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Former Area Resident Turns Hobby Into Money-Making Career
When other teenagers were starting to date or hanging out with friends, Cataquet, who now lives in The Bronx, would spend time at local vintage baseball card and hobby stores. As an all-star baseball player at South Shore High School, Cataquet earned a baseball scholarship to the University of South Carolina. However, due to a subsequent injury and his continuing love for vintage baseball cards - the card-collecting career became the primary choice. Cataquet claims to be one of the largest and knowledgeable card collector/dealers throughout the country for the last 23 years, starting at 11 years old. He has also traveled all over the country since he was 15, setting up tables and doing business at local card shows. Most of his buying and selling is done on ebay now. "I grew up in Starrett City and I owe a lot to Brooklyn," he said. "At ages 9-11, I played on The Gil Hodges Little League on Ocean Avenue and on The Starrett City Pee-wee League, which are two experiences that will always be treasured," Cataquet added. Cataquet said Bob Fitje, his elementary baseball coach and mentor, compared him to the all-star baseball player Goose Gossage and inspired him at a young age to have high self-esteem. Cataquet's father brought him to several card shows and the youngster would always save his money to buy rare baseball cards. "I love cards and I even dream about my next card find," Cataquet said. The vintage baseball card industry is now looked upon as trendy; however, when Cataquet was younger, he said his friends thought he was obsessed and strange. Cataquet boasts that his card collection is worth approximately $70,000 and that is not including cards he auctions daily on ebay. Some popular cards in Cataquet's collection are a 1955 Topps Jackie Robinson card worth $350, a 1910-E90-2 American Carmel Candy Card of Honus Wagner worth a mere $10,000 and the 1st baseball card ever made - a circa 1870 card - CDV anonymous baseball player worth $15,000. One of Cataquet's future goals is to obtain the million-dollar Honus Wagner card-T206 tobacco card, of which there are only 75 in existence. "I will always keep Canarsie close to my heart," the professional dealer said. "At 10 years-old I bought my first rare card in Canarsie; a 1964 Topps Roberto Clemente card for $10. It is now worth $400." Cataquet specializes in 1910-1940 vintage baseball cards. For more information on his vintage card business log onto: www.mall-way.com/oldcards. | |||||
