Sunday, September 19, 2021, Civic Center, Orland Park, IL

What a difference a day makes! The Orland show was jam packed even with the Bears playing at noon! I was busy all day!

Once again I brought out all of the binders and one display case that I filled with football cards from the 1960's. 

Mike found a bunch of cards for his sets. Mike is one of my regulars and is working on many sets at once, like many guys who attend this show. My guy who normally buys 1951 Bowman baseball, started on 1969 baseball this day. 

Another customer came back around the tables, sat down and spent an hour or so pulling cards from various binders. I forgot to ask him his name but I really appreciate the purchases! Speaking of purchases, Gil purchased quite a few 1953 Topps baseball. Thanks Gil!

Rick picked up some cards including my 1967 Philadelphia Dick Butkus. My Bears cards had a lot of looks. I sold a handful but thought I would sell more. There is one guy that regularly comes to the show and always asks me for Mike Ditka cards. I observed he was at the show an hour early, long before most dealers were set up. He did not even look at my table. I think I had five or six Ditkas in the display case.

My one regular Milwaukee Braves fan found some cards including some Exhibits. I had a new customer pull a huge stack of 1979 Topps baseball. I love when I sell '79's because I must have 20,000 of them and need to get rid of them!! I have a regular customer that always purchases some hockey, he found some '72-73 Topps hockey on this day to purchase.

A new customer purchased my 1969-70 and 1970-71 Topps basketball binders. I have a huge inventory of those and will be bringing out new binders shortly. Before the show, I finished up a new 1972 Topps baseball binder that goes from card numbers 1 through 301. I probably have 7,000 or 8,000 1972 Topps and found that I now need two binders for that year. I should have the second binder complete soon. Oddly enough, I did not sell anything out of the new '72 binder after selling my entire old binder last month at Orland.

It was great to see my old pal Tony Schaefer at the show. Tony came up to shop and purchased a few cards. Thanks Tony!

As always my best bud Will purchased a ton of cards. Will is starting the 1971 Topps set and is working on 1958 as well. Thanks Will!

I know a bunch of other guys purchased cards. It was a bit of a frenzy at my tables early on and I can't remember everything I sold or who was there. I've completely turned into my dad, sorry folks. Damn faulty dad memory.

On the buying front, I purchased some interesting old postcards from Jim. There are a few of Wrigley Field from the 1930's then one of the Old West Side Grounds from the teens. These things are cool, I might keep them and start a postcard collection.

This may have been the first show where I did not buy anything from Junior. He just did not have his usual groups of Mantles today. I am pretty well stocked up on Tom Seaver cards and had to pass on those.

A pair of young guys brought over a box of vintage commons but the cards were just trashed and not worth the money they were asking. I purchased a few cards from Walt. Then I bought a couple boxes from Dell that I actually passed on a couple of weeks ago because funds were low. 

A shout out to my favorite autograph hound Willie, who was at the show. I haven't seen Willie in a while. He always patiently responds to my texts when I ask about the authenticity of an autograph. Willie, come up to Palatine so I can buy you lunch!

Also, a shout out to Mike S., who brought out his recently purchased 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth. Drool! I love the '33 Goudey Ruths. I've never owned one and probably never will as the prices are sky rocketing. Maybe once my kids finish college, I can consider buying a Goudey Ruth.

Overall, a pretty great day. I was very happy to see some concessions again after not having any since resuming the show after the pandemic shut down. Promoter Rich is just awesome. He does such a great job with this show.

I know Big Tim is a regular reader of this blog. Where have you been buddy? I haven't seen you in a while. Also, Steve was asking about you. Hope all is well!

Up next for me is the Lake Station, Indiana, show at the VFW. I visited that show once to meet Walt there to purchase cards. I liked what I saw and booked it for this Saturday, September 25. I'm leaning towards bringing just binders. I don't remember seeing any dealers with any kind of voluminous vintage card set up. If anyone is planning on attending this show on Saturday, let me know if you want me to bring anything special out. Hope to see everybody at the Lake Station show this Saturday!

​Now for some photos...

Pictured here is Jeff, me and Dell. Jeff and Dell are two of my favorite dealers. I've known these guys long before any of us had gray hair. Actually, I had a full head of hair when I first met these guys!

The dealer set up on my right said he drove up from about 60-miles south of Kankakee. He wanted to show off some cool cards like this Trae Young rookie.

The Trevor Lawrence rookie is cool as well.

Random crowd shot.

Collecting cards is cool!

Another random crowd shot. A really great day in Orland!

Saturday, September 18, 2021, St. John's Lutheran Church, Woodstock, IL

A big thank you to the handful of guys that came out to see me in Woodstock. Attendance was down this month. Maybe the show suffered from the beautiful weather -- a picture perfect day.

Also, so much going on this day as well. College football. Summerfest in Milwaukee. Riot Fest in Chicago. The Dead and Co. at Wrigley Field. Fall festivals all over the place. 

Oh well. Not much to report about the show today. I brought out all of my binders which was fun. I had some nice sales early on then just a few as the day progressed. Nothing to buy.

I met dealer Tom's wife today. A very sweet lady and a pleasure to meet.

