In March of 2025, I was contacted by Kris and Donny from the Kenosha Tourism Bureau. Donny had visited the Oak Creek show, loved it, and proposed I run a show in Kenosha, WI, with the bureau's assistance.

​I was not looking to expand my card shows but the prospect of operating a show with some government assistance piqued my interest. So I drove to Downtown Kenosha to meet with these guys, who I did not know from Adam. It didn't take long to hit it off. Kris is like that super cool dad who coached your little league team and taught you how to pitch. Donny is like your buddy who picked up tickets to Pearl Jam and kept the beer flowing the whole concert. After five minutes, I felt like we had all been friends for years.

They had all sorts of proposals for me. I liked them all. We agreed to meet again and explore locations in Kenosha for a card show.

At the next meeting, these guys took me all over town and I learned that Kenosha has some amazing venues for any type of event, including a card show.

Of all the venues we visited, I liked the Kenosha Public Museum the best. I had been to the museum years earlier when the wife and I took our kids there when they were small. I loved it then and I love it now as a site for a card show.

On my tour of the museum, the guys introduced me to Tommie, the museum events coordinator. Oh my, Tommie reminds me of my kids. She is so sweet and helpful.

Eventually, I picked a date of October 5, 2025, for my first show. It was a small affair, with tables in one room and the hallway.  Response from dealers was positive. I was able to take some dealers off the Oak Creek waitlist for the show, some of my regulars decided to set up as well. We ended up with a nice mix of modern and vintage sports along with Pokémon.

I gave myself four tables in the hallway and filled them with display cases and vintage cards. I had an excellent show. The Pokémon dealers reported excellent sales. Some of my sports dealers did not do so hot. The show was largely attended by folks I had never seen before. All in all, I was pleased with how the show went for its first time.

A huge thank you to Kris, Donny, Tommy, along with all the vendors and customers from the first show. I appreciate you!

​I ran a second show in February of 2026. More on the second show in a future blog. 

My third Kenosha show is scheduled for May 3, 2026. The second show was larger than the first with more dealers and more customers. I expect this third show to be even larger. 

Unfortunately, space is limited at the museum. I may have to eventually move the show to one of the larger venues Kris and Donny showed me. We'll see how it goes. But for now, my next Kenosha show is set from noon to 4 p.m. at the Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 1st Avenue, Kenosha, WI. Free admission.

If you want to check out the museum during the show, there is a fee to explore the museum.

Dealer tables are available for this next Kenosha show. Send me an email to [email protected] for info.

In the meantime, I have some other shows that I am operating. My next Vintage Show is Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the Salvation Army Community Center, 8853 S. Howell, Oak Creek, WI. We are sharing the building with a flea market. Free admission. Concessions will be available.

The next regular monthly Oak Creek show is set for Saturday, April 4, 2026. As usual, dealer tables are sold out.

Hope to see you guys at one of my shows soon!!

We celebrated 11 years of the Fat Daddy's Sports Card Show in October at the Salvation Army Community Center in Oak Creek, WI. In 2024, I did not purchase nearly enough pizza to go around. In 2025, I purchased 30 pizzas which seemed to be enough!

I really appreciate your support for my card show all these years. Can't believe that this fall we'll be celebrating 12 years!

Below are some photos from the October Oak Creek Show.

Pictured above left is my main man Scotty P., who has been an avid supporter of the show since the beginning. Thanks Scotty! Checking out Scotty's cards in this picture is Chris, who has also been a supporter of the show since the beginning. Thanks Chris! Super cool dude Mark Lewis is in the background on the right. He's my guy at the Salvation Army who has become a great friend. He makes the show run smoothly. Thanks Mark!!
​

Everybody loves free pizza!!
​

This photo captures longtime dealers JR, right, front, and Ray, with the table to JR's right. Can't say how much I appreciate these guys!!
​

Pictured left is Dennis, who comes all the way up from Indiana to set up at the show. Thanks Dennis!!
​

I am so appreciative of everybody who participates in the monthly Oak Creek show. Thank you everybody!!!

