With Father’s Day this Sunday, we wanted to shine a light on the substantial bond fathers forge with their children when they share the hobby of collecting cards with them. We received in dozens of captivating submissions about how collecting with dad meant so much to so many. From that we selected one dad to be Upper Deck’s first-ever “Father of the Year.” But we also felt inclined to share some of our favorite pictures and stories we edited down from other deserving dads.

Tyson
“I love to collect cards and share the enjoyment with my four year-old son, Carter. The memories we have made cannot be replaced and the pure enjoyment on his face when he receives a new card is so special to see as a dad. The excitement kids show when they get something, even the smallest of hits or base cards, reminds me why I started collecting in the first place. It shows me that if we share our hobby with our children, the hobbies future will always remain bright.”

Tim
“My wife and I adopted our son from China. Unlike my wife and other two children, I was having a difficult time connecting to Gabe’s birth country, so we started collecting sports cards of Chinese players to help us bond. Collecting, sorting and playing with our cards is something Jordan (my daughter), Jay, Gabe (my sons) and I do. I felt that collecting baseball cards of Chinese players would help me learn about and connect more with China, give Gabe a built in connection to his birth county and give our family a great activity to share together!”

Quincy
“Whether it is passing out cards to kids on Halloween, opening packs of Thomas the Train or celebrating maildays; my 2.5 year old daughter Chloe has discovered the joy of card collecting with me at a very young age. I must say she has some exquisite taste in cards- we both appreciate collecting the low-end as well as the very best that the hobby has to offer. We may not have the same favorite players, but we both agree that Upper Deck puts out the best cards! We’re looking forward to someday seeing you guys get your NBA license back. Thanks for all the great memories Upper Deck!

Nick’s Daughter Rachel
“My dad is the best dad in the world! Me and my sissy love opening packs with him every Saturday night because we all go to the card shop every Saturday after he gets home from work. My older sissy broke her ankle last night at her softball game and it was so scary because her ankle was twisted all the way around. My daddy was so scared and so was I, but he never left her side from the ball field to the ambulance and to the hospital. My daddy is always there for us. We are all going to The National this year in Baltimore and I’m so excited!

Matthew
“I started collecting 18 years ago and have been collecting everything and anything printed on cardboard since. I have four boys and despite three of them being very young, dad still lets them join in on my love for collecting. My oldest son is the big collector of the four and when he opens packs of Upper Deck cards, he looks for specific players, ‘wookie’ cards (rookie cards), ‘special cards’ (anything shiny or reflective) and “feeling ones” (jersey cards). My son would say collecting with dad is fun because it gives us that special bonding moment everyday where we sit down and trade, look through binders, sort, look up prices and make our own cards from white fillers which is one of our favorite things to do together.

Lora
“My husband and daughter really started collecting together during Upper Deck’s National Hockey Card Day. They traveled all over British Columbia to put a set together. They collect Vancouver Canucks cards and have a lot of fun trying to get the cards signed by the players. I’m so glad my daughter loves my husband’s hobby.”

Daniel
“My husband works over sixty hours per week to provide for our family (two girls, ages 3 years and 1 month). He saves money to put towards his ‘card fund’ so he can buy cards to open with his oldest daughter. He has recently introduced her to the world of trading cards and she absolutely loves it. As you can see from the picture, he recently purchased a box of 2009-10 Upper Deck SP Game Used Basketball that he can’t wait to open with his daughter. I am excited that they are able to share these moments together and I can tell by the look on our daughter’s face that she will always cherish the time she spends with her father collecting cards.”

Brad
“My dad Karl, was diagnosed with a terminal illness in 2004, but we had already been collecting cards together and doing local shows for several years prior. Following my father’s diagnosis, we started to travel to The National Sports Collectors Conventions where we visited as both collectors and as vendors. As fun as the show was, it was the time I got to spend with my dad that was very special. The long card trips, hotel rooms and busting boxes brought us closer together and helped us develop a better appreciation for each other.”

Thanks again to all the collectors who shared and thank you to all the dads out there who make their children a priority by spending time with them collecting cards, tossing the ball around or just talking. It means the world to your kids. Happy Father’s Day!