NY Daily News: Lew Lipset plans to publish another book (plus Bill Mastro update)
 

I was just reading another Michael O'Keeffe article about Bill Mastro and I noticed in a letter linked to the article Lew Lipset mentioned in passing he plans to write a book "My Life With Baseball Cards". I have his other books so this should be a good read.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/ite...ntry-1.1757083

P.S. There's an update with the Bill Mastro fiasco. Strangely enough he still hasn't been sentenced and won't be until two other related cases are completed.

I guess this wasn't the type of letter to the court Mastro was hoping for.

“I was in the hobby/industry for 35 years,” Lipset wrote last year in a letter to Judge Ronald A. Guzman. “I have never met anyone as despicable as Bill Mastro.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/ite...#ixzz2z4dNHQno

Thanks. Good read.

Thanks for the heads up, Dan. I'm pretty late to the party, as I just got the first three volumes of Lew's Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards volumes 1-3 in the mail yesterday, but I am really enjoying his writing and his meticulous attention to detail.

What other books of his do you recommend?

I have those three volumes also and thoroughly enjoyed reading through them countless times. He may have other publications. Perhaps someone else can enlighten us.

“I was in the hobby/industry for 35 years,” Lipset wrote last year in a letter to Judge Ronald A. Guzman. “I have never met anyone as despicable as Bill Mastro.”

If I had a dollar for every time I heard this....

He (hi Lew) also put out the Old Judge Newsletter for several (3-5) years. It was kind of like a "paper" chat board. It was great and there was tons of information about all kinds of cards. There was also a lot about things going on in the hobby too, if I recall correctly. It's a must read for vintage baseball card hobbyists (there were around 50 Newsletters I believe)... I have a full run somewhere in my library of hobby stuff.

That should be quite an interesting read...to say the least.

Be sure to go to the story and click on the link to download the letter to the court. Good for a laugh or two...

Here you go...
 

http://photos.imageevent.com/piojohn...o-letter-1.jpg
http://photos.imageevent.com/piojohn...o-letter-2.jpg

Those auctions regularly stretched out until the wee hours of the morn, maybe Bill was just getting a power nap in behind the locked door.

From the article: "I was in the hobby/industry for 35 years,” Lipset wrote last year in a letter to Judge Ronald A. Guzman. “I have never met anyone as despicable as Bill Mastro.”

Also from the article: "Bill Mastro has agreed to cooperate with the feds, who are also prosecuting his former associated Doug Allen and Mark Theotikos, and he won’t be sentenced until those cases are completed."

You can take it to the bank that attorneys for Doug Allen and Mark Theotikos will strenuously concur with Mr. Lipset and use information like this to discredit Mastro at every turn.

I very much doubt they need Mastro's testimony.

When I was a teenager Lew lived on Long Island not too far from me and I remember talking to him many times back then. Total class with an impeccable reputation!

Lew
 

I remember there were a few times in the 3 volume set when Lew would
indicate that treatments of other type cards would be forthcoming.
I've been hoping to see a volume on D and F cards, particularly. I'm crossing my fingers that the new book may give us a few tidbits on the 'missing' types.
If not, I'm certainly very grateful that he gave us those seminal 3 volumes and
look forward to anything he publishes. I'm going to keep wishing anyway.
all the best,
barry

From what I heard of it back in the day Lew just thought it was too much work to write the other 3 volumes. Having written a hobby book myself I can relate.

I believe he tried to salt a few set writeups in his catalog auctions but nothing like the level of the books. I am looking forward to this book in the fall.

Me too!

Personally, I'm looking forward to Mastro and his cronies going to prison for as long as possible.

OJ newsletters
 

Leon....Lew issued a book in 1989 that had all 23 issues of the Old Judge newsletters from the spring of 1985 through the end of 1988 called 'The Old Judge - the first four years.' Just like all of Lew's books its very informative. John

Four Base Hits catalogs
 

One of the earliest baseball auction catalogs was put out by Lew called "Four Base Hits."

They were incredible catalogs with fixed prices. It was like Christmas when the catalog would arrive.

I was just getting into the hobby, and regret not buying several items, namely a Chief Meyers T215 with Red Cross back and an Ira Thomas Diamond Gum pin. Both were priced at $300.00.

Patrick

Tempted to print and frame that letter from Lew about Mastro.

-Ryan

+11111111111

I haven't talked to John in a long time but he eventually sold his collection to Larry Fritsch for 7 figures. It was an amazing collection. I do remember John was having problems with payment from the original 'buyer' so I guess that fits Lew's letter that it was Bill Mastro. I heard about the 'bribe' through the grapevine so I think Lew's information is correct.