How old are you?

[howiek]

I hope this question is not too personal. just wondering how old you guys are?
I'm 35. I'm constantly being told I'm to old too collect autographs since I'm not making any money from do it.
How many of us like to go to the stadium 5 or 6 hours before a game and then stay for another 3 or so hours after the game? Of course I don't do it
as often as I used to. Maybe twice a year at Shea. When I go to Duck games its easy. so the 5 or 6 games i go too. I get auto's. Then if my GF and i go away, I try to get to a game and she has the patience to hangout while I'm getting the Auto's

[stejay]

Im 26, and I get ripped for collected cards and other memorabilia too. But, its your own choice man, I have friends that are big basketball or football fans and they own 40+ jerseys, and when I tell them that they are collecters, they refuse to believe it.

[J.P]

I'm 25 and I get the same "you are too old" thing.

[Captain Cold Nose]

While this thread involves pretty much anything and everything, you might want to check out this thread, howie, as a few of the regulars of this forum have posted there.

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=27430

Next time someone asks you that question or gives you grief about collecting, ask them what their hobby is. Or tell them to watch Antiques Roadshow or some program like that or even visit a flea market. Everyone collects something, and more often than not not for resale purposes.

I'm in my mid-30's and have been collecting since I was 11 and have yet to see dime 1 in regards to anything I have purchased for collection's sake. And I don't care, it's my hobby. And hobbies don't have to end as you age.

[bailiff]

Anytime I get grief about my collecting (as a 31 year old), I always tell them "Aren't you a little old to be buying or playing video games."

[digglahhh]

I'm not a big memorabilia collector, but I do have my hobbies, and things that I "collect," for lack of a better term.

The unfortunate irony is that by the time you reach a point in your life when you can afford the things you've long treasured, many people begin to tell you that you are too old to be collecting such frivolities. Of course, one man's frivolity is the next man's "grail."

I have a rather large stash of fitted hats and sneakers (they pretty effectively combine my appreciation of sports and hip hop).

The way I see it, from a sociological and historical point of view, many of these things are cultural artifacts. There's nothing childish about it; in fact, you don't even fully appreciate your hobbies until you grow up.

Also, I kind of resent the term "collector" and "collection." A collection isn't something you set out to achieve, it's the natural result of sustaining a passion in something you appreciate for its own sake.

To answer the original question, I'm 27.

[duckydps]

21 going on 22... I hear that I am too old too, but you know what, I don't care what others think because I actually have a hobby! :thumbsup:

[Utter Chaos]

Then if my GF and i go away, I try to get to a game and she has the patience to hangout while I'm getting the Auto's

You'd probably get more Auto's if you hang out and let her get the signatures. :happy:



By the way I'm 44. I've been collecting cards non-stop since 1969. I haven't done TTM yet but I bought Harvey's book for my 11 year old son and we're going to start sending stuff out soon.

[duckydps]

I haven't done TTM yet but I bought Harvey's book for my 11 year old son and we're going to start sending stuff out soon.

You and your son will love it! Good Luck!

[Captain Cold Nose]

Also, I kind of resent the term "collector" and "collection." A collection isn't something you set out to achieve, it's the natural result of sustaining a passion in something you appreciate for its own sake.




That's really true, though. The recent Onion has an article about some guy saying he had just recently chosen to collect ceramic figurines and once he started, he hated it. He said he would have to move on to something else. Getting past the complete satirical nature of the article and the Onion itself, hobbies are not something you just set out to do, a genuine interest has to be the spark.

Man, I hate Precious Moments!

[NJMetfan4life]

Wow, I feel like I was born yesterday after reading some of these posts. At least 3 decades younger than the oldest.

EDIT: I've expected some people to be older than they are, but to answer the question only _ _ years.

RE-EDIT: I took down my age

[RuthMayBond]

And I'm older than UC

[Utter Chaos]

And I'm older than UC
Finally. I was getting worried for a while. I guess I'm older than I thought.