Next Woodstock show is October 16. I don't have a regular spot at this show but I seem to be able to secure a table each month. So I'll probably be at the October 16th show. I sure would like to see more people attend the October 16th show! I'm planning to bring out display cases for that one and I should have some great vintage cards for sale, including some 1952 Topps high numbers that I have been sitting on.

​I like this show. It is small and comfy. It is a nice break from the chaos at my show and others. Please come out to the October 16th show! It is Woodstock, after all, maybe Jimi Hendrix and Janice Joplin will be there!!

Pictured above are the dealers that were set up across from me at the September show. I forgot the one guy's name with the red hat. A really nice guy and I enjoyed talking to him. 

Sunday, September 12, 2021, Buenavista Banquets, Milwaukee, WI

I probably mentioned in a previous blog that prior to attending law school, I published a free newspaper in Chicago called the Barfly, a guide to Chicago's drinking Establishments. I printed 24,000 newspapers every two weeks and left them for folks to pick up at more than 700 places in Chicago.

Essentially, my job was to visit Chicago taverns and I usually hit six or seven every single day, seven days a week. I went at all hours, sometimes at 7 a.m., sometimes at 4 a.m., sometimes at 2 p.m. and sometimes at 10 p.m. I could write a book on just what I observed at all these taverns during my eight years of publishing Barfly Newspaper -- oh, actually I did! Let me know if you want a copy!!

It was not unusual that at some of the old-time neighborhood bars I would see a large number of patrons drinking at 7 a.m. So I was not shocked when I walked into the Buenavista Banquets at 7:50 a.m. on Sunday and observed a table of fellas drinking Coronas. It looked like they drank quite a few Coronas. I could tell they were snockered. Flash back city for me and I laughed a little when I saw them.

Though, the more I thought about it, the inebriated guys probably did not look good to all the families that planned to attend the card show. So I just hoped that these guys remained subdued. I could tell they were hammered. It looked like some of them were so drunk that they were frozen in place. Then when I heard one of them puking in the bathroom, my suspicions were confirmed.

I was amazed that they lasted until 9 or 10 a.m. I was also very concerned that they all might have entered separate vehicles and drove home. I'm hopeful none of them got behind the wheel. While I love to drink and I love seeing others enjoying themselves with drink, I hate when people drink and drive because then they place their lives and the lives of others in jeopardy. 

I won't drink and drive. I do not have a death wish and no desire to injure others. It is just easier than ever these days to get a ride home, not only can you call a cab from your cell phone but you can use your Uber or Lyft app on your phone to get a ride. Just Uber on back when you sober up to get your vehicle. No big deal, unlike the days when I first started drinking when you had to call a cab from a payphone in the bar.

So that was interesting and I could see it was stressing out Keith, who runs the show. Thankfully, other than the retching sounds emanating from the bathroom stall, the drunk guys were not a problem.

Prior to the show, I had a bit of a problem deciding what to bring out. Initially, I thought about bringing 12 display cases in an effort to mix things up as I have largely had a binder set up at this show lately. A quick change of plans when Keith notified me of shortened hours because of an event scheduled after our show. The binders are much easier to pack up than display cases. So in the interest of a quick exit after the show, I brought out mostly binders and just several display cases.

As the show progressed, I realized the 12-display case set up would have been impossible to achieve because of the tight space behind my tables. At one point, I was hemmed in. I was sitting near the west side of my tables and the path to the east side was blocked by the dealer to my back right. At the same time the path to the western end of my tables was blocked by the dealer to my back left. I thought maybe I could just walk out to the back aisle then around to the front of my tables but that space was blocked by a guy who stood there just about all day talking to the dealer to my back right.

Turned out the binder set up worked out best. Customers could pull out cards from the binders and bring them to me, instead of me going to them as I normally do. So I think I will keep this set up for future shows at Buenavista Banquets because it works out best with all the obstacles.

I have learned over the years that as a dealer, you just have to make do with the configuration of the room. I know some dealers and customers are not happy with the tight space. I think, rather than complain, the best thing to do is adjust and make do with the space you have.

In a perfect world there would be a ton of space but that is just not the reality of this or many shows. I also know first hand the difficulty in finding an affordable and large venue to host a card show in Milwaukee. I like this show. I like Keith. I like all the volunteers. I like all the dealers and all the customers. I also like the tacos. I'm happy to make do with the tight space. It is really just a minor inconvenience.

We had excellent attendance on this warm and sunny day. The flow of customers was steady all day. A few customers purchased some hockey. Dean purchased a bunch of 1963 Topps baseball. One customer purchased a pile of 1976 Topps baseball. A new customer purchased a pile of 1980 Topps baseball. I need to keep a bell at my table for a prop and ring it when someone purchases anything from the 1980's. I see those purchases as a huge bonus.

The dealer to my back left had a whole table of 1980's cards. I felt so bad for him, I almost felt like giving him 20 bucks or something because I think his only sale of the day was a pile of 1986 Topps for about 35 cents. Kind of reminded me of a guy that used to set up at the Orland show. He only had junk on his tables except for times when others dealers would just give him stuff to sell because they felt bad for him. I really felt bad for this guy. Not only did he have horrible inventory, something was bugging him and he seemed really depressed. Card shows are generally fun, I hate to see someone depressed at a card show. I bet if he had a few Coronas with the guys by the front door, he would have felt much better.

