Dealers (or fellow collectors) who lit the fire

[GaryPassamonte]

This was pre SCD, but Stan Martucci comes to mind. I still have an old receipt from him dating to the late 60s. My purchase was a 1955 Topps Koufax for $1.25.

[David W]

I think it was The SPorting News where I got his name, but my mom bought me Topps sets from about 1977 to 1982 from Thomas Ferenc, somewhere in Michigan.

I just found a receipt with his name on it a while back in one of those sets.

[Kalineman]

Hobby pioneer Frank Nagy lit the fire under me around 1972. I wrote to him asking about how a poor college kid could keep adding to his collection. He not only gave me great advice about trading and networking, he sent me a 4-page handwritten letter and enclosed a dozen 1930s baseball matchbook covers. Priceless!

[Rickyy]

I dealt with a lot of people who helped me out with my card collecting before the internet days... The following names stand out... some I dealt with many times...some once or twice..but they stand out for their courtesy and assistance in helping out a young collector...

Larry Fristch (first bought from him back in 1972!), Renata Galasso (she used to send personal letters confirming that the order was sent out), Josh Evans (still enjoy going back and looking at his old catalogues) , Politcial Gallery (they used to have some nice stuff!), Marcol and Angie Rol of Southern Cards, Bill Henderson and his common boxes, Stan Martucci (and his complete sets), Woody Gelman, Dick Dobbins (I sure miss seeing him at the San Mateo collectors shows which is also now gone too), Frank Nagy (nice nice man) , Dick Reuss (ditto) , Charlie Conlon ( I think Rob was right..it seems like Charlie DID deal with pretty much everyone in this hobby at least once!), John Stommen, Jerry Johnson ( a really nice man..just like his son) , Kit Young (great catalogues) , Lew Lipset, John Spaulding, Dave Kohler ( I remember he let me root through his stash of bb cards and Hartland statues behind the table at the National in SF) , King's Cards in Berkeley (what a store packed with cards cards and cards) , Jim Elder (his mail auctions from FLA had some great stuff), Greg Businneau.

Oh and though I didn't buy anything from him...but, Barry Halper...got to spend some minutes chatting with him at the SF National...his collection in the Beckett book inspired me to collect some of those same cards and started me on the way to the type collection..when I told him that, his eyes lit up.

The Great BB Card, Trading and Flipping Book also was a big influence for me too...I still have my tattered copy that I bought at B Dalton's!

Ricky Yo

[Tim Fritz]

My mom lit my collecting fire. She collected as a kid in the early 50s and started me off as a 4 year old in the mid 70s.

Then in about 1983 or 84 I found a card show that came to my home town near Green Bay, WI. There was about 10 to 12 dealers and they had cards from the 50s and 60s that I had never seen before. I don't remember any pre-war stuff there. Man those were great shows. Everytime I smell cigar smoke it brings me back there.

I also remember ordering cards for Christmas and my birthday from Kit Young and Bill Henderson. I wish I would have saved those catalouges.

[chris6net]

Definitely Paul Gallagher. Those shows he ran in NYC in the 70,s bring back fond memories. Paul was always willing to talk about the hobby. I also remember the Barnings when they first started BHN. My younger brother and I met them at a show and we used to sell the paper at a table for them at the Golden Gate shows in Brooklyn in the mid to late 70,s probably 78 or 79.

[Griffins]

In about '73 Merv Williams, a dealer that lived a few blocks from me in Santa Monica, ran an ad looking for collectors to join a newly formed card club that met in Garden Grove. 2 friends and I responded, and for the next 2 years Merv drove us down there with him every month and never accepted a dime in gas money. I don't know what happened to him (he was pretty hard to miss, as he only had 1 leg) but one of the nicest guys I've ever met, in or out of the hobby.

At those shows there were a few that were very generous with their time, knowledge and cards- Tom Tuttlemeyer, Dan Miller, Gavin Riley, and Jim Nowell stand out in my mind. I've yet to run into any of them in the 9 years I've been back in the hobby, does anyone know if any of them are still active?

[toppcat]

Marty Perry and Bob Sevchuk at the old Baseball Card Collector's Exchange in Hicksville, Long Island, New York. Picked up the first issue of Baseball Cards magazine off the newsstand and headed straight there. Haven't looked back since.

[yazfan08]

As expected, I didn't see Max Tracy's name in any of the responses. First, I'm not sure if "my Max" is the same as the one who had a card shop in Simi Valley.

In 1979, I answered a wanted ad in the Orange County, CA Pennysaver. Max came to the house and cherry picked my Bob Horner's, but also introduced me to his binders. I was mesmerized by the '61 Koufax and '66 McCovey as I'd never seen cards issued before 1973. Our friendship grew and I started manning his tables at conventions, including a Bob Lee show in SF and one coordinated by Randy Thyberg in Vegas. From there, Max introduced me to other dealers such as Josh Evans and I helped out with their tables. More significantly, I was that kid who would sit next to the sports celebrity and collect your items to be signed.

Max was a Fountain Valley High (I think) classmate of David Kohler, I believe they played on the same basketball team. The monthly Fountain Valley, Ca. show was a must do, as was visiting a card store nearby run by Mark Christiansen (very tall guy.)

Very fond memories, I hope we can reconnect someday.