Next Oak Creek show is set for April 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Salvation Army Community Center, 8853 S. Howell, Oak Creek, WI. As usual, tables are sold out. Please do not arrive before 9 a.m. Dealers are complaining that there are too many customers in the building while they are trying to set up. Please give them a chance to set up!

​Don't miss my monthly vintage show in Oak Creek! Next one is Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free Admission and nothing but vintage, vintage, vintage!!

I ran another MegaShow at the Milwaukee County Sports Complex in September of 2025. We didn't quite hit 400 tables for this one. Ended up with around 380. Below are some photos from the show. Once again parking was a problem. Also, the building does not have any air conditioning and it got awfully hot in there. As a result, I am currently searching for a new venue, one with parking and AC!!

A special Wednesday Vintage-Only Sports Card Show is slated from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 14, 2026, in the Game Room at the Salvation Army Community Center, 8853 S. Howell, Oak Creek, WI.

I am excited to report that Tom and Anita Daniels are setting up at this show. Tom and Anita are legendary sports card dealers having started their business in the 1970's. They have set up at every single National Sports Collectors Convention and ran a card shop in Madison, WI, for decades. They have some amazing stories.

Come visit Tom and Anita and all of our dealers at the Oak Creek Vintage Show!

There are also two great shows coming up this weekend. On Saturday, January 17, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. there is the show at Woodstock North High School, 3000 Raffel Road, Woodstock, IL. Then on Sunday, January 18, 2026, is the mighty Orland Show at the Civic Center, 14750 S. Ravinia Ave., Orland Park, IL.

I think I am going to bring out display cases for the vintage show. I'll have binders in Woodstock and Orland.

Pictured below is Tommy at the September Orland show. You can also see big Tim in the background.

Saturday, September 6, 2025, Salvation Army Community Center, 8853 S. Howell, Oak Creek, WI.

​The September 2025 Oak Creek show marked my 11-year anniversary of running the show. My pal Mark Smith and I started the show in September of 2014 at the old Clarion Hotel, further up Howell by the airport.

In January of 2019, I moved the show to the Salvation Army because the Marriot Corp. purchased the Clarion and essentially ruined the hotel. I was so lucky to the find the Salvation Army. While the Marriot Corp was absolutely horrible to work with, the Salvation Army could not have been more wonderful. Thank you Mark, Major Dana and everyone at the Salvation Army!! Love you guys!!!

The show is in such a good place. Seems like we just have to open the doors each month and a thousand or so customers come out. I really appreciate the support from the hobby community and all of the vendors -- usually around 130 each month.

Below are some photos from the September 2025 show:

Back when the show was at the Clarion, I used to give out free food like donuts and sandwiches. However, when the Marriot Corp. purchased the Clarion and changed the name to the Four Points Sheridan, they fired all the Clarion management and forbade me from bringing in food. As a result, I decided to give away free packs of cards instead of food, so I could still give something away without the Marriot being on my case. I carried the free-pack tradition with me to the Salvation Army. Seems like mostly kids take the free packs these days. At the September 2025 show, one of the kids pulled this Jake Woodford autograph card from one of my free packs. I still give out free packs at every Oak Creek show. Come find me and get your free pack!!

Pictured above is one of my longtime dealers Dan Musich. One of the nicest guys you will ever meet. I am so lucky to have dealers like Dan at my show!!

People stop by my table and show me stuff at every show. I can't remember who had these unopened basketball packs at the September show but they sure are cool.

Pictured above here is Vince and Frank's table. I met these guys years ago at the old Gonzaga show. You can see them top right. I have been so lucky to know them because they are two of the nicest guys you will ever meet, plus they have one of the most unique tables at the show.

Well, that's it from the September show. It is currently January 2026 and I am preparing to set up on January 10 at the Waukesha Expo Center. I'm hoping to have my 1963 Topps baseball binder reloaded before the show but I am not sure that I will get it done. 