Anyway, I had steady sales at my tables most of the day. Dennis purchased some 1960 Leaf and left his list at my table. Boy was he relieved when I found him later and gave him back his want list. I sold a handful of football cards and a few basketball cards. Rich found some cards for sets he is building. My sales were mostly baseball. 

I had three display cases with baseball cards from 1953 through 1960. I sold a handful of items out of the display cases like a 1954 Topps Whitey Ford and a 1957 Topps Minnie Minoso. Overall, sales were down from last month but that is on me with such a nice crowd. I am currently way behind in updating my binders. I am just too tired after work most nights to work on it. Plus, I have been working on reloading 1972 Topps baseball for the longest time. That is such a large set and I have so many cards to go through and price that it just seems to be going at a snail's pace right now. In a perfect world, I will have it done by the Orland show this Sunday but I doubt it.

On the buying front, I picked up a few things including a 1951 Harlem Globetrotters program that I thought was pretty cool.

It was a quick day with the show ending at 1 p.m. I was on the road home by 1:45 p.m. I stopped for gas up the street from the show and paid only $2.99 a gallon for regular. Gas by my house is at $3.42 a gallon so that was a nice savings.

Got home to watch some football. I was amazed at how bad the Packers played against the Saints. I have never thought much of Jameis Winston but the Packers defense made him look like Joe Montana. Also, what was the deal with Aaron Rodgers? I have never seen him play so poorly.

I was switching back between the Packers/Saints and the Browns/Chiefs. I was rooting for the Browns. I love Baker Mayfield and the Browns have been so bad for so long it is easy to root for them. I thought they had the game in hand but their defense failed them in the fourth quarter.

Initially, I was not going to watch the Bears/Rams. Being a Bears fan I am highly disappointed with the franchise. I felt they made a huge mistake in signing Andy Dalton in the off-season. It did not look like they improved their offensive line or receiving corps. They also have a lousy defensive secondary and no depth on the defensive line and linebacking corps.

I could not help myself and watched the game. I was pleasantly surprised at the game the offense played. Dalton did not look that bad. The O-line played a good game. The Bears running game was excellent.

The defense, on the other hand, was horrible, just horrible. The secondary did not even try to cover the Rams receivers making Stafford look like Joe Namath. Ugly! Looks like it is going to be a long season here in the Midwest where all the NFL teams looked horrible this past Sunday. At least I have the White Sox and the Brewers to follow until the NBA season starts up again.

So next week I am setting up at two shows. I'll be at the Woodstock show on Saturday and the Orland Park show on Sunday. I'm taking out all of the binders for both shows. I'll probably bring out a display case or two. Have a great week everybody. Hope to see you next weekend!

Pictured up top is my neighbor at the Buenavista Show, Tom John. He is an excellent dealer who always has some great vintage cards. This past Sunday I was drooling at the 1952 Bowman football cards on his table. Tom is setting up at my Oak Creek show on October 2. Mark your calendars!!

Saturday, September 4, 2021, Salvation Army Community Center, Oak Creek, WI

What would have been a perfect Labor Day Saturday card show went sour after a series of thefts. At least five dealers were hit. The biggie was a 2017 Bowman Ronald Acuna Rookie, pictured below.

Also stolen were a 2013-14 Titanium Giannas Rookie Patch numbered out of 85, a Cal Ripken Jr. autograph card, a $60 unopened pack of cards, and a pile of low value cards. If you have any information regarding the thefts or these stolen cards, please contact me at abrandongordon@hotmail.com. Unfortunately, we do not have a description of the thieves. I am trying to find the thieves and will see to it that they are prosecuted.

I am still looking to hire a security guard. I want an off-duty or retired police officer. I will be more aggressive and hope to hire someone by the October 2 show. I am also looking for some volunteers who would be willing to take 20-minute shifts to walk around the show and watch for thieves. Please contact me if you would be willing to give me 20 minutes of your time at the October 2nd show.

Most of the dealers victimized by the thefts were younger, newer, dealers that did not have their items protected under a locked display case. I cannot stress the importance of placing valuable card under a locked display case at each and every show. I would also recommend every dealer at every show to be on their toes because thieves are out there. I have observed an uptick in theft since the Pandemic hit as more folks than ever are getting involved in the hobby.

Many at the show said they believe the thieves are working in groups. I just do not know because we do not have a description. The only odd thing I observed was after hearing about the Acuna theft, I walked from the gym into the Fellowship Hall and observed a women, 30-ish, standing a bit back from the dealer tables with her head on a swivel. I mean her head shot toward me as I walked into the room. It was weird and uncomfortable. Maybe she was staring at me because I am so shockingly handsome but I doubt it.

We need a group effort to stop the thefts. We need everyone who attends the show to keep a look out. We have to catch these scumbags and see that they are taken out of the show in handcuffs and incarcerated.

I am just so disappointed in the thefts and don't even know how to express it. I do this for fun. It is never fun being a victim of theft. I know all too well. I don't know what else to say about the thefts other than it just plain sucks.

