Anyone heard of Mel Bailey?

4reals · #1 12-12-2021, 12:32 AM

Not sure if anyone will see this but I live 15 minutes from this gentleman lived and his family is holding an estate sale this weekend. There are THOUSANDS of photos for sale. More than I could ever take home including a huge stack of 8x10 B&Ws. If anyone is interested in buying let me know and I can play middle man.

jakebeckleyoldeagleeye · #2 12-12-2021, 12:49 PM

I bought hundreds of NHL and WHA postcard sized photos and 8 by 10 photos from Mr. Bailey in the 70's. When I sent them out to get signed some players would ask me where I bought them as they wanted some. Same with old retired baseball players I was trying TTM were asking me about photos I bought from George Brace.

mrreality68 · #3 12-12-2021, 12:55 PM

very interesting life and history on the man
Do we have examples of those photos to share?

Sleepless72 · #4 03-21-2025, 12:40 PM

Hopefully bringing the Mel Bailey thread back from the dead with this post.

Does anyone know (approximately or specifically) when Mel Bailey started selling Real Photo postcards of his images? He usually included the date of the image on the back of the postcard, but I don't know whether he was selling them that way at the time. And when did he stop selling them? Were they available for order up until his death (I assume he has passed away), or did he close up shop earlier?

I have the same question for both Jim Rowe and George Brace postcards: start and finish. I would love to crowdsource checklists for them, but it would be even better if we had date ranges for these three distributors.

Thanks!

gonefishin · #5 03-21-2025, 05:51 PM

Mel Bailey passed away in 1981. He partnered with Bud Ackerman back in the early days. The following link will educate you regarding both men:

https://japanesebaseballcards.blogsp...orters-of.html

This article and the PSA article (link below), explain in detail about their endeavors in Japanese baseball cards, especially the 1967 Kabaya Leaf.

https://www.psacard.com/articles/art...all-card-issue

I owe a debt of gratitude to both men, as reading these articles are the reason that I was educated enough to stumble upon what I think was a tremendous find. A few sealed packs of 1967 Kabaya Leaf. Prior to this discovery, no one had knowledge of the sealed packs or what they looked like. An unopened pack and having one in hand have gone a long way in clarifying some of the mystery about the pack, distribution, cost, etc.

Both these gentlemen should be given a tremendous amount of credit regarding the establishment of the Japanese baseball card market in the U.S.

Attached is a photo of one of the PSA certified packs.

Sorry I couldn't be of any assistance with your photo questions.

whiteymet · #6 03-24-2025, 01:44 AM

The above post mentioned Bud Ackerman. Bud is the guy who introduced me to the "advanced" hobby back in 1963. Until then my hobby activity was trading with other kids in the neighborhood.

I grew up in South Jersey near Philly. I saw an ad Bud placed in the Sporting News offering Japanese cards. He was located near Washington D.C.

It so happened we had family in the area and on one of our visits I persuaded my father to drive me to Buds apartment.

Bud told me his story about being in the service in Japan and bringing back the cards to the states. I ended up buying some from him. But what turned out to be the best thing is he gave me a handful of 39 Play Balls. I had never seen cards so old. And he gave me a few old copies of collector publications. Can't recall now which, but this was well before The Trader Speaks, and I think even the Ballcard collector from TN. Whatever the publication was I found an ad in the back from a guy in Arkansas named John England and his wantlist included a few of the 39 PB's Bud gave me.

I wrote John and he made me an offer though I don't recall what he either traded me or bought them for, but it must have been a good deal for me. Because there was another ad from a guy in Pittsburgh name Chuck Blazina. He was also looking for 39 PB's. So I offered him a similar deal that John England had extended to me.

Boy did I get a scathing letter back from Chuck, about what a thief I was and never to contact him again. It brought tears to the eyes of this 13 year old new to the hobby kid.

Strange thing is I got to meet and know both John and Chuck a few years later at some of the early "conventions in Cleveland and Detroit. I told Chuck the story about the deal John gave me and that I had no idea I trying to rob him, We had a good laugh over it.

Odd how one name I had not thought of in years brings back so many memories......

And I have Bud to thank for giving me and starting me to have now 60 years of enjoyment in the hobby.

whiteymet · #7 03-24-2025, 01:53 AM

Mel Bailey also issued a B&W minor league team set in 1962 of the Omaha Dodgers.

See:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/382884431751

oaks1912 · #8 03-25-2025, 08:53 AM

"Mel Bailey passed away in 1981. He partnered with Bud Ackerman back in the early days. The following link will educate you regarding both men"

Hi Jim,
While I never found an obituary for Mel, he was still alive when I visited his wife Donna in the early 2010's. At the time Mel was institutionalized dealing with memory issues....Nice pack... Mark

gonefishin · #9 03-25-2025, 09:56 AM

Thanks Mark, I took that information from the article. Unfortunately, I never met either gentleman and only know what has been written about them.

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