I am continuing with my Oak Creek Vintage Show in 2026. It is not nearly as popular as my regular monthly Oak Creek show but I really feel like there is a need for it as card shows have changed over the years and outside of a few shows, there just is not a lot of vintage around. As you know, I only like vintage. So it is real fun for me to immerse myself at the monthly Oak Creek Vintage Show. This month I am running the show on a weekday because all of my Saturdays are filled with other shows. The next Vintage Show is slated for Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at the Salvation Army, in the Game Room. Tables are available for just $35. Send me an email if you want a table to [email protected]. 

The next regular monthly Oak Creek show is set from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, February 7, 2026. As usual, all 197 tables are sold out and my waiting list is just silly.

Hope to see you this weekend in Waukesha!!

Since August, I have been running a monthly vintage show in Oak Creek. It is not very big. I hope to grow it. Folks that attend seem to really like it. I could use more vendors. Tables are available for the next vintage show on Saturday, November 15, 2025. Send me an email at [email protected] to reserve an 8-foot table for $35.

Below are some photos from the August vintage show.

So now I am having a little brain rot. I was set up at one more show in August but I can't remember where. I am fricking losing my mind! Here is a photo, below. This is Rockford, right? Getting old sucks!

Shortly after the August Oak Creek Show, I flew out to Colorado Springs with my folks and Lisa to attend my niece's wedding.

While I absolutely hate airports and airplanes, I do enjoy being a tourist, as I thoroughly enjoyed Colorado -- what a beautiful place.

I had been to Colorado Springs once before when I was 12 and I traveled there with my folks and my little brother. We had a wonderful trip.

I largely had a wonderful childhood. My folks loved to travel and as a kid they took me all over the U.S. and around the world. Highlights were regular trips to the Beau Rivage Resort in Miami in the late 1960's and early 1970's, Disney Land in 1973, maybe a dozen trips to Disney World in the 1970's, regular trips to Lakeside and Mackinac Island in Michigan, Six Flags in St. Louis, Aspen, Vail, Hilton Head, SC; Washington, DC; Maine, Niagra Falls, Cooperstown, Vermont, Tucson, Grand Canyon, Wisconsin Dells, Las Vegas, Montreal, Hong Kong, China, Switzerland, and England, to name a few.

After a lifetime of travel with my folks, I figured the trip to Colorado Springs would be the last one as my parents are slowing down at age 88, so I took time to savor this one.

We arrived in Colorado Springs in the evening and found a Waffle House near our hotel. I love Waffle House and don't understand why we don't have them here in Illinois.

The wedding was at a beautiful country club in the town of Castle Rock. It was nice to spend some time with my sister, who lives in Colorado Springs and I have not seen her in three years. I can't even remember the last time I saw my niece, maybe 10 years ago. My nephew flew in from Houston. I absolutely love that guy. A total character with a great sense of humor. Luckily, I get to see him every so often as he travels for work and has to be in the Chicago area on occasion.

The trip was too short. I promised my sister that Lisa and I would be back soon. I've got to find time to get back to Colorado!

Pictured above, left to right, is my sister Lori, brother-in-law Hal, niece Tory and her husband Alex. It was my first time meeting Alex. I found him warm and charming and his family was kind and welcoming.

Loved watching my sister and her daughter dance at the wedding. So lucky to be related to these ladies. 

Saturday, August 9, 2025, Salvation Army Community Center, Oak Creek, WI

You guys have been letting me know that I haven't blogged since the National. I appreciate the concern expressed about my health. I'm still battling some things, especially fatigue, but I am in a much better place than I was at this time two years ago.

The real reason I have not been blogging is that I have been crazy busy along with, honestly, losing my motivation to blog. I have been doing this here little blog now since 2011 and, frankly, I am a little bored with it. There is only so much I can say about a card show.

Fear not, dear readers, I am not discontinuing the blog but I would like to change it up on occasion to make it a little more interesting to me. As you know, I worked as a newspaper reporter in another life and one of the things I miss from those days are writing feature stories. I would like to add a new wrinkle to this blog and pen some feature stories on vintage sports collectors -- which means YOU, the follower of this blog. I want to learn about you, your collection and share it with all my followers.

