones that I flipped and put in my bike spokes. Yes, I'm one of the multitudes whose mom got rid of them - though she kept all of my old report cards. Go figure! I don't regret in any way the financial loss - there is none. They were all beat up. Does leave a big sentimental void though.<br /><br />I have to echo previous posts as well - makes me feel young and I've met some really fine people through the hobby. <br /><br />Ken

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Posted By: <b>John S</b><p>For me it is a great stress release, I enjoy the history behind the cards and players, and its nice to get to know people with similar interests.

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Posted By: <b>Bruce Babcock</b><p>I enjoy discovering cards I've never seen before, which happens frequently on this forum. I enjoy hearing about what others collect. I enjoy the escape from my career that the hobby provides.

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Posted By: <b>cmoking</b><p>I'm just having a load of fun. Life is good.

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Posted By: <b>jay behrens</b><p>I love the hate and discontent that shows up here <img src="/images/wink.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />Seriously, I holding a small piece of history in my hands and knowing something of what that player did in his career.<br /><br />I love looking at beat up cards wondering what sort of adventures it had to go through in order to get those creases and rounded corners.<br /><br />Jay<br><br>A good friend will come bail you out of jail. A true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn, that was fun."

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Posted By: <b>Paul</b><p>When I'm looking at my cards I feel peaceful & its very relaxing. I dont think about anything other than baseball, the card & player, the history & sometimes mystery of it all. I couldn't believe how interesting it was when I saw my first pre war card (Johnson "hands at chest"), & it still makes me feel like a little kid again. Except now its not Mets cards.

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Posted By: <b>Gilbert Maines</b><p>I collect what I enjoy: the history of baseball. I commemorate individual achievements by obtaining a card of the player or players involved. Some call this trivia, and although occurances like Bill Joyce getting 4 triples in a game is so uncommon that not everyone knows it has been accomplished (twice), this piece of trivia holds no less a stature in my display of individual achievement than Ichiro breaking Sisler's 85 year old season hits record.<br /><br />I also try to portray the teams streaks. Chicago's dominance in the 80s, followed by Boston and Baltimore thru the 90s; Pittsburg finishing in the top 4 every season through the first decade of the 20th century, the success of Phila. in the junior league until Mack had to sell them off. etc.<br /><br />This is the picture Im trying to paint by choosing cards which in my mind portray something that will be dismissed when this compilation is eventually broken up (what all raw - Ill give you $100 bucks for the lot o'em! Now take it and get outta here!) for sale.

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Posted By: <b>Paul Kaufman</b><p>I love the thrill of the hunt.

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Posted By: <b>Brett</b><p>i actually collect these cards because i like them, and not trying to make an extra buck on every card i buy.

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Posted By: <b>warshawlaw</b><p>"Ray, people will come Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around, you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come."<br /><br />We are all just passing through history; baseball is history. To own a small piece of that history is a thing of great beauty and peacefulness. <br /><br />I'm on my way to the stadium today, coincidentally.

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Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>You can collect what interests you, and there are thousands of different areas<br />to collect from baseball cards to vases. <br /><br />One thing I enjoy is learning. I try to exand my mind by<br />reading and taking classes and visit museums. I would rank collecting as a<br />legitimate tool of learning. The collector is handling, examining and<br />learning about historicical artifacts. A T206 is a piece of history, and<br />is about early 1900s tobacco industry, printing, paper and, of course,<br />baseball. That the collector has a personal interest in the material<br />makes it all the much better. <br /><br />If collecting is done right, it should be an enjoyment. And if it isn't<br />an enjoyment, there a wide variety of other hobbies to switch too. Kick<br />boxing or skateboarding for examples.

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Posted By: <b>David McDonald</b><p>You nailed it, Adam.<br /><br />PS. Giants vs Dodgers. Can't ever go wrong with that. Hope it's a great game.

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Posted By: <b>warshawlaw</b><p>it was a see-saw battle of bad fielding and inept pitching but a very enjoyable day. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.network54.com/Realm/tmp/1155511069.JPG">

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Posted By: <b>William Heitman</b><p>I grew up collecting with my father and brother so what I really love about collecting was the way it brought us together as a family. It carried over into so many other things, but there was nothing like spending an evening sitting at the card table and listening to my father talk about the guys pictured on the old cards. Sibling rivalries and the like ended at that table. Sadly, both are now gone and have been for quite some time. Now, the best thing to me is the people. The correspondence, the chats, the rare face to face meetings. This past National was my first in 14 years. In fact my first show in 14 years. It was a blast to see old friends and meet some new ones and to talk about this hobby. The 54 dinner was great. I hope to be doing some more shows as time goes by.

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Posted By: <b>bigfish</b><p>Love the hunt of finding/buying/trading for pre war collections/cards. Have been collecting for over 17 years and used to own a baseball card shop years ago. Focusing now on pre war Hof's for my collection. I do buy and sell alot of stuff to support my addiction. Did just recently buy a 2006 allen and ginter wax box and found a nice SP. A swatch of JFK's cashmere sweater. Kind of cool. Next thing you know they will be putting a swatch of Stevie Nick's undies in there. Fun stuff!<br /><br />BTW- Rich-like your + based thinking here. Oftentimes these threads are full of bashings.

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Posted By: <b>jay behrens</b><p>Don't make me bash you <img src="/images/wink.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />Jay<br><br>A good friend will come bail you out of jail. A true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn, that was fun."

