[Tim Zwick]

This thread sure stirs up a lot of old memories for me also. Like Nick, I was a teenager in the early 70's growing up in Michigan and buying cards from Jim Elder, Gar Miller, Bruce Yeko, Woody Gelman, Merv Williams, etc. through the mail. I was also lucky enough to attend and set up at Detroit area shows starting in 1972/73. Meeting Ernie Harwell at my table during one of the old Troy Hilton shows and talking with him for quite some time about his collection and baseball was priceless (he even bought a couple of old scorecards.) It just couldn't get any better than that for a young country hick teenager. John Stommen was a great guy, friend and mentor of mine who along with Dan Dischley, Bob Jasperson, Irv Lerner & Charlie Brooks helped pave the way for the acceptance of collecting junkies like us and our addiction to these little pieces of cardboard with their various publications.

Leon brings up John Rumeriez. He always had tons of cards, knowledge and seemed to be set up at every show. He was a member of the legendary group (at least to me) of Detroit area hobby pioneers that included Frank Nagy, Dick Reuss, Ed Lotz, Ed Budnick, Jay Barry, Charlie Conlon, Lloyd Toerpe, The Dehem Bros. and many more. I know they all had an influence on my love of collecting and appreciate the fact that I was able to make their acquaintance and do some deals with most along the way.

Thanks Leon & crew for providing a landing pad for some of the hobby dinosaurs to frequent.