[Mikie]

Not sure if I'm older than RMB, but I'm older than UC, I'm currently 47 going on 19. I've had a lifelong love affair with baseball, was a pretty good Little League and high school player but couldn't hit college pitching. So I became a rabid fan and student of the game, been a SABR member for about 10 years now and an Astros season-ticket holder for 8. Someone mentioned being able to afford the things you want as you get older, my evolution from $1 center-field bleacher seats at the Astrodome in the '80s to $50 club level behind the plate at Minute Maid these days is a case in point.

I'm not a memorabilia collector per se, though I have some neat stuff, most of it gifts from friends and family and very Astros-centric (though my mom gave me an autographed Brooks Robinson bat for Xmas that's my newest prize possession), balls that I've caught during BP before games and gotten signed, and Mike D. who posts on here keeps me flush in Biggio cards. Another good friend is a McFarlane addict who makes sure I've got every Astro that comes out.

I "collected" cards as a kid in the late '60s and early '70s, though not for profit or keepsakes like it's done today, but because I idolized the players and wanted to be one, not to mention I liked the gum. I remember wearing out one of the Ryan/Koosman rookie cards in the spokes of my bike because I didn't like Koosman and had never heard of Ryan. My friends and I used to flip cards for keeps, build card houses out of them to knock down with our Hot Wheels cars or slingshots, and even burn holes in the ones we didn't like with magnifying glasses, pretty sure I ruined a complete set of Seattle Pilots that way. I had a brown paper grocery bag full at one point, and though it sounds trite, it's true - my mom threw them away after I left home to go to college. When card collecting took off in the late '80s - early '90s I calculated that that grocery bag would have been worth at least a thousand bucks, maybe two. :ughh

[RuthMayBond]

Not sure if I'm older than RMB, but I'm older than UC, I'm currently 47 going on 19.

balls that I've caught during BP before games
We are too much alike. Like I tell the youngins on my softball team, when Sandy Koufax was my age, he had been retired SIXTEEN YEARS :rofl:

[Rockhound]

Next month, I'll be turning 27 and I too get a lot of grief from my family and friends about collecting baseball cards. I've gone through so many hobbies that no one can keep track of what I'm collecting. It seem like every year I find atleast 2 or 3 new hobbies. :ughh

[Dalkowski110]

Nineteen years of age. Never got ragged on in high school for it, oddly. In fact, I was respected to a certain degree because of my large collection. I always wondered why.

[icee82]

It looks like I might be the oldest one thus far. I am 49 and I enjoy the hobby of collecting autographs. There is nothing wrong with it as long as you are not knocking down kids and being a jerk about it. Most of the time if you will stand back, remain somewhat patient, things will happen. Sometimes I notice that I am the oldest guy doing it but hey, I don't care because I enjoy it. I also collect the McFarlane figures.

[BoofBonser26]

I'm 19 and have, surprisingly, collected grief only for being a baseball fan and none for being a card collector.

Just today at lunch people were talking about my Indians hat with Wahoo on it, and we got into a discussion about team logos, and I made a joke about how they should just revert back to the "Naps." I was considered mental for knowing an old name of the franchise.

So, then, I kind of earned it by spewing random factoids about the Tribe until I had earned my epithet. :thumbsup:

[EricDavis]

I'm 22. Most of the ribbing I get for collecting is good natured, so I don't mind it. I mean if it's not one hobby it's another and collecting baseballs cards and autographs is pretty safe and respectable.

[Coachsmallhead]

I'm 34....as I'm sure most of you all can relate, I get the occasional odd look when I tell people what my hobby is....but I figure, I enjoy the hobby, it keeps me connected in some small way to the game I love, and really the bottom line for me is that I'm too old to worry about what other people think!

[AutographCollector]

I'm 31 yrs old, and have been collecting baseball cards & sending out ttm requests since 1987. My friends think it's cool collecting the cards, but to them getting them signed is dumb. Why? I have no idea, as their reasons are even dumber. The best thing about this is that my girlfriend supports me in my ttm projects (she will surprise me with books of stamps, and envelopes).

