NonSports Forum

Net54baseball.com
Welcome to Net54baseball.com. These forums are devoted to both Pre- and Post- war baseball cards and vintage memorabilia, as well as other sports. There is a separate section for Buying, Selling and Trading - the B/S/T area!! If you write anything concerning a person or company your full name needs to be in your post or obtainable from it. . Contact the moderator at leon@net54baseball.com should you have any questions or concerns. When you click on links to eBay on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. Enjoy!
Net54baseball.com
Net54baseball.com
T206s on eBay
Babe Ruth Cards on eBay
t206 Ty Cobb on eBay
Ty Cobb Cards on eBay
Lou Gehrig Cards on eBay
Baseball T201-T217 on eBay
Baseball E90-E107 on eBay
T205 Cards on eBay
Baseball Postcards on eBay
Goudey Cards on eBay
Baseball Memorabilia on eBay
Baseball Exhibit Cards on eBay
Baseball Strip Cards on eBay
Baseball Baking Cards on eBay
Sporting News Cards on eBay
Play Ball Cards on eBay
Joe DiMaggio Cards on eBay
Mickey Mantle Cards on eBay
Bowman 1951-1955 on eBay
Football Cards on eBay

Go Back   Net54baseball.com Forums > Net54baseball Postwar Sportscard Forums > Postwar Baseball Cards Forum (Pre-1980)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 08-14-2007, 10:05 AM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

My kids turn 3 this week and I'm wondering what is the trick to get them into collecting. I was a huge baseball fan as a kid and began collecting by the time I was 5. I got really into it at around 10 or so. My father had zero interest so I managed to self-start. Anyone who successfully turned their kids into collectors care to share how?

Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-14-2007, 04:27 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: dstudeba

My son enjoys looking at the Mastro catalogs that are lying around the house as they have pictures of baseball bats and football helmets in them. That said, I hope he doesn't get interested in collecting.

Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-14-2007, 04:35 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Anthony

My son is 9, I found he wanted to do pretty much anything I was doing. About 4 years ago he asked to go to a card show with me, met a few friends that were set up, and then every time he went back he knew a few people.
As much as I hate to say it, those game used cards really get kids interested. We've bought a few boxes of Heritage every year, and open them together, a pack for him, one for me, etc. He's always really excited when he gets a GU card, and as time goes on he knows more and more of the players.
One day he asked about the Topps Allan and Ginters we were opening, and I explained the origins and took out my N28's and N29's. Now he's really hooked every year on Heritage, after a few boxes he takes out the original set in the binder and flips thru them.
He may not be as obsessed as me (hope not) but he'll at least know what is what. And I doubt his appreciation for the history of the game will never fade.

Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-14-2007, 04:49 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: barrysloate

3 might be a little too young. But you can always buy a few packs of 2007 Topps for them to play with. If they are bored wait a few more years.

But if they take a scissor and trim them down to make them look mint, they're a couple of naturals!

Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-14-2007, 04:57 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Dan Bretta

I would take my son with me to the local card shop when he was 3-4...of course he only wanted to buy Pokemon cards with the $5 I would give him every time we went...I could not talk him into spending the $5 on an entire box of 1990 Fleer baseball, he had to have that ONE pack of Pokemon cards....until one day he just woke up and said he wanted to collect baseball cards. That was only about 5-6 months ago..he is now 6YO. He has his own binder where he only puts Yankee cards in it...we went through the many thousands of 1970-90s baseball cards I had packed away years ago and picked out all the Yanks.

When he was born I started buying a Topps factory set for him every year for Christmas and he now has the 2001-2006 sets...he has stated that he wants to put the sets together and in binders, but we just haven't found the time yet....he also goes for weeks at a time showing no interest at all, and then he just picks it back up.

Our plans for the near future are to put as many of the 1950-70s Topps sets together in binders by buying lots on ebay and filling holes...the cards don't have to be mint as it's more about putting the sets together and learning about the players than it is about investment.

Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-14-2007, 05:23 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Neal Kane

Jeff, my son is almost 3 as well and I keep a stack of cards on his nightstand. We look at them when I tuck him in sometimes, other times it is just a book. I figure it is one way to spark an interest.

I have always felt that collectors of anything are not trained or educated to be one. You either are born a collector or it isn't in your makeup.

Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-14-2007, 05:27 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Dan Bretta

I don't think collectors are born...I think they can catch the bug at any time. My best friend while growing up had absolutely no interest in collecting cards or anthing really until he got married and married into a family of antique collectors...now he is a regular at auctions and antique shows with a variety of things he collects.

Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-14-2007, 05:31 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Dave Hornish

You can't force it. My son (13) is a huge baseball fan and likes to play as well but has no interest in collecting or the historical aspect of the game or hobby. He will watch old games or clips on ESPN Classic but if it's not video he does not care.

Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-14-2007, 06:04 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

My two daughters were first fascinated with my stamp collecting, so they tried that but lost interest in it.
However, at the same time I got them interested in two (similar) sports....BaseBall and Tennis at a very
young age.
I'd take them to Old Timers day at Yankee Stadium and of course "programmed" them to be avid Yankee
fans. So, then they started collecting BB cards in 1977. That was a banner year for us Yankee fans, cul-
minating with Reggie's 3 (1st pitch) HR's in the World Series.

And, in turn my daughters renewed my interest in BB card collecting.......Thank you, Debbie and Zoe.

TED Z

Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 08-14-2007, 06:27 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Dan Bretta

Ted, have you been watching the ESPN miniseries "The Bronx is Burning"? Pretty fascinating show...they've done a brilliant job of using real footage and actors.

Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 08-14-2007, 07:06 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Jason L

Well, my 5 year old son became a lot more interested in baseball and collecting over the past year...and it is very much a situation where he just wants to do what I'm doing. I think a real interest is developing, but I am not focing anything and I take it at face value. But he truly seems interested.

I brought him to a card show, and just let him take it all in, figuring I would encourage whatever sparks his interest, as long as it wasn't more expensive than my own
Something neat happened...he likes the cards, and we opened a box of 2007 together, but what he REALLY likes are the figures. He likes having something to collect that is different than me, so he can show them to me, etc. We happened upon a table selling opened, used Starting Lineup figures, and he was hooked...fun to see!

Oh! Related story on teaching kids: He asked me a very loaded question during one of ESPN's recent tributes to Mr. Bonds. During this seemingly endless montage of homerun clips, my son asked, "Dad, he hits alot of home runs. Why is he so good?"
My answer to that was (very politically): "Well, lots of practice, and hard work, -and everyone's trying to figure out if there's any other reasons."

ugh

Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 08-14-2007, 07:23 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: JimCrandell

I think its a combination of playing sports with them when they are young, introducing them to team sports at an early age, going to pro sports games with them, talking sports in the house and buying them a pack of cards periodically. All that worked with my son until about age 12--then he stayed interested in active sports but lost interest in cards. Hope he regains it or I will have to give away my sets to one of my friends on Net 54 when my time comes .

Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 08-14-2007, 07:40 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Bill

My son is two months old. My mother of all people, while babysitting him one night, did the right thing and watched a Red Sox game with him. During the baby shower, I believe one third of the gifts were Red Sox related. He's born into two Red Sox obsessed families.
I hope he catches on to baseball cards. I'm looking forward to the time when I'll get back from deployment, out of the Army, and settle down in one spot with him and my wife. I won't force him into it, but at least give him an adequate dose as to what I do with the cards and see if he'll get involved with me building sets. Playing sports, taking him to a different ballpark each year, and just doing whatever together are some of the things I look forward to.
I guess when it comes to it, he'll be around baseball obsessed people. However, I won't force him into anything, rather introduce it to him and see what happens. Collecting can be a good bonding tool with father/son.

