OBC - Old Baseball Cards (collecting club)

LuckyLarry · #1 02-13-2015, 05:28 AM

Some consider the 1953 Bowman "Peewee" Reese card the greatest card ever produced. I can't argue! Back in 1953, H.W. must have REALLY wanted to make sure his brother knew this was his card! He put "H.W." on the back too!

Guru

hangman62 · #2 02-13-2015, 08:08 PM

Larry
OBC great bunch of BB card hobbyists, collectors, traders.

I was a member many yrs ago.... I don't quite agree or recall some of the " club rules" as you state them

Most trades are not pre-arranged . = may be true,but from past experiences. Not a good idea

If you have a card in your doubles box that another OBC member needs, you simply send it to them (RAOK). = Did that..didn't work out all that well for me

When an OBC member receives a RAOK, they post a thank-you on our group email server = true..and very nice the way thats done..lets others know you sent something

, then check your wantlist to see if they might have something to send back to you. = I guess the attempt is sometimes made

If they don�t have cards to send back, the person might make a note to look for something for you next time they are at a local show. = Maybe..but doubt it

Meanwhile the other OBC members (130 strong) are searching your wantlist to see what they might have for you (WGACA). = highly doubt it

Was a member of a few other internet trading clubs..and they seemed to work much better with the main idea of - actually trading cards / figuring out cond and values and making fair trades/ sending scans first/ etc..

Ral G

hoot-owl · #3 02-13-2015, 09:43 PM

Ralph--

Sorry to hear of your own OBC experiences. We have traded multiple times in the past, but I never knew you had been in OBC. Your time must predate my membership which began in 2002--pretty much a long time ago.

My own experiences are just about the exact opposite of yours. I spent a few days in Detroit this week and had dinner with a few OBCers. Yes, cards traded hands, but I enjoyed relaxing in a sports bar for a few hours talking about our families, and the hobby as much if not more than the cards.

I was lucky enough to win a square in our Super Bowl pool--where cards are sent to the winners, so I returned home to a number of envelopes. It is always pretty cool to get cards in the mail.

I have to believe the OBC of today is a far cry from your own experience.

Happy collecting.

hangman62 · #4 02-13-2015, 09:51 PM

Hoot,

100% true ! OBC members for the most are great guys.. fair and honest traders..but back when I was in it...those rules were just to painful to understand and accept.
Just way too much giving from my end..and not nearly enough receiving .

It just never made sense to me...send a guy a 62T high #..and someday ,somebody ,somewhere..will probably square up with you ...down the road ?

As you know, I still trade with many guys in that club and all the other internet card trading clubs..and enjoy it a lot

Ral G

metssoxx · #5 02-14-2015, 02:40 AM

Hi Ralph,
I've been a member since 1992 (I guess that makes me one of the old guys), and I'm sorry that your OBC experience wasn't what it should be. I don't remember the years you were there, but it's possible you came in around the time we were expanding at such a high rate, that we had to start to set up some sort of organization or "board" to help us guide through our growth. This was back in the 90s and as with most "clubs" we went through growing pains. I think we have prided ourselves in being flexible and "changing with the times".
I am one of those who scour the want lists of others, looking for something they need. For example, at this year's National, OBCMac needed a 68 OPC Hodges to finish his 60s run. I made it my mission to find it and did. I sent it as an RAOK, not expecting anything back (I wanted to be his "set-killer" lol). But as so often happens with this group, Mac found me one of the Bowman Pee Wee's you see above (Yes Larry, this is my ALL TIME favorite card!). Keep in mind, want lists have something to do with how much "return fire" you get from the group. Many expand their want lists, just to accommodate more activity. If you have just Mantles and high numbers on your want list, you can expect to see less action. (You see the kinds of cards we collect, finances are a factor). And many times you will get surprised by some of the awesome cards that get sent around.
But we go beyond the cards. First timers at the National can tell you they never felt like a stranger when they meet any of us.
Ralph, take a look around, maybe you want to give it another shot. You just may get a welcome back barrage!

Metssoxx (aka Chicod1)

LuckyLarry · #6 02-14-2015, 04:26 AM

Ralph: OBC is not for everyone, that's for sure. Happy Collecting!
Larry

obcbobd · #7 02-14-2015, 09:14 AM

I've been in OBC since 1999, and its the one thing that really got me back into collecting. I remember Ralph when he was in OBC and I'm happy to have continued trading with him since he's left.

As Ralph says, OBC is not for everybody. Especially if the thought of sending out cards to someone unannounced with the possibility of getting nothing in return bothers you. Keep in mind that there is plenty of trading for higher grade cards, especially pre-war. But the bulk of what we do is RAOK (Randon Acts Of Kindness). To me it just simplifies things, every few days I get an envelope of 4-5 cards, usually in VG or less to some of my sets. Every so often I hit the wantlists and send out 8 or 9 similar packages to other OBCers. A lot easier than emailing back in forth to come up with an "even" trade. Some guys I've sent to have sent me very little (or nothing) back. Some guys have sent me more than I could ever send them in return. It kinda evens out in the end. After all its only cardboard. In that I think its great, add in the local meet ups with Boston ara OBCers at local shows and even better 25+ OBCers at the National, and its that friendship and camaraderie that really makes OBC special

Check it out!

jd3681vintage · #8 02-14-2015, 11:08 AM

I have been a member of OBC for going on 10 years or so and even though I belong to 3 other trading groups and a couple of the forum sites, I consider OBC to be my primary link to cards.

The members of OBC are like a big family that spans the entire north american continent and over the pond as well. we cherish the emails from our freinds that tell us that they just got engaged, or that they had a baby or a grandkid. we comiserate with our freinds when we get an email telling us of a hardship that has occurred within there freinds and family.

I swap cards with guys within the group, pre-arranged "trades", I put out a list of cards that have accumulated on my desk as a waiver wire offering. I have put out a mass mailing at christmas time of over 100 christmas cards with a card or three enclosed. I have no ending trades going with a few of the guys where he sends and then I send back.. this is all done because I like to do it.

We talk about the random acts of kindness (RAOK) and that is a huge part of what OBC is about. plenty of times I get cards in the mail from guys in the group who know that I wont have anything to send them back, but they enjoy helping someone along with their collections, thats where the phrase what goes around comes around, because whenever I see a cool card or two I try to pick them up, I might be able to hit those guys lists, and if not then I can find someones list that can use them.

OBC is not for everyone, thats why there are many other avenues for trading and swapping cards. but if any of you enjoy baseball card collecting the way you did it as a kid then this group may just be for you.

thanks for the read and everyone stay warm.

JD

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
You'll be collecting his baseball cards in 20 years	ZachS	WaterCooler Talk- Off Topics	5	06-22-2014 12:29 PM
Collecting Pre-War Baseball Rookie Cards	bcbgcbrcb	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	9	07-16-2012 01:25 AM
Show Off your Baseball Cards from the Pre-War 3000 Hit Club....	leftygrove10	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	40	07-15-2011 04:46 PM
club-based set collecting	Archive	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	1	05-15-2007 09:07 AM
Collecting Old Judge Baseball Cards	Archive	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	5	10-06-2006 02:51 PM