Funny thing is is that my older brother, who is 34 yrs old, also does ttm.
BUT my sister in law thinks that it is dumb, and a waste of time and money. It's sad when my brother writes ttm requests in his work truck at truck stops (he drives tractor trailers). If he writes them at home she gets really ticked off at him. Whatever. Like he tells me.... "it could be worse... my hobby could be illegal."

[1964nova]

I'm 34, and have been a collector since I was 5, coins, die cast cars, etc. I started collecting baseball cards and autos, probably 10 years ago, when I bought a Killebrew signed ball and bat at a charity auction. I have never caught any grief for collecting, none I am aware of, anyway.

[RuthMayBond]

It looks like I might be the oldest one thus far. I am 49 Thank you :bowdown::thumbsup::cool::think::party::applaud: :laugh :D:dance:highfive:

[icee82]

I'm 31 yrs old, and have been collecting baseball cards & sending out ttm requests since 1987. My friends think it's cool collecting the cards, but to them getting them signed is dumb. Why? I have no idea, as their reasons are even dumber. The best thing about this is that my girlfriend supports me in my ttm projects (she will surprise me with books of stamps, and envelopes).

Funny thing is is that my older brother, who is 34 yrs old, also does ttm.
BUT my sister in law thinks that it is dumb, and a waste of time and money. It's sad when my brother writes ttm requests in his work truck at truck stops (he drives tractor trailers). If he writes them at home she gets really ticked off at him. Whatever. Like he tells me.... "it could be worse... my hobby could be illegal."

Speaking of girlfriends/wives' support...I can tell you from experience that it helps a lot. My first wife hated sports with a passion. She thought that anything you purchased connected with sports was a waste. Why purchase a figure or an autograph when you could purchase a bucket of paint for the bathroom? You know where this is going...we divorced. I remarried and my new wife is very supportive of my hobbies. She is very cultured and had never attended any sports event until we got together. When we met, she had never been to a live athletic event. Now she has dodged baseballs in the stands, moved her head so pucks could go whizzing by, and has shivered in the freezing cold and rain at football games. She has sat in Cincinnati in temperatures of close to 105 degrees at baseball games. She has ducked her head between the seats to avoid line drives at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. She has sat in a driving rain storm at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill. She has sat in the bitter cold at BB&T Field in Winston-Salem. Sometimes she does not understand the passion of it but she understand my love of this and supports it. I would be unable to do a lot of things in this hobby without her support! Of course she is an engineer and she makes more money than me too so that is important!

[flyingdutchdude]

41 going on 42,
Been collecting vintage PreWar for 28 years.
Bought packs as a kid from 1973-79, we used to raid the park fountain for the coins then bike over to 7-11 to buy cards and dig through the trash for slurpee baseball player cups. But in 1979 my father brought home a shoebox of 1965-69 Topps cards he was given at work (3 Ryan Rookies, Bench, Jackson, Carew, Seaver, etc.). I messed with trying to complete the sets for over a year, then one day at a SF card show I found a table that had a few R319s (1933 Goudey), including the Ruths, and I fell in love with the vintage cards. I ended up trading the guy a handful of my mid 60's rookies for the #144 Ruth and have never looked back. By 1982 all my Topps cards were gone and all Ive collected since was 1887-1941, but I do have alot of 1950s regionals too.

I played some ball in the mid 80's (Drafted 4th round 85th overall in the Jan 1985 Draft by the Expos). Played against and with players like Matt Williams (best Ive seen at that level), Barry Bonds, Devon White, Greg Jeffries, and 5 years with John Wetteland, among others. Also played a summer in Japan.

The only autographs I collect are signed PreWar cards and Personal Checks.

[RuthMayBond]

I played some ball in the mid 80's (Drafted 4th round 85th overall in the Jan 1985 Draft by the Expos). Played against and with players like Matt Williams (best Ive seen at that level), Barry Bonds, Devon White, Greg Jeffries, and 5 years with John Wetteland, among others. Also played a summer in Japan.:bowdown::bowdown::bowdown:

[flyingdutchdude]

Bonds was a skinny cocky hotdog who played for Serra High School in San Mateo. I was a left handed pitcher, and he would always try to rattle you on the basepaths back then. He had some pop, but was more well known for defense and speed in HS and American Legion ball. He was known only as "Bobby Bonds kid", I didnt even know his first name until he started playing with Pittsburgh.