Anybody who is interested to share their story and collection, send me an email at [email protected]. I'll send you some questions and you send me your responses and some photos and hopefully we can put together some interesting profiles.

So while I was not blogging, I was still attending shows just about every weekend. I don't have many tales to tell but I do have photos to share.

First up, after the National, was the August Oak Creek show. Admittedly, I was exhausted after the National but had no time to rest as the Oak Creek show was on the following Saturday.

On the Monday after the National, I was on the horn contacting my Oak Creek vendors to confirm that the regulars were setting up. Problem -- a large number of vendors were unable to set up at the show because I moved it back one week so it would not conflict with the National. Many vendors told me they were available at the normal first Saturday, but not the second Saturday, the day the show was scheduled.

So in addition to contacting all the regular vendors, I had to work the waiting list which is a complete pain in the ass because I always have to contact three or four guys off the list before I can get one to commit. The result was an exhausted me working the list all week to fill up all the vendor spots for the August 9 Oak Creek show. I was also trying to price some cards to sell at the show. It was a crazy week.

In the end, the show went off without a hitch. We had an excellent crowd considering Oak Creek is just 73 miles north of Rosemont, the location of the prior week's National convention that drew 150,000 people.

I don't remember a whole lot from the August Oak Creek show. One thing that sticks out was that I was flush with cash from the National and looking to restock. I ended up buying a nice pile of 1950's and 1960's star cards and a near set of 1964 Topps Giants from my pal Larry Larsen. Thanks Larry! 

I already had a nice back stash of '64 Giants and just placed a near set into a binder for next week's group of shows: Saturday, October 18, 2025, at Woodstock North High School; and Sunday, October 19, 2025, at Downers Grove North High School. Both of these shows are in Illinois.

Next Oak Creek show is November 1, 2025. As usual I am sold out and overbooked. Next Oak Creek Vintage Show is November 15. I have plenty of tables available for the Vintage Show. 8-foot tables cost just $35. Send me an email to register at [email protected].

Below are some photos from the August 9 Oak Creek Show:

I don't remember who, but somebody had an unopened pack of 1934 Goudey baseball cards.

Sunday, August 3, 2025, National Sports Collectors Convention, Rosemont, IL

Man, was I tired Sunday morning. See photo below. I did not hire any help because Sunday is usually dead at the National. I only had a few sales on Sunday last year in Cleveland. A few years ago in Atlantic City, I did not have a single sale until late in the afternoon. I was not expecting much today.

First order of business was to devise an exit plan. The show went until 4 p.m. and the folks who run the National would not allow dealers to drive their cars into the building until 5 p.m. My plan was to stay set up all day and slowly pack up at four, then drive my car to the booth at 5.

Not as many empty holes in my display cases on Sunday morning as Saturday sales were the slowest of the week so far. I wondered if I should even bother filling the holes since Sundays are usually so horrible. I just didn't like the look of the empty spots in my display cases so I ended up filling them the best I could, as back stock was now non-existent.

I had Scott watch my stuff while I went to the lobby for some crappy coffee and more avocado toast. Once I downed the coffee and had eaten the toast, I went back to the lobby for some better coffee at Starbucks where the line was the shortest it had been all week.

Good thing I was heavily caffeinated because I was busy! Totally unexpected. I was busy all day long and needed help! Wow! Probably my best Sunday ever at the National. 

Because I was so busy, the day went by fast. Before I knew it, it was 4 p.m. I was selling cards right up to the final bell. Crazy. What a crazy week!

It took me a long time to pull all the cards from my display cases and take down the four tables I brought along. All my cards fit into one bin which I brought with me as I made that long walk to the parking garage.

I pulled up to the garage by the autograph pavilion and had to wait awhile before I was let in. Scott was already gone.

I was able to park near my booth. It took a while to cart everything to the car and fill it up. I had the car filled floor to ceiling. Then I slowly exited the building. Another National in the books!

