Contributors

Lee Kalk — Lee Kalk is a native Oregonian, College graduate, High School Physical Science teacher (ret.) and a small business owner (ret.). He enjoys all sports … Blazers, Mariners, Titans, football (now that Mariota is QB), hockey, golf, bowling, and down time just to take it easy and enjoy life. Lee has been married for 50 years, has two daughters and one grandson.

Lee’s grandparents promoted an interest in stamp and coin collecting when Lee was nine years old. So when he got involved with cards he was very condition conscious, especially regarding centering.

Lee started with baseball cards in 1954 & 1955, and seemed to like or at least end up with mostly Bowman cards. His Little League Team was the “White Sox&rdquo so he started following the Sox … which of course makes him a lifelong “Yankee” hater. At one point Lee is sure that he traded a “Minnie Minoso” or “Nellie Fox” for a “Mantle” or “Ford” etc. Over the years, Lee’s cards survived in the proverbial shoe box, and he got back into the hobby in the 1970s, when he and his wife owned a “KarmelKorn” franchise. Lee got back into collecting when he purchased two cases of 1975 Topps Mini Baseball Cards from his candy salesman. Lee sold one in the store (retail) and he gave the other case to friends who collated the cards into several sets, keeping one for their “trouble”. Lee then began to buy collections, attend shows; Portland, Seattle, once in Hawaii, and eventually several “non-sports” shows in San Jose.

Ultimately Lee had complete sets of Topps, Bowman, Goudey, and Playball baseball cards plus many others. Lee then expanded into football, basketball, and finally hockey cards. Lee sold most of his sports cards years ago, right before “slabbing” became popular and prices increased. Finally, he started focusing on non-sports cards. Like most of us “veteran” collectors, due to age and space, Lee is selling his collectibles. The Carnation cards and those like them have always been a favorite ever since he was groping around in a box of corn flakes to try to find the card.

Lee has always collected for pure enjoyment and still enjoys going to estate and garage sales looking for undiscovered treasures.