For those of you who don’t know me, I am Danny Black of Baltimore Sports Collectibles. I am a self-described sports romantic, and I am thrilled to share my thoughts and information from the world of sports collectibles with all of you.
First of all, I love Baltimore. I love the Ravens and Orioles. I’ve always loved local sports. I remember the Brewers knocking out the Orioles in 1982. I remember my first Orioles game on Aug. 24, 1983, when Tippy Martinez picked off three Blue Jays in one inning. I remember the Colts pulling out onto Owings Mills Boulevard and leaving for Indianapolis. I remember Paul Tagliabue telling Baltimore to build a Museum instead of an NFL stadium. I remember watching the last game at Memorial Stadium and the first game at Camden Yards. I was there for the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game in 1993. I remember watching both Ravens’ Super Bowl wins and so many more big moments.
However, the reason I consider myself a romantic is because my love is deeper than that. I loved watching Rene Gonzales and Jeff Reboulet. I cheered for Keith Van Eron and Sean Landeta. I still get a kick out of collecting that famous Bill Ripken baseball card. I find it romantic to sit with my wife on a summer night and watch the Aberdeen IronBirds play at sunset. I love showing my kids videos of Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, Dr. J, Brooks Robinson and so many more. I consider a trip to the Babe Ruth Museum an educational tour and Ken Burns’ “Baseball” required viewing in our family.
I love sports and sports cards. I worked as a “dealer” at local mall card shows during the mid-’90s. Selling cards next to a JCPenney was the good life back then. I had a great collection of 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie cards. I had every Cal Ripken and Eddie Murray card. I subscribed to Beckett and Tuff Stuff magazines. I knew every local card shop and would spend hours flipping through thousands of cards. I learned about vintage cards. I learned about the history of the hobby (I suggest reading “The Bubble Gum Card War” by Dean Hanley) and the differences in years, manufactures, printing technology, and baseball history.
I learned that the 1957 Topps set is my favorite baseball set. Did you know that it has both rookie cards for Brooks and Frank Robinson? It was also the first set of cards to standardize the 2.5×3.5 inch size that is still used today. As far as the looks of the ’57 set, I love the clean, classic design, but I understand that some disagree. I also learned about Sy Berger and Warren Bowman. I learned what Pre-War, Vintage, Junk Wax, Modern and Ultra Modern cards are. And the learning has never stopped.
I worked for the Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles. But I also worked for the Atlanta Historical society to learn the history of the Braves. When I worked for the Orioles, I managed the world’s largest sports art gallery. I learned about prints, autographs, licensing and so much more. I was lucky enough to become friends with so many great people at the Orioles and loved every day.
However, at a certain point, I married my wife, the true love of my life. Alas, having a family, including three children, forces tough decisions and I went to work at a private non-sports company. I always stayed involved in the card market and advised old friends. But after too many years, I wasn’t happy and had to go back to my love of sports. A few years ago I started Baltimore Sports Collectibles and I was back!
So what does this mean? It means that I don’t have just any job, but a job where I get to work with my heroes every day. I work in the business of sports cards and collectibles. I help clients buy and sell items that they find in an old attic closet or inherit from a relative. Maybe you have had cards since you were a kid and now you want to sell them? I can help you.
I help people invest in cards and collectibles as an alternative asset. I follow the minor leagues like a scout and love buying cards of prospects, not just vintage Hall of Famers. I consult with different companies in the sports collectibles space. I get to do what I love and I’m looking forward to sharing so much more with you. I hope you will ask questions, give me feedback, and share your stories. I’m Danny Black, and I’m a sports romantic.
Please email any questions to Danny@SPORTSBALT.com or visit SportsBalt.com
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Danny Black