Change your socks, drink water, and drive on.

Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 08-14-2007, 09:51 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

I don't watch much TV, unless there's a ballgame on. What day and time is this miniseries on ?

TED Z

Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 08-14-2007, 10:34 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Dan Bretta

Ted, it's on Tuesday nights at 10PM your time on ESPN....they will rerun it a few times a week on either ESPN or ESPN2.

Here is the official website for the show...I think we are in week 5 or 6 now and I'm not sure if espn will rerun the episodes you've missed already or if they are planning on a DVD set.

http://bronxisburning.com/

Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 08-14-2007, 11:01 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: CN

I have 2 daughters 9 and 10 and a son 4. I am lucky to have full season tickets to the Mets so my daughters love David Wright and Jose Reyes. My 4 year old is just getting into baseball and loves the 2007 cards.CN I would say being a prminent attorney as you are just go to as many Mets or Yanks games as you can with them . CN

Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 08-14-2007, 11:15 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Murr the Blurr

LIke Dan B., I started an annual ritual of buying factory hockey sets for my son when after he was born in 1983. Today he is 6-foot-4, 220 pounds –– and a big-time collector. Like a lot of Canadian kids, he started playing organized hockey at four, and from 12 to 17, his playing and collecting really went into high gear: more than 100 games a season and lots of travelling to out-of-town tournaments. Those trips were great, because we always made sure to make the rounds of all the local card shops. While he still gets his hockey fix by playing three times a week and revisiting the old man's vintage collection, his main focus for the past several years has been non-sports cards and vintage Star Wars stuff. He haunts the flea markets, antique shows, etc. – and almost always manages to find stuff for his own collections or for mine (hockey and boxing). I truly believe the combination of being exposed to my collection and playing and loving the game from such an early age helped shaped the kind of collector he is today.

Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 08-15-2007, 05:30 AM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Tom Hines

I started my oldest son out at the age of 4 with reprints of T206's and then with the Legacy stuff. I got him plastic sheets and a binder just for his stuff and he loves them. He found a loose box of 1991 Fleer in my closet and has made those part of his collection as well. He loves to see Babe Ruth cards at card shows as he is the only big name he remembers (mostly because of the movies he has seen). I think most boys will want to do what their fathers do so it will come in time I suppose.

Tom Hines

Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 08-15-2007, 05:36 AM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Thanks for the tips. Jim, your post made me laugh. When my wife was pregnant we learned at about 7 weeks that we were having identical twins. For about two months I prayed hard that they were boys for two reasons: a) I didn't think emotionally I was prepared to handle the raising of two girls that looked the same in Manhattan (the shrink bills alone, I assumed, would make me homeless); and b) I assumed that they'd have no interest in my cards. So in my head I had this sad fantasy that one day, when very old, I'd have to call down to my doorman and have him come up and take my cards off my hands. At around 13 1/2 weeks, about 3 weeks before the doctor would be willing to make a call on the sex of our kids, we convinced an ultrasound tech to tell us what she thought. After begging me not to make her make the call, she relented and said she was pretty sure we were having two boys but she didn't want to be held to it. Of course, I was over the moon, knowing I had kids to give the cards to. (Three years later the boys are destroying everything they see, still aren't potty trained and defy me at every turn -- I wouldn't mind two girls for about, say, 5 years)

Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 08-15-2007, 06:12 AM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Jimmy

My son is four and I just spend a lot of time looking through stuff, and when I get items at yard sales he likes to see what I get. He likes to have his cards in boxes and plastic cases so he can carry them around. I give him real cheap stuff to play with. There is interest if you have some old wax or cards they can do what they want with. I think at a young age building an interest is the first step.