On a positive note, we had a really great group of dealers at the September show. A great variety of modern and vintage cards. All were professional. For once, I have no issues to report other than the normal no shows -- the guys that fail to show up after reserving a spot. I had two guys that did not show up and did not bother to contact me. I'm just banning guys who no-show me, that includes the guys that contact me less than 24-hours to show time when I can't replace them.

In the weeks leading up to the show, I got into it with a few dealers that had no-showed me in the past. I won't let them back in. I have a huge waiting list and am going to give those guys on the list a chance.

Unfortunately, it is always hit or miss with new dealers. I never know what I am going to get but just hope for the best. I had one new guy argue with me over the price of the table prior to the show. I told him not to show up and I gave his space to someone who was appreciative of the opportunity to set up at the show.

I thought we had a tremendous crowd at the September show considering it was Labor Day weekend and there was another show occurring at the same time in Rosemont, Illinois. I am not sure who operates that show any more. It used to be Fanatics. I don't think they still run it.

I was as a regular dealer at that show, originally founded by George Johnson and known as the Sun-Times show because George always had a big ad in the Chicago Sub-Times newspaper. These new promoters do a lousy job of advertising and attendance has suffered over the years. I stopped setting up after barely making table fee at one of the shows several years ago.

A few guys who attended both my show and that Rosemont show reported that I had more dealers and better attendance at the Sal than that Rosemont show.

Over at my tables in the Game Room at the Sal show, I observed much better attendance since we changed the entrance to the show from the gym to the main front doors. I know a handful of dealers in the gym were not happy with the change but I think it is only fair to the dealers in the other three rooms that the entrance be at the main front doors as customers in the past failed to visit the other three rooms. Each time I went into the gym there was a nice crowd Saturday. For once, none of the dealers in the other three rooms had a complaint! Honestly, I am so tired of complaints because I put a huge effort into operating this card show and each complaint shows that my efforts are not good enough or under-appreciated. It was so nice that there were very few complaints at the show Saturday. 

I brought out all of my baseball binders and one display case. Sales out of the binders were steady in the morning then slowed down after 11 a.m. when I had to make my rounds. Once I returned to my tables around 1 p.m., sales slowed to a trickle. I have to give props to Rachel for watching my tables on her own while I was off in the other rooms. Normally, Rachel is assisted by Jason, who ditched us for the Rosemont show. Though he did stop by before heading to Rosemont. Jason is a great kid, I'll give him a little slack this time.

Surprisingly, I did not sell one card out of my display case. Last show, I sold a ton of stuff out of the display case. I had a lot of interest in a 1963 Topps Lou Brock but nobody pulled the trigger. For the October show, I think I am bringing out my football, basketball and hockey binders. I'll probably fill the display case with mid-1960's baseball stars.

On the buying front, I was astounded at the number of extremely interesting items that showed up at my tables from rare Spic and Span Milwaukee Braves issues from the 1950s to scorecards and yearbooks from the 1930's through the 1950's, autographs from the 1930's, and some pennants from the 1950's. Neat stuff! I need to do some research before I make any offers on these items. Hopefully, I can work out some deals down the road. I am just not an expert in this area but really enjoyed having the opportunity to hold and look at these things.

I did buy a bunch of stuff from Jim, the dealer set up next to me, including some 1952 and 1957 Topps baseball and a box of 1973 Topps football. Jim drives up from Indiana and is a stellar vintage dealer. I really appreciate his efforts. Thanks Jim!

Though, we have many stellar dealers at this show, it is overwhelming. I put this show up against any other in the country. With 65 dealers, we have such a huge variety from modern to vintage, to dime boxes, to high end, wax and more. As someone who just loves vintage cards, I pride myself on the number of vintage dealers that set up at this show. I probably have more vintage dealers than any other show in the country other than say the National and the Strongsville, Ohio, yearly vintage show.

I am really thankful for all of the great dealers at my show, both modern and vintage. You guys and gals rule!

Next show at the Sal is October 2, 2021. Former Brewers pitcher Don August will be signing autographs from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. I am probably going to place him in either the front hallway or in the Fellowship Hall, the room behind the gym.  Autographs will cost $15. I will have some of his cards available to purchase for $1 each while supplies last. I will accept mail in but they must reach me by October 1, 2021. Send mail orders to:

Attorney Anthony B. Gordon
201 E. Dundee Road, Suite 2
Palatine, IL 60074

I am also setting up at a couple of shows prior to my October 2nd show at the Sal. Next weekend, on Sunday, September 12, 2021, I will be at the Buenavista Banquets show, 7507 W. Oklahoma Ave., Milwaukee, WI. Then the following weekend, on Sunday, September 19, find me at the Orland Park Civic Center, 14750 S. Ravinia, Orland Park, IL.

I look forward to seeing you all soon! In the meantime, stay safe and help me find those thieves!

​Below are some photos from the September 4, 2021, Sal show. The first three are photos from the gym while the last two are photos from the Game Room. If you have never been to this show, we also have dealers in the main hallway and in Fellowship Hall. It is kind of a maze. Be sure to visit all four rooms!

Saturday, August 21, 2021, St. John's Lutheran Church, Woodstock, IL

It took me a while to get out of the house Saturday morning. Unfortunately, there is no quick way to Woodstock, just winding country roads. The nice thing is that the speed limit on these two-lane roads is mostly 55 MPH while the bad thing is I always get stuck behind someone driving just 35 MPH which sucks when I am running late. 

