Collecting America (1990)

Millions of dollars for one baseball card? Hundreds of thousands for a uniform? It might sound strange, but baseball memorabilia collecting, once a children's hobby, is a multi-billion dollar industry with thousands of stores, auctions, and conventions nationwide. Old cards sell for thousands, fans pay hundreds of dollars for player autographs, and stock is sold in memorabilia companies. The "industry" receives coverage not only in dozens of hobby publications, but also in the Wall St. Journal. COLLECTING AMERICA takes a tongue-in-cheek look at this hobby turned business and seeks to understand the powerful fascination millions of collectors have with any piece of baseball history, from game-worn uniforms to the original dirt from Ebbets Field. The film features interviews with baseball legends including Hank Aaron, Duke Snider, Brooks Robinson, Lou Brock, Keith Hernandez, and Monte Irvin as well as footage of many of the sport's greats such as Joe Dimaggio, Ted Williams, Reggie Jackson, and Nolan Ryan.