Once home, I decided to treat Lisa and Tabitha to a nice dinner at Benihana Japanese Steak House in Wheeling, Illinois. Benihana is one of those places where the chef cooks on the table and puts on a show. A fitting way to end a great week!

Before dinner, I pulled my cards out of the car but kept the display cases and tables in there for days before I had enough energy to empty it out.

A huge thank you to everyone who visited me at the National. Special thank you to my friend Larry who brought me an amazing pastrami sandwich on Saturday from Al & Joe's in nearby Franklin Park, IL. I also appreciate everyone who purchased cards and sold me cards. What a great week! 

So, I did not get a chance to walk the show because I was so busy. I have been enjoying all the YouTube videos. None have shown my booth but I did get interviewed on camera by some guys. I just can't find the video. Oh, well. From my booth, the show was amazing. Looking at all those videos, the show looked amazing except for the area upstairs where the dealers were jammed in. So many people complained about it all week. I was happy the air conditioning worked.

Looking forward to next year. Come find me in the same spot near the autograph pavilion.

Sunday morning selfie. I was tired!

Now for my purchases. All this stuff walked up to my booth during the National.

I still owe some blogs. Hope to get them done soon!

It is now September and I have a crazy busy month. The monthly Oak Creek show is Saturday, September 6. Then I have my Oak Creek Vintage Show on September 13. Then there is my 450-table MegaShow on September 20. The Milwaukee area is the place to be in September!!!

Saturday, August 2, 2025, National Sports Collectors Convention, Rosemont, IL

Saturday at the National is dealer booth-lottery day for purchasing a booth for next year. Dealers are given a number based on the number of Nationals they have done under their own name. I’ve set up at 12 or so Nationals but have only done six in my name. As a result, I am near the bottom of the barrel for the booth lottery.

However, being at the bottom of the barrel does not bother me. I just want to set up. Any booth works fine for me. This was my second year at my current booth. After such a great show, I want to get the exact same spot for next year.

So I had an easy plan for Saturday morning. Arrive around 8 a.m. for the booth lottery then go set up for the day — easier said than done!

My helper for the day was Donny, who arrived at my house earlier than scheduled. Great, I thought, because I wanted to make sure we arrived at the booth lottery on time. We hopped in my car and drove to Rosemont.

As we pulled off the highway onto River Road, I realized I forgot our badges. Ugh! We had to drive back to my house and get the badges. I was not going to be early to the booth lottery. Not sure I was going to be on time.

I drove back to my house like a bat out of hell. Sorry Donny! He did not realize he signed up for some crazy driving by yours truly.

We got back to my house. I ran inside and grabbed the badges. Hopped back in the car and drove back to Rosemont like a bat out of hell, again. Sorry Donny!

We made it back to Rosemont and into the room with the booth lottery just as they were finishing up the sixes. I was able to get my booth for next year. I also voted for Detroit for the location of the 2028 National.

Crisis averted. On to preparing for Saturday.

I had major open space in my display cases due to monster sales all week long. I pulled out most of the stuff I had left over that would not fit in the cases previously. I still had space so I had to place some of my National purchases into the cases to fill up the holes.

Now I needed food and caffein. I went to check on the line at the Starbucks in the lobby. Long.

The bar in the lobby did not have a line at all and it also served food. I ordered a coffee and some avocado toast. The coffee was crap but the caffein worked. The avocado toast was surprisingly good.

The show was very crowded today but action at my booth was the slowest it had been all week. Sales were still good and better than Saturday last year in Cleveland but just not as good as the previous three days.

Donny was an excellent helper. Thanks Donny!

On the buying front, a near set of 1966 Dexter Press walked up and included a graded Mickey Mantle and Elston Howard — what a fun purchase!

After the show and on our way to the parking garage, I noticed the line wrapped around the building for trade night. There was all sorts of stuff to do each night after the show but I was much too tired and hungry to attend any of them. I took Donny over to Russell’s for dinner. He had never been and we had some great food and called it a day.