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Posted By: <b>Shawn Adkins</b><p>Collecting for me is centered around the thrill of the chase, meeting fellow collectors and digging up the history behind the cards/players depicted. More than just holding the cards, I like to really get to know the background and history of what I chase. In the end, the actual cards themselves are a byproduct of the other two.<br /><br />Call me weird, but there is just something about searching through tons of cards with the hopes of finding something that may be different from what we already know. Variation cards of all brands and years has been a thorn in my side since I first started collecting in 1980. Rarely do I find someone who shares my obsession with detail in this area but it sure is fun to me.<br />

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Posted By: <b>Jerry Hrechka</b><p> I love this forum. Unlike you guys I collect Vintage Non-Sports Cards. I lurk here frequently and always enjoy reading the posts. Gum Inc. War cards fuel my passion for learning about history. Wish there was a Prewar Non=Sports Card Forum like this one.

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Posted By: <b>Ted Zanidakis</b><p>Bill<br /><br />You have to travel East to the Philly Show in December. A lot of us T206<br /> "nuts" would really love to meet you.<br /><br />And, you can check-in to the guest room at the....."Hotel Zanidakis"......<br />if you choose.<br /><br />T-Rex TED

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Posted By: <b>leon</b><p>Keep us updated on that Philly show....depending on what's happening in Big D for me, I would like to make it...(a cheap hotel would be good for me <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14> )..regards

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Posted By: <b>Keith O'Leary</b><p><P><A href="http://nonsportupdate.infopop.cc/eve">http://nonsportupdate.infopop.cc/eve</A></P><P> </P><P>I have this bookmarked too but not as interesting.</P><P> </P><P><A href="http://www.nonsportupdate.com/">http://www.nonsportupdate.com/</A></P><P> </P><P>And CU has a forum (mostly modern but I get a few in periodically).</P><P> </P><P><A href="http://forums.collectors.com/categories.cfm?catid=41">http://forums.collectors.com/categories.cfm?catid=41</A></P><P> </P><P>I'd also love to have one thats exclusively vintage, we have plenty of collectors lurking around here that collect such. What sets are you working on?</P><P><BR> </P>

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Posted By: <b>dd</b><p>History and art entwined. Markers in time.

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Posted By: <b>Gilbert Maines</b><p>Jerry H. count me in for that too. WWII era military type cards.

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Posted By: <b>John_B_California</b><p>-I love the memories associated with cards. Days spent trolling through shows in the late 80's early 90's. Memories of card shops I went to on family trips throughout California (from Solvang through San Francisco). Dreaming of owning the cards behind the glass counters.<br /><br />-I love the fact that cards were an early entrepreneurial effort. Selling baseball cards at a little 25 table show when I was 12. Cards combine three things I like, sports, business and math.<br /><br />-I love seeing new things and hearing about new finds (from the '14 Cracker Jack SGC set to the Mastro unopened box find a few years ago).<br /><br />-I like the fact that you're buying great American collectibles, Americana.<br /><br />-The investment aspect of course is very interesting (and possibly lucrative).<br /><br />-I like the fact that it never ends. You're never done. There's always an upgrade to a set. There's always a new piece that's discovered (i.e. The T202 advertising piece in the last Robert Edward auction, who could of dreamed of that).<br /><br />-Lots of variety. Hundreds of sets spanning over 100 years. From Poor to Gem Mint 10. From the obscure to 1952 Topps.<br /><br />-Great looking sets. Love Goudeys, Diamond Stars, T206's.<br /><br />-I'd rather own cards than stamps, coins, comics, etc. Those just don't do it for me.<br />

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Posted By: <b>William Heitman</b><p>Ted--I'd love to go to the Philly show. It's been about 20 years since I last went there. Does Ted Taylor still run the show? That's one I will definitely consider especially if the airlines get back to a little closer to normal. Please send particulars--dates, where the show is held, etc. I think it used to be at the George Washington Motor Lodge. Thanks.

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Posted By: <b>Joann</b><p>I love baseball in general, and historical baseball in particular. I have watched Ken Burns "Baseball" 10 or so times, but only one time past the third "inning" (1920 and on), and that was when it was originally televised.<br /><br />I have this fascination for the differences in how the game used to be played, and in particular how it would have been different without gloves for fielders. Somehow, this interest has centered around the idea that a shortstop, playing without a glove and never having heard of a glove, would dive to his right or left equally with that hand extended to reach for the line shot - didn't they have to be ambidextrous? And was diving to knock it down, right? Did a shortstop used to resemble a modern day soccer goalie? Wouldn't it?<br /><br />So card collecting combines the interest in baseball and historical baseball, and my one single N172 card even shows a player in a field pose, intently watching the ball go right into his bare hands. <br /><br />Other than the subject value of collecting, I also enjoy that it takes enough of my attention to distract me from the day to day stress, and yet is not intense enough to rise to the level of a "problem" of its own.<br /><br />Joann

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Posted By: <b>Ted Zanidakis</b><p>Bill<br /><br /> The next Philly Show is scheduled for December 1-3, 2006 (Fri-Sun).<br /><br />The new location, at this point, is unknown.<br /><br />Twenty years ago when you were last there it was at Willow Grove (George Washington<br /> Motor Lodge). Since 1993, the Philly Show has been at the Ft. Washington Expo Center.

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Posted By: <b>Josh Adams</b><p>I too love collecting. <br />What I like the most is meeting new people and making new friends. The great thing about card collecting is that it erases all socio-economic barriers that usually prevent people from getting together. We all come here, regardless of age, race, or gender to talk about one thing. That's great, in my opinion. <br /><br />Josh<br><br>Go Go White Sox<br />2005 World Series Champions!

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Posted By: <b>Ricky Y</b><p>This hobby is just simple honest to goodness pure fun for me!

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Posted By: <b>runscott</b><p>Mostly the nostalgia and the baseball history. Also, learning about the lives of people who lived and died so long ago makes you realize that in the overall scheme of past/present, you aren't so significant.