I made it to Woodstock in about 50 minutes. I stopped in McHenry for gas. I arrived around 9 a.m. Show does not open until 9:30 a.m. and many dealers arrived along with me. 

Once inside, I observed that Larry and Carol were already sitting at my table, creating a roadblock for my cart full of stuff. While talking to Larry, I spilled my large cup of coffee onto the floor. Ugh! I don't know why I use this mug where the top does not stay on. I think I'm retiring that mug.

Well, Larry likes my binders and I did not bring any binders, instead, I brought out four display cases. I forgot about Larry and should have brought some stuff for him. Hopefully, next time I'll remember to bring something for Larry. I think he was a little ticked off I did not bring the binders and kind of left in a huff. Sorry buddy!

I spent the next 20 minutes or so cleaning up the large puddle of coffee under my table. I could not find a mop and had to use the crappy paper towels from the bathroom. Ugh!

Thankfully, the day flowed much better after I finished cleaning up the coffee. I was able to place all of my high end baseball cards into the display cases. The dealer next to me called in and cancelled. Unfortunately, I did not bring more display cases, as promoter Curtis told me to spread out. I pulled some $10 cards and placed them on a corner of the open table.

One customer came around a few times and checked out all of my pre-War and early Bowmans. He ended up purchasing a T201 Ed Walsh and some 1951 Bowman commons. He told me that he grew up down the street from Whitey Ford in New York and attended the wedding of Whitey's son. All the Yankees were there like Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra. Before the wedding, Whitey requested that all the guests refrain from fan hysteria and let the Yankees alone during the wedding. In exchange for the guests good behavior, Whitey placed piles of autographed photos featuring the Yankees players on a table for the guests to take home as a gift.

Another customer was working on sets from the 1950s and found a bunch of cards. He really didn't like my prices but I know what these cards sell for and I am not going to give them away. He settled down and purchased a bunch of cards and quizzed me as to which players had the most hits in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

Here's the list of decade hit leaders:

1940s: Lou Boudreau with 1,578
1950s: Richie Ashburn with 1,875
1960s: Roberto Clemente with 1,877
1970s: Pete Rose with 2,045
1980s: Robin Yount with 1,731
1990s: Mark Grace with 1,754
2000s: Derek Jeter with 1,940
2010s: Robinson Cano with 1,695

A customer that came out to one of my pop-up shops purchased a 1961 Topps Bob Gibson. I regularly get asked when I'm doing another pop-up shop. I really need to start planning for one as there seems to be a demand.

A young guy purchased a 1972 Topps Gale Sayers. Another customer purchased a 1972 Topps Dick Butkus. The dealer across the way purchased a pile of Ernie Banks cards including 1957, 1960 and 1969. Another customer purchased a 1969 Topps Fergie Jenkins. These are the sales I remember. I sold a bunch more stuff and had a surprisingly good day.

I bought some stuff as well. Scotty P. came down from Wisconsin to sell me some 1953 Johnston Cookies. Thanks Scotty! A young guy sold me a 1958 Topps Ernie Banks All Star.

So other than the spilled coffee, it was a really great day. I am still on the waiting list for this show, so I am not sure when there will be another opening for me. I really like this show and hope to get another table soon.

In the meantime, I have the bug and want to set up next week but there are few options. I put my name on the waiting list for the show in Peru, Illinois, a few weeks ago and it does not look like I'm getting in. There is a show nearby in Waukegan but I have not seen any promotion for this show other than a listing in Beckett. I won't set up at a show that is not well promoted.

I have been considering the new show at the Sheraton in Madison, WI, where the promoter does a nice job of getting the word out. Only issue is that tables cost $50 which I think is much too high and am not sure I would even make $50 at the show since I have never set up there. I have set up many times at the other show in Madison, operated by Darren. There were a few times were I barely made table fee at Darren's show while other times I did really well. Darren has been running shows in Madison for decades. I don't know if he is operating his show any longer. Does anyone know?

I think the next closest shows are Lansing, MI, and Fishers, IN. I don't feel like driving four hours, so I am settling on the flea market at the Kenosha County Fair Grounds. I do not bring my usual set up to the flea market, largely because I don't want my cards to bake in the hot sun. So if anyone is planning to be at the Flea Market in Wilmot, WI, and wants me to bring something particular, let me know.

I love the flea market. Hopefully, I can rustle one of my kids to help me. Reminder, my next show at the Salvation Army Community Center, 8853 S. Howell, in Oak Creek, WI, is on Saturday, September 4. Dealer tables are sold out. Also, I just contracted with Don August, former Brewers pitcher, to sign autographs at the October 2nd Sal Show. Don will sign autos for $15 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. I will have a supply of his cards for sale for $1 each at the show. Mail orders must arrive at my office by October 1, 2021. Make your check payable to Anthony Gordon and send to:

The Law Office of Anthony B. Gordon
201 E. Dundee Road, Suite 2
Palatine, IL 60074

A big thank you to everyone who bought cards from me at the Woodstock show. Come visit me at the Kenosha County Fairgrounds on Sunday, August 29, 2021.

