Collectibles On SI

Old Baseball Cards on Twitter: Here are Ten Vintage Accounts to Follow

Jason Schwartz

Baseball cards from the 1900s
Baseball cards from the 1900s / Jason A. Schwartz

First things first. Sorry, Elon, I've lived in Chicago the past fourteen years, so yeah, I still call it Twitter. (See also: "I still call it the Sears Tower" and "I still call it Comiskey.") In my book, X was what you found using the quadratic formula, something you took at parties to enjoy Moby, or the way Julius Caesar wrote the number ten!

Well, speaking of the number ten, here are ten accounts to follow on Twitter/X if your thing is vintage baseball cards.

Leading off is the account that goes by SPOART, a nod to the artistic qualities of older trading cards. This account often strays beyond baseball into other sports and even non-sport, but let's call that a feature, not a bug. If I could only follow one account, it would be this one. Every post is pure gold.

Batting second is the account of legendary Sports Center anchor Keith Olbermann. His account may not be for everyone, as his political content may be off-putting to the "cards only" crowd. However, when he does post about baseball cards, he hits a home run every time. Keith may well be the single most knowledgeable person about baseball cards in the history of the planet, and his collection is absolutely bonkers.

Batting in the three hole is the Pre-War Card Collector account run by Hobby savant Anson Whaley. The man is a veritable encyclopedia when it comes to century-old cardboard, and he also runs frequent sales.

Batting cleanup is Anson's near-namesake, Post War Cards! Among other things, this account is a great follow if you love original packaging, old-time Hobby publications, and way more information than most people about the sets you collected or dreamed about as a kid.

Next up is George Bennett, whose vast Topps collection allows for some absolutely dynamite "Carpets o' Cards!" (And he's right. You definitely WILL want to enlarge this one!)

Batting sixth is the SABR Baseball Cards account, which provides a mix of fun facts, humor, and good old cardboard appreciation. (Full disclosure: I am one of the admins for this site.)

Batting seventh is the inimitable Mark Hoyle, whose Red Sox collection and card room (dubbed the Taj Ma Hoyle) are absolutely legendary. If you want to go toe-to-toe with Mark in the Hobby arena, you better eat your Wheaties!

Joining Mark in the category of "favorite team" tribute accounts is the Dodger Cards account. His posts are especially epic on the birthdays of various Dodger legends. Just when you're thinking, "Wow, those are four awesome cards," you realize his post is actually a thread that goes on for days!

If old Bowman cards are your thing, you'll love the account of our number nine hitter, Mark Del Franco, who is working on a complete 1948-1955 Bowman run. HIs feed is a constant reminder of just how beautiful these often overlooked cards really are.

And last, but absolutely not least, is the account known as Cards With a Story. Come for his Wednesday evening vintage sales thread, but stay for his personal collection and top-notch card displays. If cardboard eye candy is your thing, Dylan is 100% your guy.

In truth, these are just ten of the dozens if not hundreds of exceptional vintage accounts on Hobby Twitter. However else the site may be going downhill, it remains a fantastic gathering place for card collectors, filled with amazing cardboard, friendly folks, and daily deals. Unlike much of the site, the closest it's come to a Russian takeover is the occasional 1943 MP & Company Lou Novikoff for sale.

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Jason Schwartz
JASON SCHWARTZ

Jason A. Schwartz is a collectibles expert whose work can be found regularly at SABR Baseball Cards, Hobby News Daily, and 1939Bruins.com. His collection of Hank Aaron baseball cards and memorabilia is currently on exhibit at the Atlanta History Center, and his collectibles-themed artwork is on display at the Honus Wagner Museum and PNC Park.

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