Greg Jeffries and Tom Brady also went to Serra BTW

Bonds is still my favorite player though.

[Swankee21]

Hi everyone, I just joined baseball fever today, and i thought this was a good place to get started.

I'm only 16, and have collected baseball cards for as long as i can remember. There were times that I wasn't that big into the cards, but now it's at the point where my mom rolls her eyes and says that i have "too many" cards when I come out of the flea market with another bag of cards.

By the way, my grandpa is 85 or so and he still collects baseball cards when he leaves his house that once in a while.

[RuthMayBond]

Bonds was a skinny cocky hotdog who played for Serra High School in San Mateo. I was a left handed pitcher, and he would always try to rattle you on the basepaths back then. He had some pop, but was more well known for defense and speed in HS and American Legion ball. He was known only as "Bobby Bonds kid", I didnt even know his first name until he started playing with Pittsburgh.

Greg Jeffries and Tom Brady also went to Serra BTW

Bonds is still my favorite player though.Guess who I have at least 800 different cards of :think::lightbulb:

[The Prowling Cat]

I am 37 and have a ten year old son that collects with me. I will even say he is the reason I am collect the cards that I do. For the last ten years I had lost the passion for baseball card collecting and was doing my other hobby of business cards. Then about a year ago he saw some cards and wanted a pack. Since then he has been hooked and has brought me back in on a certain level. He collects Michael Young cards, and Texas Rangers autographs when we go to games in Seattle. He even got Young's auto in the game we went to last year. Never have seen that kid so agressive as he was fighting though that crowd, nothing was going to stop him from getting that auto. Then together we collect Teixeira cards which is a good time for both of us. He loves nothing more than trying to help me work out a trade for either Young or Teixeira. So around here we are two kids 10 and 37....

[stejay]

I hink Im lucky that I havea baseball loving dad too, who collects with me, and trades with me, and gives me a few cards now and then. I hope I will have a similar relationship with my son when he is older.

[dabigyankeeman]

You guys are babes in the woods. I am 59 physically but about 25 mentally. I grew up in New York watching Mantle roam Yankee Stadium, those were great days, but I love the present days too. I feel sorry for the older people who think that only back in the days of their youth were things good, hey, I love David Wright and Joba Chamberlain, I love Beyonce and Pink, you dont have to let yourself become an old fart, I havent, and dont intend to!!!

I cant believe how many of you said that you are getting crap for collecting cards at your old age of 25 or 30. Back around 1980, I got a lot of crap for collecting, but then when values of cards exploded the same people looked at me different, and thought i was very smart to have bought a lot of cards, and they envied me with my collection. Just hold onto your collection, those of you who are in your late teens thru 30 or so, many people lose interest in cards in those years and get rid of their cards, and then later decide to get back into the hobby, and then they wish they still had their cards!

[commishbob]

I'm 55 which means I'm too old to care what anyone else thinks about my hobbies. :rolleyes:

[RuthMayBond]

You guys are babes in the woods. I am 59 physically but about 25 mentally. You think you're young mentally, but you're twenty years older than me :rofl:

[dabigyankeeman]

You think you're young mentally, but you're twenty years older than me :rofl:

So you should respect me as your elder and send me all your baseball cards.
:rofl:

[RuthMayBond]

So you should respect me as your elder and send me all your baseball cards.
:rofl:You should have pity on Indians fans and send ME all of YOUR cards :thumbsup::pray::cool::think::party::nod: :crossfingers: :hp

[dabigyankeeman]

You should have pity on Indians fans and send ME all of YOUR cards :thumbsup::pray::cool::think::party::nod: :crossfingers: :hp

I might have, except the Indians knocked the Yankees out of the playoffs last year (thanks to importing all those bugs to attack Joba).

By the way, I was in the stadium down here in Florida for the all the games including the last game of the 1997 World Series, Edgar Renteria - yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey, you guys made it to the world series recently, I believe it was in 1954, and you lost to the NEW YORK Giants!