​

Sunday, August 15, 2021, Civic Center, Orland Park, IL

Flush with cash from the National, I invited some guys selling their collections to visit my office this week with their cards. The first guy arrived on Thursday with a near-set of 1956 Topps football and some assorted stars from 1968 Topps baseball. I bought the cards. Then the second guy came over on Saturday with three totes of complete sets. I bought all of the sets! I am no longer flush with cash from the National!

With empty pockets, my goal for the August Orland show was to sell cards, not buy cards. I really need to go to Sports Cards Anonymous and do something about this addiction. I had very little will power and self control at the Orland show as dealers lined up to sell me cards as soon as I entered the room to set up. I did buy some nice cards and am happy with my purchases. Pictured above are some of my purchases from the August 15th Orland show. I also was able to turn down some cards, which is rare for me.

I had a nice day selling cards but all my profits went into my morning purchases. I brought out all of my binders and sold a large volume of cards. Will, once again, was the overall winner, purchasing 1958 and 1971 Topps baseball. Another customer, whose name escapes me, was a close second by cleaning out my 1969-70 and 1970-71 Topps basketball binders. He also cleaned out my non-sports binder. 

Another regular purchased a nice stack of 1950 Bowman baseball. For shear volume, Joe was the big winner as he spent most of the day pulling cards from a variety of binders. "Volume" was the key word today as I sold a TON of cards. My binders are kilt. A new customer purchased my whole 1972 Topps baseball binder early in the morning. I hope to have a new '72 binder out sometime next month.

Like I said, my binders are kilt. I think I am going to bring out display cases for a while instead of binders until I complete some major reloads.

It was great to see Denny and his wife who I have not seen for several years. I purchased some 1966 Topps baseball from Denny, who gave me a nice deal. Thanks Denny! I got to see Gil for the second month in a row after a long hiatus. Gil purchased a bunch of 1954 Topps baseball. Thanks Gil!

Mike and his son have been purchasing quite a bit of hockey from me these past several months and purchased more at the August show. Mike's son is heading back to college, maybe he can come in for the September Orland show. I really appreciate your purchases guys!

Real nice crowd today. My sales were up from last month but I did not bring home a whole lot of money because I bought so much stuff! Now I really need to sell some cards. I am looking to add some additional card shows and am scheduled next Saturday, August 21, for the Woodstock show at St. John's Lutheran Church, 401 St. John's Road, in beautiful Woodstock, IL. I really need to sell some cards as I have some more deals lined up!!

Minor rant: please no politics at my tables. There was a heated discussion at my tables today between two customers that ended with these middle-aged men calling each other names. Do we really need this? I would really appreciate it if folks could avoid the political discussions at my tables. I am going to place a sign behind my tables at the next Orland show stating "Political Free Zone." Anytime someone gets into politics, I will point to the sign and ask them to leave. Card shows are for fun, not for calling each other names over politics. End of minor rant.

Besides these two goofballs, this was a really great Orland show. Hopefully I can reload some of these binders before the September 19 Orland show. In the meantime, come see me at the Woodstock show on Saturday, August 21. I need to sell some cards!!

Pictured below is Joe, Gil, and a third regular customer whose name escapes me. Thanks for your purchases guys!

Sunday, August 8, 2021, Buenavista Banquets, Milwaukee, WI

No rest for the weary. The day after the National ended, I was in court representing clients for my real job. I had a pretty busy week of work as I have been putting everything off for the National. When Saturday rolled around, I was dead tired but had agreed to join my parents and my brother for the Cubs/Sox game at Wrigley Field. I really was hoping for a rain out. No such luck.

When traffic is light, I can make it to Wrigley Field from my house in about 40 minutes. However, the Edens Expressway in Suburban Chicago was a parking lot when I got on at Lake Cook Road. Things opened up a bit when I got past a nasty looking accident by Tower Road.

Traffic tightened up and I got off at Peterson Road and drove down to Western and meandered to the Wrigley Neighborhood. I parked at Irving Park Road and Lincoln Avenue, near Timber Lanes (a great old-time bowling alley and bar, if you are ever in the neighborhood). I have lived at two different apartments near Wrigley Field and know the neighborhood well. One thing I observed was a ton of new restaurants and bars and need to come back and try these places on a non-game day. 

Pictured above is me and Jon at the game with a photo bomb from a random Cub fan. Man, oh, man, was it hot and humid on Saturday. I struggled walking to Wrigley from my parking spot. My dad had emailed me a link for the ticket prior to the game. This was the first time I entered a game with a ticket on my phone. They were giving out sunscreen as you entered.

It was jammed in Wrigley Field. My dad got us tickets in the upper deck behind home plate. Ugh! It was quite a walk. I purchased some water before finding my seat. I arrived as they were singing the National Anthem. My folks and my brother had already been there a few hours. My dad, who is always snarky, told me that he and my brother had a bet as to when I would arrive. He took the 7th inning while my brother said the 8th. 

Snarkiness aside, I enjoyed the seats.

Pictured above is my snarky dad, mom and me. My folks have been taking me to both Wrigley and Comiskey since the 1960's. We still go together every year. Dad was a beer/hot dog vendor at both parks in the 1950's. As you can tell, he was the only one in the park keeping score on a score card on Saturday.

