Sunday, November 2, 2008

A question for collectors

I collect Indians cards. Pretty straight-forward for the most part. I also collect Naps cards because that was the team name at one point. Okay, really, if it's a Cleveland baseball franchise, I'm collecting it... I digress.

Here is the problem I have whenever I am handing out trades: Which team collectors get old-school cards? For example, do Brewers fans also collect vintage Milwaukee Braves cards? Do current Braves fans get the old cards because the team is the "Braves" after all? How about the Brooklyn Dodgers? Does that go to current LA fans, or Mets fans, Yankees fans!? St. Louis Browns cards usually go to St. Louis fans when I dole them out. What about Washington fans? Do you collect Senators cards in addition to Nationals cards?

I have lots of cards that I have never handed out because I'm not sure who actually "wants" them from a team-collector perspective. How about NY Giants!? Is that a Mets thing or a San Fran thing? I know I have other examples, but those are escaping me for now...

Chime in and let me know how you collect when it comes to particular teams... Or, if you are of the mindset "It's blankety-blank vintage! I don't care WHO is on the front, I'll take it!!"

After all, when I am sending out TRICKS, none of this matters, but when I am sending out TREATS and TRADES, it could mean the difference between sending a "good" selection and just ticking someone off... :-)

14 comments:

  1. I think the NY Giants are definitely a San Francisco thing - the history goes hand in hand and it isn't really connected to say, the Mets or Yankees. That being said, I don't own any NY Giants stuff, but I have been looking to get my hands on a Bobby Thomson card just because it has so much history.

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  2. I'll take any Braves from Harry Wright's Red Stockings to Bobby Cox's Braves.

    I'm also fond of the blankety-blank vintage cards.

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  3. I seek out Oakland A's cards 'cuz 40 years is a good cut off for me. But I have recieved Kansas City A's in trades and am happy to have them. I just don't seek them out.

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  4. to me, a dodgers fan, brooklyn is part of the package.

    i think the a's, dodgers, giants are pretty cut and dried, but i don't feel that a twins fan would necessarily connect with a walter johnson card. and do orioles fans want st louis browns stuff?

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  5. Because you asked so nicely, I collect White Sox. Being one of the original eight American League franchises, it's a little harder to collect anything else. But where there's a will, there's a way!

    I collect cards of the Sioux City Cornhuskers and the St. Paul Saints (AKA Apostles), both of the 1890s vintage. The White Sox started out as a minor league team in Sioux City in November 1893. They moved to St. Paul after the 1894 season. Just before the 1900 season they moved to Chicago and became the White Stockings.

    I am very offended when people try to pass off 19th century White Stockings cards as White Sox cards. Any White Stockings cards before 1900 are technically Cubs cards.

    That being said, I wouldn't mind having any of those 19th centuy White Stockings cards, because they are from the 19th century.

    I hope this answers your question.

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  6. As a Mets fan, I don't really connect with the New York Giants or the Brooklyn Dodgers. Sure, they're a part of the Mets origin - if they hadn't left for the West Coast, there wouldn't be any Mets. And they contributed to the Mets colors and logo.

    But I don't really feel any connection to the Dodgers or Giants players unless they went on to play for the Mets.

    Unfortunately, Fred Wilpon seems to feel differently -- at least with regards to the Brooklyn Dodgers.

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  7. Thank you all foor your responses so far! This has been VERY helpful and now I have an idea which boxes to put those vintage cards in! :-)

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  8. I guess I don't feel much of an interest in the St. Louis Browns because I'm not from the St. Louis area. Otherwise, I'm sure I'd collect them, too.

    My question is, where are the poor individuals who collect Expos stuff?

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  9. I'm with gcrl, the Brooklyn Dodgers are what made me such a fierce Dodgers fan. I collect both the Brooklyn and L.A. variety. ... But if it's old, I'll collect it. I even have (gasp!) N.Y. Giants.

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  10. How could anyone complain about getting vintage anything. It is the backbone of card collecting.

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  11. I would love for an Expos fan to come forward! I have a ton of Expos cards I'd love to pass along...

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  12. I cried tears of joy when I got the Enzo Hernandez and Cito Gaston cards in my trick or treat package.

    That is about as vintage as my Padres stuff gets...

    I collect older Expos stuff- The NL class of 1969 RULES!!! I sort my Nationals stuff separately... No interest in those traitors.

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  13. if it's a Brave, it's a Brave. Period. And I'll take 'em all. Screw the Brewers. Yeah. that's right. I said it. We all think it. I said it.

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  14. Interesting question. I collect Texas Rangers but will also pick up Washington Senators from 1961 to 1971. That team went to Texas. Anything earlier is from the team that went to Minnesota.

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