I guess you Indians are still upset at the white man for taking Manhattan, which also is NEW YORK.

Dont you just hate me now more than you did before???? :rofl:

[bryanspellman]

37 3/4 with a 14 year old son who loves to collect and do TTM...

Got back into it last year when we both decided it was time to get serious and not just pick a pack or two every so often.....

[RuthMayBond]

I might have, except the Indians knocked the Yankees out of the playoffs last year (thanks to importing all those bugs to attack Joba). You betcha, and we'll do it again

<By the way, I was in the stadium down here in Florida for the all the games including the last game of the 1997 World Series, Edgar Renteria - yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!>

Not as good as 2003 :dance:highfive::rofl::party::applaud::lookitup

<Hey, you guys made it to the world series recently, I believe it was in 1954, and you lost to the NEW YORK Giants!>

Hey, you exhibit the typical Yankee fan knowledge. We made it in 1997 AND 95, with a fourth of your budget

<I guess you Indians are still upset at the white man for taking Manhattan, which also is NEW YORK.>

Them's scalping words

<Dont you just hate me now more than you did before????>

If that's possible. Hey, last playoffs we got rid of Torre, wonder who will be to follow

[Sockeye]

I'm 32, been collecting actively since I was about 14. My passion is the older cards from the 50's, 60's, & 70's.

Next up on my buylist

1973 Topps Mike Schmidt (RC) #615
1963 Topps Harmon Killebrew #500
1963 Topps Willie Mays #300
1962 Topps Hank Aaron #320

[NJMetfan4life]

You should have pity on Indians fans and send ME all of YOUR cards :thumbsup::pray::cool::think::party::nod: :crossfingers: :hp

You both should pity me, I'm a Mets fan in a Yankee zone:hp:hp.

Send me all of your baseball cards!!

[RuthMayBond]

You both should pity me, I'm a Mets fan in a Yankee zone:hp:hp.That's kind of expected. It's when you have almost as many $tankee$ fans as Tribe fans a few hundred miles away from the $tankee$ that's annoying :grouchy:rant:

[dabigyankeeman]

, and you lost to the NEW YORK Giants!>

Hey, you exhibit the typical Yankee fan knowledge. We made it in 1997 AND 95, with a fourth of your budget



You did? Boy, i dont remember 1995. Guess its a combination of focusing on the Yankees and senility! :confused:

You did it with a fourth of my budget? How do you know what my budget is? I dont even tell my wife my budget! She should only know what I spend on baseball cards, she would kill me.

Hey, on a serious note, we both got a tough year coming up, Detroit looks real strong with Cabrerra, Willis, and Renteria added to that team and they will be hard to beat in your division, and the Yankees have the Red Sox who are trying to become the Yankees North, its gonna be interesting!

[NJMetfan4life]

I feel like a newborn baby, my age is coming down.

[schubox]

I'm a 31 year old teacher, husband and father. In the little free time I have left I collect baseball cards. Collecting cards for me has always been an extension of my passion for the game of baseball. I had to take a bit of a break from collecting during and and a few years after my college years for monetary reasons but i'm back in the game.

Collecting has never been about profit. I have tons of cards that I am sure would make other people happy but I can not get myself to sell. One of these days I will get the nerve to hop in the trading forum and post some of the cards that do not really fit in my collection.

I spend a lot of time reading in this forum but I do not post a lot. I guess if I post I would like it be substantial. I'm not a "that's cool" type of reply poster. I enjoy this site more then other sites. It is definitely a more mature atmosphere here then in other forum websites.

Everyone that knows I collect is pretty cool with it. We all have our own interests. Everyone always seems to ask what my collection is worth. I think it disappoints them when I say I really do not care. They see dollar signs and I see history and memories.

I appreciate this forum for allowing me a place to relax from my day and I thank all of you who post some great topics.

Happy Collecting!

[Custom Made]

I'm 33 and have been actively buying/selling/collecting since I was about 12 years old. One of my friends said he was going to the "card store" to "sell some cards". I was totally lost. What's a card store?? You mean these pieces of cardboard that I got at Cumberland Farms and Acme, with Pete Rose, Nolan Ryan, George Brett, Robin Yount, etc., have monetary value???? Except at 12, it was more like, "I can get money for these????"