​My mom grew up just down the road from Wrigley off Lawrence Avenue. My dad grew up in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood. They were high school sweethearts at Chicago's Roosevelt High School, Class of 1955. Check out the lady behind us who covered up the Cubs logo on her jersey with a Yankees logo. Awesome!

So I am one of the rare Chicagoans who is a fan of both the White Sox and the Cubs. In the past, I would wear a Cubs hat to Wrigley and a Sox hat to Comiskey. But after the Cubs gutted the team, I do not feel I can ever support the Cubs again. I wore a Sox cap and rooted for the Sox at Wrigley for the first time in my life. The Sox did not disappoint. Rondon pitched a gem. Sox won 4-0.

​I was so hot and tired after the game. It was a struggle walking to my car. I slept a few hours after arriving home. Go Sox!

It was so hard waking up for the Buenavista show on Sunday. The heat and humidity felt worse than Saturday as I loaded my car Sunday morning. I was covered with sweat afterwords. I had an easy drive up to Milwaukee. I try not to speed but I was running late and averaged 90 MPH the whole way.

Load in and set up went smoothly. I brought out just about all of my binders including my newly reloaded 1976 Topps football binder. Attendance was nice early on. I had some nice sales. Robert pulled some nice piles of 1953, 1954, and 1955 Topps baseball. Thanks Robert! Dean found some cards and also lent me a book about Larry Doby and Satchel Paige. Thanks Dean!

A bunch of other regulars found some cards and I ended up having a decent day. Not quite the same amount of sales as my last Buenavista show in June but I'll take it. I also picked up some 1971-72 Topps hockey from Robin. Thanks Robin!

I once again chowed down on five steak tacos. Man, those tacos are good!

I was set up next to Tom John and Larry Larsen. Behind me was PJ and Nelson. I love hanging out with these guys. 

The show started to clear out around noon as folks were heading over to the Brewers game. I stuck around until about 1 p.m. then had an easy drive home. Once home, I went straight to sleep. 

I had a tough time waking up for work on Monday. I had two long cases in court that took all morning. Tuesday has been a fairly easy day at work as I do this write up. I hope to be rested for the Orland show on Sunday, August 15, 2021. I am probably going to bring out all of my binders and one display case to Orland. I had a request for some star cards from the 1950's, so I'll fill the case with that stuff. Hope to see you Sunday in Orland!

A big thank you to everyone who bought cards and sold me cards at the Buenavista show. Once again I received many complements about this blog. I really appreciate all the kind words. Thank you!

Pictured below is a corner of the room at the Buenavista show on Sunday.

Sunday, August 1, 2021, Stephens Center, Rosemont, IL

Wow! Where did the week go? Time flies when you are having fun! Pictured above is me and Dave at our booth on Sunday.

So after looking at piles of doughnuts in the dealer hospitality room on Saturday, I decided to grab one on Sunday, only to learn that they don't provide the doughnuts on Sunday. Ugh!

Same routine as all week long -- rearranging the display cases first thing. As cards have sold, I have been able to add more cards to the display cases each day. It was nice to show new inventory each day.

I did not know what to expect on the last day of the National. I usually do not have very good sales on the last day. However, in 2019, I had a great day on Sunday. I was hopeful this Sunday would be a repeat of 2019.

Sales started to kick in early. I had some guys return who bought cards from me on Saturday. I had a few guys from Joliet stop by my table three or four times, each time making purchases. They ended up buying all of my 1915 Cracker Jack. Thanks guys.

I really can't remember what I sold but do remember that I had many sales early on during Sunday's show. I then spent quite a bit of time walking around, exploring and shopping. I thought one dealer was selling a 1956 Topps Jackie Robinson for $275, which is now a crazy cheap price for that card in nice shape. Turns out the 2 on the price tag was actually a 7. The card cost $725. Looks like if I want any Jackie cards in the future, I am going to have to shell out quite a few Benjamins.

Which brings me to a problem that I foresee: restocking. I sold a ton of cards this week. I know I will not be able to restock those cards at the same prices I paid more than a year ago. The value of vintage cards, especially HOFers, as gone waaayyy up. I am not sure how this is going to play out in the future. Hopefully, I can still find some deals. There certainly were not many deals available at the National. Yet, I really enjoyed walking around the show. I miss the days when I would attend the National as a customer and have all the time in the world to check out the dealer tables.

Surprisingly, I did not have any sales while I was gone from my booth. I have learned that if I am not at the booth, I really do not sell any cards. Sales started to pick up once I sat down behind my display cases. As a result, finding the time to walk the show is difficult.

Back to my friend Craig. Concerned, I texted him because I had not seen him all week. I always see Craig at the National. He texted back and said he was at a convention in Milwaukee. He did not say what type of convention. I advised the National was just down the road from Milwaukee. I am amazed he did not attend the National!

Dave and I were also wondering about our pal Bob because he usually stops in the National at least one day. I texted Bob a photo of Dave and I. Shortly thereafter, Bob showed up at our booth with a Dick Shiner card. It was great to see Bob!

Once Bob arrived, we started to get a crowd at the booth. Both Dave and I had some really nice sales on Sunday. Ross interviewed me for his National wrap up story in SCD. 

