Our members are as diverse as the collections they build. The Close-Up is published every 4-8
weeks and takes a look at one member's collection as well as the person and stories behind it.
Terry Mitchell
What got you collecting as a kid? What was the hot thing to collect then?
I grew up in DC and the 1952 Topps baseball set and the Bowman Jets, Rockets and Spacemen set. I can still pick up one
of these cards and remember seeing them as a kid, especially the Washington Senators who sucked very badly and the Chicago
White Sox (I was born in Chicago on the south side and rooted for the White Sox). Unfortunately for the baseball, I do not
remember any high numbers in my area.
What’s the most destructive thing you’ve ever done with/to a collectible?
I flipped baseball cards as a kid which was hard on them. I also kept them in team sets with a rubber band around them. Also a
no no. But the worst thing I did happened a few years ago. I had a 1960 Post Cereal box back of Harmon Killebrew that had some
paper stuck to the back. I have soaked out of scrapbooks many tobacco cards so I tried soaking the paper off the back of the
Killebrew card and the paper came off, BUT so did the FRONT. Never was able to put humpty dumpty back together again.
What’s the one thing you sold or gave away that you really regret and wish you could get back?
I traded a 1952 Topps Mantle (fair condition) for a complete 1969 Topps baseball set. Bad trade.
What’s the one thing you own now that you wouldn’t sell for all the money in the world?
I got asked to come to the University of Utah in 1979 in the fall and I asked if I could come in the spring—the first weekend in April--
and they said yes. It was my first Final Four and they got me a ticket. It was Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. It was a great game.
Twenty years later Magic was in Seattle signing autographs and I got him to sign the program on the front and where his picture was.
He laughed at seeing himself at that age and we talked a bit about the game. That item is not going anywhere.
What’s your favorite recent pickup and why?
In 1912-14 the tobacco companies issued premiums that were meant to be pillowcases. There was a baseball one and some
non-sports ones. I just recently picked up the one with Native Americans on it. I have never had one of the pillowcases before and
the Indians is the most desirable after the baseball. Very neat.
What do you have the hardest time with as far as your collection goes?
Having things accessible for viewing. I sold most of my collection 14 years ago but some of the rest is in albums and other stuff is in
boxes and at Shurguard.
Do you have any short or long term collecting goals or do you just buy what you
like with no real rhyme or reason? I am trying to finish or upgrade some sets. But, most of what I have left is leaving the house.
None of my 3 daughters are sports enthusiasts or collectors. So things are being sold and gifted.
Do you have a “white whale”? If so, what is it? Exhibit cards. I like them. I like the size and the pictures. But they are really
not worth very much.
What is your favorite sports moment you have witnessed?
I have 2. My daughter Colleen (a Duke graduate) and I used to get tickets in the lottery for the Final Four. We would go whether
Duke was there or not. We were there in 2001 when Duke beat Maryland ( duke was down 18 points in the first half) and then Arizona
for the title (Dunleavy hits 3 three pointers in about one minute in the second half and they never look back). That was fun. Also, I have
been a Redskin fan (please excuse the use of such a nasty word) for my whole life. In 1987 they played Denver in the Super Bowl
number 22 in San Diego. I was able to score a ticket and went to the game. On the first play Elway threw 80 years for a touchdown
and then Denver scored a field goal on their next possession. But the Redskins scored 35 points in the second quarter behind Doug
Williams to win going away.
Through the years, how have your views on your collection and collecting in general changed?
All of the grading and price lists made it more like a business than a hobby. Also, finding stuff has changed. You used to have collections
that came from the original collector and got stuff from advertising in the paper or walk ins at shows. Almost everything now is on line and
comes from dealers.
If you could name just one, what is the hobby subject you would research more if you had the time and why?
Silks. These were given with tobacco products, mostly cigarettes in the 1910-1914 era. They are not especially well catalogued
and checklisted although Bob Forbes has done some of this (Author of American Tobacco Cards). I think they are attractive and most
sets are scarce compared to the card sets.
