Ted Z.

Yoda · #1 06-26-2025, 11:53 AM

He would always talk to any serious collector and pass on his incredible knowledge. I will always miss him not only for the cards but also for being a decent human being.

jbsports33 · #2 06-26-2025, 12:21 PM

Absolutely and glad I had the chance to meet/talk with him at the Philly shows. Definitely a very positive guy and knowledgeable about the hobby.

jingram058 · #3 06-26-2025, 04:09 PM

I don't have a card that Ted gave me, but in a way, I do. We had a great conversation about Chanute AFB, in Illinois. Ted was in the Air Force, and went to his tech school at Chanute. I was in the Navy and went to my schools there, too. Just many years apart. Here is a photo of Ted at Chanute, and his civilian ID card with a good photo of him on it.

Rhotchkiss · #4 06-26-2025, 05:03 PM

Ted was a great guy and a serious asset to the prewar community. If Ted was a baseball card, he would be a Cobb, Ty Cobb back or maybe an Eddie Collins proof!

kkkkandp · #5 06-28-2025, 08:00 AM

Bought a bunch of stuff from Ted in my early years of returning to the hobby. My first was a T206 Mathewson black cap in 1997 at a card show at Union Catholic HS in Scotch Plains, NJ. He was always willing to chat about and help with hobby questions.

A great guy!

hcv123 · #6 06-28-2025, 08:36 AM

And miss his deep knowledge and research. Always fun to talk to at shows. His memory and all of v the knowledge he shared lives on here and I'm sure many other places.

B O'Brien · #7 06-28-2025, 11:16 AM

I sure miss the Ted talk! Lots of great emails and messaging back in the old days and always down to help me with configurations on the original backs line, based on the cards I already had and very limited funds to build with.

As I had to liquidate my original group, I made sure that Ted got every card back that he had sold or traded to me. He got me good on a couple, including trading me 19 Morgan dollars to get his Lundgren CHI EPDG back!

As I�m researching cards here now, it is amazing how many sets he had dug down into. So many of the old archived things I look at, he was all over.

Ted was 100% right, T213-1�s ARE T206�s!

Enjoy the weekend and stay cool,
Bob

Zach Wheat · #8 06-30-2025, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yoda

He would always talk to any serious collector and pass on his incredible knowledge. I will always miss him not only for the cards but also for being a decent human being.

Agree, he shared info freely. He was a fun guy to talk baseball cards...well actually fun to talk to on all levels

Sterling Sports Auctions · #9 06-30-2025, 07:22 PM

When I set up at the Nationals I use to bring a T206 card along to give to a kid that seemed interested in Pre War. (This was Pre COVID so there was not a whole lot of kids at the Show). I had given the card away and shortly after a father and his kid came by and he was so excited about Honus Wagner that I had him stay at the table until I was about to get a card for him. My first thought was to go to Ted. When I told Ted why I was buying it he told me to give to the kid at no charge. I tried paying but he refused to take the money. Needless to say the kid was very happy to have the T206.

I enjoyed chatting with Ted over the years, RIP

steve B · #10 07-01-2025, 09:12 AM

I only knew him from here, I don't get out much I guess.

I miss him too.

He knew a lot, and was always sharing what he knew. We didn't always agree on technical stuff, but I doubt any two people will always agree on everything.

FrankWakefield · #11 07-01-2025, 11:36 PM

I share Leon's views about staying with Ted. And with what everyone has said about him sharing his knowledge with those who were willing to take time to listen. Ted had a knack of knowing who was looking for what among the odd varieties of ball cards; and he sometimes would contact me to see if I was ready to let go of a 1949 Bowman PCL of Harvey Storey that I had. I think that was the only card he knew I had that I didn't let go of for him to get moved on to a fellow collector.

I deem my lengthy telephone conversations and long emails as time well spent.

Ted knew a right smart about cards from the 40's and 50's; as well as the 19teens. I stayed with them a couple of days a few years ago, I was getting a card that neither he nor I trusted to FedEX, UPS, USPS (although I sold him most of my 512 accumulation of T206s and sent them stacked together in a small box, no hard holders nor even sleeves, trusting those to the USPS). So off I went to Philadelphia, Ted had sent a Limo to fetch me from the airport, On the ride to Ted and Charlotte's home I stopped to buy an Orchid for indoors and an outdoor plant for outside (thank you Leon for that sage suggestion). The two of them were great hosts who truly made me feel genuinely welcome. I learned a right smart about cards, Ted's family, how he and Charlotte met, Charlotte's time at Princeton and her knowledge about Einstein's presence there, the Revolutionary War, and a great dinner overlooking where Washington crossed the Delaware River. We talked about Lionel trains, Ted's time in the Air Force and his training in Radar, and his work in the early days of acoustic coupling to allow computers to interact in over telephone lines back when he worked for AT&T. He and I had both studied electrical engineering in college. And we shared our fond memories of tennis. And Ted had lined up a limo that timely arrived at his home that got me to the Philly airport punctually and safely (me with that card I went to reclaim).

Ted was all that you've said. And he was a gentleman. He remains with me, in a corner of my mind.

B O'Brien · #12 07-08-2025, 10:44 AM

What happened to Ted�s collection? Passed on as a whole to his family or did it end up going to auction? He passed a little before I came back to the board, unfortunately, but don�t remember ever hearing.

Thanks,
Bob

Jobu · #13 07-08-2025, 11:07 PM

Ted was very clear about his whole collection, including the 52 Topps Mantle he pulled from a pack in 1952, going to his grandson. As far as I know, that is where it still resides.

Quote:

Originally Posted by B O'Brien

What happened to Ted�s collection? Passed on as a whole to his family or did it end up going to auction? He passed a little before I came back to the board, unfortunately, but don�t remember ever hearing.

Thanks,
Bob