Jimmy

Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 08-15-2007, 06:58 AM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: JimCrandell

Jeff,

Funny--we had a parents party with sons when my son graduated from Dartmouth 3 months ago. i told the story about how it took so long to get him potty-trained. He would just stand there looking at the toilet saying "no, too dangerous". Got a big laugh. My other story about him was when he was age 11 or so and the two of us were driving to a soccer game and I used this opportunity to try to explain to him the "birds and the bees". I gave this long thoughtful explanation and I thought he was paying close attention. After about a 10 minute explanation I asked him "any questions"? He said yeah, do you think I should be playing right midfield or right forward?

Jim

Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 08-15-2007, 08:47 AM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Dan Bretta

Great stories Jim...I agree that if you can involve your kids in sports they will take more of an interest in collecting. My son just got done with his second year in Tball and he got a trophy this year and it was like the greatest thing that had ever happened. He even slept with it the first day. We also go to minor league games (2-3 a week if they are in town) and he has latched on to a favorite player (Pichi Balet). He was devastated on baseball card giveaway night when they ran out of sets before we got through the gate, but lucky for him some friends of ours that we usually meet up with at the game got in early enough and they gave him a set. We now have a Lincoln Saltdogs display case where we put all our Saltdogs memorabilia into.

Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 08-15-2007, 01:50 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Bruce MacPherson

My son is 7 and I am trying my best to get him interested in cards and baseball in general. He likes to play sports (primarily soccer) but has no interest in watching them. I do take him to 4 or 5 Nationals games each year, but despite my best efforts to explain the game to him and make it interesting, he just doesn't enjoy it the way I did at his age. I know that by age six, I was collecting cards, reading box scores and begging my dad to take me to ballgames.

I got excited when he went to a baseball-themed birthday party a few months ago and came home with four or five packs of Topps cards. He even got some sort of Mickey Mantle insert-type card. But my attempts to explain the greatness of Mantle were lost on him and his friends. He and his buddies found the that best part about the cards was a game they made up with the numbers on the backs (Think "War"-if you remember that game). There is still time, but I am afraid I may have to leave my cards to someone else.

Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 08-15-2007, 02:46 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Bringing up daughters at the Jersey shore is no "walk in the park"....either.

I read your post and chuckled, having raised two daughters. I wouldn't be talking to you now if....
Debbie and Zoe had not renewed my interest in BB card collecting 30 years ago.

TED Z

Debbie....Grandchildren Kurtis and Madison





Zoe....the Lobster Lady of Maine

Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 08-15-2007, 02:49 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default How does one get their sons into collectiing?

Posted By: Joe D.

My son is 8 and I would say he just started to get into collecting about a year or so ago. So with three year olds, you have some time.


My best advice is this:
Have the kids around when you open up that delivery of new cards from Mastro or eBay. Let them share in that excitement. Have the kids around when you are taking care of your cards and enjoying your cards.

Kids naturally want to be like their parents. Thats why good parenting is so important.


My son would watch me open each eBay package. Knowing what was inside, I would ham it up a bit as I opened each package "Do you know whats in here..... only the greatest pitcher of all time - Christy Mathewson... and do you know how old the card is? its 100 years old. I know its hard to believe, but thats older than mommy !"

Ever watch a kid at a birthday party and see how excited they are at opening presents? get them involved in the excitement of you opening your purchases.


My son would also watch as I placed the raw cards in Card Savers. At first he would ask why. And I would tell him about how special they were and you want to keep them nice.


*Buy packs of cards for them. Let them open their own presents. And get excited with them at certain players. Yes, the shiny stuff. Have card savers for them - so they can take care of their cards and be proud of them. Topps Allen & Ginter set.... my son got excited that he had cards the same size as the ones he always saw me with. Buy a case of those Jeff - and give the kids packs when they turn 7ish.


When I brought home my e90-2 Wagner, I hammed it up for my son as usual. Very excited and with eyes wide open - he ran off to his room. Back he came with one of his Topps Allen & Ginter cards in the Card Saver. He hands the card over to me and says "Dad - I'll trade you this card for that one."

How can you not love that!


Reply With Quote
Reply



Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:46 AM.


ebay GSB