Close-Up Archives
Les Bretthauer
Bill Cohon
Mark Clatterbuck
Michael Dodd
Ray Cardwell
Charles Kapner
What got you collecting as a kid? What was the hot thing to collect then?
I grew up in DC and the 1952 Topps baseball set and the Bowman Jets, Rockets and Spacemen set. I can still pick up one
of these cards and remember seeing them as a kid, especially the Washington Senators who sucked very badly and the Chicago
White Sox (I was born in Chicago on the south side and rooted for the White Sox). Unfortunately for the baseball, I do not
remember any high numbers in my area.
What’s the most destructive thing you’ve ever done with/to a collectible?
I flipped baseball cards as a kid which was hard on them. I also kept them in team sets with a rubber band around them. Also a
no no. But the worst thing I did happened a few years ago. I had a 1960 Post Cereal box back of Harmon Killebrew that had some
paper stuck to the back. I have soaked out of scrapbooks many tobacco cards so I tried soaking the paper off the back of the
Killebrew card and the paper came off, BUT so did the FRONT. Never was able to put humpty dumpty back together again.
What’s the one thing you sold or gave away that you really regret and wish you could get back?
I traded a 1952 Topps Mantle (fair condition) for a complete 1969 Topps baseball set. Bad trade.
What’s the one thing you own now that you wouldn’t sell for all the money in the world?
I got asked to come to the University of Utah in 1979 in the fall and I asked if I could come in the spring—the first weekend in April--
and they said yes. It was my first Final Four and they got me a ticket. It was Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. It was a great game.
Twenty years later Magic was in Seattle signing autographs and I got him to sign the program on the front and where his picture was.
He laughed at seeing himself at that age and we talked a bit about the game. That item is not going anywhere.
What’s your favorite recent pickup and why?
In 1912-14 the tobacco companies issued premiums that were meant to be pillowcases. There was a baseball one and some
non-sports ones. I just recently picked up the one with Native Americans on it. I have never had one of the pillowcases before and
the Indians is the most desirable after the baseball. Very neat.
What do you have the hardest time with as far as your collection goes?
Having things accessible for viewing. I sold most of my collection 14 years ago but some of the rest is in albums and other stuff is in
boxes and at Shurguard.
Do you have any short or long term collecting goals or do you just buy what you
like with no real rhyme or reason? I am trying to finish or upgrade some sets. But, most of what I have left is leaving the house.
None of my 3 daughters are sports enthusiasts or collectors. So things are being sold and gifted.
Do you have a “white whale”? If so, what is it? Exhibit cards. I like them. I like the size and the pictures. But they are really
not worth very much.
What is your favorite sports moment you have witnessed?
I have 2. My daughter Colleen (a Duke graduate) and I used to get tickets in the lottery for the Final Four. We would go whether
Duke was there or not. We were there in 2001 when Duke beat Maryland ( duke was down 18 points in the first half) and then Arizona
for the title (Dunleavy hits 3 three pointers in about one minute in the second half and they never look back). That was fun. Also, I have
been a Redskin fan (please excuse the use of such a nasty word) for my whole life. In 1987 they played Denver in the Super Bowl
number 22 in San Diego. I was able to score a ticket and went to the game. On the first play Elway threw 80 years for a touchdown
and then Denver scored a field goal on their next possession. But the Redskins scored 35 points in the second quarter behind Doug
Williams to win going away.
Through the years, how have your views on your collection and collecting in general changed?
All of the grading and price lists made it more like a business than a hobby. Also, finding stuff has changed. You used to have collections
that came from the original collector and got stuff from advertising in the paper or walk ins at shows. Almost everything now is on line and
comes from dealers.
If you could name just one, what is the hobby subject you would research more if you had the time and why?
Silks. These were given with tobacco products, mostly cigarettes in the 1910-1914 era. They are not especially well catalogued
and checklisted although Bob Forbes has done some of this (Author of American Tobacco Cards). I think they are attractive and most
sets are scarce compared to the card sets.
Close-Up Archives
Les Bretthauer
Bill Cohon
Mark Clatterbuck
Michael Dodd
Ray Cardwell
Charles Kapner