1970 article on "Card Collector's Hall of Fame"

[trdcrdkid]

In 1970, card collector-dealer Irv Lerner published the first edition of "Who's Who in Card Collecting", with names and addresses of collectors who wanted to be included. He went on to publish several more editions, but I don't think it lasted too long. One of the features in that first edition was a "Card Collector's Hall of Fame", with six initial "inductees" led by Jefferson Burdick. In Ballcard Collector #50, vol. 5, no. 10 (actually published in July 1970, despite being dated October), Dick Reuss devoted his "Rolling With Reuss" column to his thoughts on this new Card Collector's Hall of Fame, including what such a thing should be and who should be included. It's kind of quaint in a way, because the hobby was so much smaller and more insular back then, with money not a big issue. But I suppose if we wanted to have something like this now, and pick up where Lerner left off, we could.

[Jeffrompa]

Thanks again David for sharing . It's interesting no mention of Nagy in 1970 since he would have had Corson's collection years before that .

[brass_rat]

Thanks for posting these, David.

Nagy is mentioned briefly on the second page.

I find it interesting that a important contribution is low, affordable prices and is discussed on several occasions.

Also, it's funny that the complaints about the Hall of Fame really being the Hall of Very Good were even prevalent in 1970...

[CW]

This stuff is great? Thanks for posting these early glimpses into the hobby we all enjoy.

[trdcrdkid]

I'm glad people like the stuff from old hobby publications that I've been posting. I have lots more. I hope people also like the Card Collector's Bulletins I've been posting, even though they usually get fewer views and comments. The auction results in those are really valuable historical information. I have about 15 of those that I haven't yet posted.

[1880nonsports]

and the CCB's. I'm sure many people enjoy these glimpses into hobby history - sometimes mini-novellas - even though they might not respond. The history is surely a part of what I enjoy about the hobby overall and for me contemporaneous reflection provides a meaningful insight. Finding the cards missing from my 19th century sets and the friendships I make along the way with people of like minds rounds out my enjoyment as I continue on with my journey. Likely I don't stand alone now, and it appears that some of yesterday's collectors were no different.

[trdcrdkid]

I found this item in the March 1971 The Trader Speaks, mentioning that the 1971 inductees into the Card Collectors' Hall of Fame were Buck Barker, Lionel Carter (the first two names mentioned by Reuss), and John Wagner (not mentioned by Reuss, but a very worthy selection). I'm not sure what the basis for their selection was, other than Irv Lerner's say-so. I'm also not sure whether there were any inductees in 1972 or later. I looked through The Trader Speaks and Ballcard Collector from the first half of 1972 and didn't see anything, but I don't have all the issues.

[trdcrdkid]

I just found this article by George Vrechek about Irv Lerner's Card Collector's Hall of Fame (and similar schemes). It appeared in SCD in 2011 and is now on the Old Cardboard site. The 1970 and 1971 editions of Who's Who In Card Collecting were the only ones, so the nine collectors mentioned above were the only ones ever inducted. Vrechek's article discusses the selection process and has excerpts from the biographies of the inductees.

http://www.oldbaseball.com/refs/Coll...36_to_1971.pdf

[Leon]

Here ya go......I had to dig to find it....there are a lot more pages but these are most of the first ones...

[Hot Springs Bathers]

I certainly was not around the collecting world in the 50's or 60's but in the 70's I would place the late John England and the still current Gar Miller in my Hall of Fame.

They really helped in every way possible advancing my collecting both with cards and knowledge.

[Leon]

I would add several longtime collectors, who are still doing it, to the list.

Originally Posted by Hot Springs Bathers

I certainly was not around the collecting world in the 50's or 60's but in the 70's I would place the late John England and the still current Gar Miller in my Hall of Fame.

They really helped in every way possible advancing my collecting both with cards and knowledge.

[TCMA]

I have a copy as well, though I'm not sure what year it's from. Here's a pic of my father's info:

[slidekellyslide]

What's this guy got against 55 Bowman baseball?? That's the best looking Bowman set they ever made IMO.