Hooked ever since. With an upcoming wedding in September though, I sure can't buy as much as I use to. I have a very well paying job, and as a bachelor, I use to drop thousands a month on cases upon cases of cards. Let's just say I haven't gotten a case in close to a year and a half, and haven't busted a box over the $120 range since the fall. :(

[J.P]

Luis Gonzalez signed a baseball card for me at the Marlins Fan Fest this past saturday, he did look up and gave me the "You are too old for this, arent you a dealer?" look.

[Rockhound]

Right on schubox! You hit the nail right on the head. I feel the same way. I don't know what my collection is worth but I know it has many great cards. Collecting is not about the profit and never should be. It's too bad that the costs nowadays aren't reasonable. The memories are priceless.

[dabigyankeeman]

Luis Gonzalez signed a baseball card for me at the Marlins Fan Fest this past saturday, he did look up and gave me the "You are too old for this, arent you a dealer?" look.

Thats so pitiful, when players think all older people are dealers out to sell their signatures.

Did you enjoy the Fan Fest? I am recovering from some injuries, so I didnt go this year, (i usually go), but at 10am Saturday morning I got on Ticketmaster and bought seats for the 2 exhibition games against the Yankees and Opening Day against the Mets. Boy, I cant wait!!! By buying the instant they went on sale, I was able to get club seats behind home plate for all 3 games!

[AutographCollector]

I played some ball in the mid 80's (Drafted 4th round 85th overall in the Jan 1985 Draft by the Expos).


Not to be rude. But Bobby Thigpen was taken in the 4th round 85th pick overall. http://www.baseball-reference.com/t/thigpbo01.shtml
June 3, 1985: Drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 4th round of the 1985 amateur draft.

[dmbfan]

I believe that he is referring to the 88th overall pick, which the Expos had in 1985. If so, he was drafted out of high school that year.

[Dalkowski110]

You sure? Anthony Candelino (the guy the Expos took with their 4th round pick in '85, 88th overall) is an athletic coach at University of North Florida. Also, he only played three years of pro ball (as a centerfielder)...

http://www.unfospreys.com/staff.aspx?staff=78

He only played three pro seasons, as mentioned. But FDD claims to have played with John Wetteland for five. What gives?

[AutographCollector]

You sure? Anthony Candelino (the guy the Expos took with their 4th round pick in '85, 88th overall) is an athletic coach at University of North Florida. Also, he only played three years of pro ball (as a centerfielder)...

http://www.unfospreys.com/staff.aspx?staff=78

He only played three pro seasons, as mentioned. But FDD claims to have played with John Wetteland for five. What gives?

Interesting. Now I am REALLY curious....

[gosox55]

Hmmm... I'm 64, maybe I'm to old for this hobby... Nah you're never to old.

[dmbfan]

You sure? Anthony Candelino (the guy the Expos took with their 4th round pick in '85, 88th overall) is an athletic coach at University of North Florida. Also, he only played three years of pro ball (as a centerfielder)...

http://www.unfospreys.com/staff.aspx?staff=78

He only played three pro seasons, as mentioned. But FDD claims to have played with John Wetteland for five. What gives?

So I took a few minutes and re-read the post. FlyingDutchDude stated that he was drafted in 4th round with 85th overall pick in the January, not June, draft of 1985. Here's what I found:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?franch_ID=WSN&round=4&draft_type=janreg

Pretty interesting.

[soberdennis]

I am 51 today.

[rwolfe09]

I'm sixteen.

[Dalkowski110]

"in the January, not June, draft of 1985."

My sincerest apologies for doubting!

[VincentVanGo]

I'm 35 years old and I've been collecting cards since I was 8.

[Zito75]

I'll be the big 3-5 in August and started collecting in 1984.

[Rpollard86]

I'm 21...and as long as I do this I'll never feel old. Every time I go to the ballpark or buy a pack of cards I feel like a little kid again. I've never cared what others think of me so its all good.