On my Day 1 report, I alluded to some trouble with PWCC. Generally, they were a good neighbor throughout the show except for Sunday afternoon when they placed a large table in front of my display cases, essentially blocking my portion of the booth. They placed five or six boxes of pizza on the table along with some soft drinks.

See photo below of the table blocking my booth and the PWCC staffers standing in front of my display cases chowing down on crappy pizza.

​A customer from West Virginia asked about the pizzas. I explained that PWCC placed that table there, blocking my booth and did not offer me any pizza. The guy then swiped a can of Coke from the table. He was very entertaining and he and his buddies bought a bunch of cards from me.

Normally, I sit around on the last day of the National but this year I was very busy and active. I think the only lull was between 4 and 5 p.m. when we closed up shop. Jon showed up to help me load out and with his help load out went much smoother than past Nationals.

Did I mention that Scott lost his cart early in the week? It showed up at the end of the day Sunday. Apparently, PWCC had taken it.

Once again, Scott, PJ and Dave were able to pack up and exit much faster than me. Jon and I were stuck there long after those guys got out of Dodge. As PWCC started to take down their booth, they started to wall me and Jon in. Luckily we got out when we did. 

Man, was I sad to see the show end. I had so much fun. I sold a TON of cards. I can't wait for Atlantic City!

In the meantime, I am setting up on Sunday, August 8, 2021, at the WSCA show at Buenavista Banquets, 7507 W. Oklahoma, in Milwaukee. I am not hosting a show at the Salvation Army this month. I need a break after the National. My next Sal show is Sept. 4. After a week of display cases, I am bringing out all of my binders Sunday at the Buenavista Banquets show. I should have my 1976 Topps football binder reloaded by Sunday. Hope to see you then.

A huge thank you to everyone who purchased cards from me at the National. I appreciate you! It was so great to meet so many new people. I hope we meet again!

Now for some final thoughts on the 2021 National and our hobby in general. Our great hobby is as healthy as can be based on the huge crowds and large sales at this year's National. I saw a report that the 2021 National attendance was the second best all-time behind the 1991 National in Anaheim. 

Besides the crowds and great sales, the thing that has struck me most is just how much the hobby has changed over the years. I first started collecting baseball cards as a kid in 1975. Every kid I knew back then collected cards. We had no idea that these things had any value or that they would eventually have value. We sorted the cards by team, kept them in rubber bands in a shoe box, and marked off the players on the team checklist. We placed the cards in the spokes of our bikes to get that motorcycle sound. We taped our favorite players onto our bedroom wall. We bragged to one another about having a Hank Aaron or a Frank Robinson. 

I will never forget 1975. It was so much fun. All I needed to do back then was rustle 15 cents from a drawer in my kitchen and walk up to the pharmacy and buy a pack of cards. I loved hanging out with my friend Adam, who lived behind me. We would spread our cards out on his bed and have marathon trading sessions. It is sad to me that those days are long gone. Kids will never collect cards again for the shear joy of collecting because all cards have a dollar value now and even kids see these things as a commodity. 

Though, thankfully, most everyone who participates in the hobby is a sports fan so there still is a certain appreciation for the players depicted on the cards. I hope that never goes away.

I observed quite a few booths at the 2021 National that were all about "investing" in sports cards. I really hate the "investors." They are predators in my book. This is a hobby, it is supposed to be fun. If you make some money at it, great. I just really dislike the corporate attitude that is seeping in. I have to wear a tie to my day job, am I going to have to wear a tie to attend card shows in the future? Will I have to obtain the advice of a financial analyst before I purchase a card? 

I watched one of the hundreds of YouTube videos from the National. I watched an "investor" drop $10K on a new soccer card then another $10K on a new basketball card. I just cannot comprehend. I discovered vintage cards around 1978 and since then the hobby has been all about vintage cards for me. Modern cards will never have much value in my book, even as I witness crazy money exchanging hands for those shiny things.

These investors are not so much interested in vintage cards, which is actually a good thing. They prey on these modern cards and jack the prices into the stratosphere. I find it mind-boggling the number of folks buying and selling cards at $10K a pop. I just feel like that aspect of the hobby is due for a major crash. Ja Morant is no Michael Jordan and I think the cards of all the Ja Morants of the world are going to be worthless down the road. Somebody is going to feel some pain.

In all my years in the hobby, I have never observed a major drop in the value of vintage cards. I think the advent of third-party grading has caused the prices for high grade vintage to soar into the stratosphere. I am not sure if those cards can maintain their value but I have more confidence in a 1956 Topps PSA 9 Jackie Robinson keeping its value over a 2021 Panini Zion Williamson 1/5. Zion could have a career ending injury tomorrow and no one will ever remember him.

I do not know if it is a good thing for the hobby that modern cards are much more popular now than vintage. It just seems like a bubble to me. I am in for the long haul. This has been my hobby for the past 46 years and will continue to be my hobby until the day I die. I do not expect the bulk of the folks that attended the 2021 National to be as dedicated and to be involved in the hobby for very long. I think many are carpet baggers of sort. They are here today for some quick cash then they'll be gone tomorrow.

At some point, I think the hobby will contract some but all these new aspects will remain such as breakers, vloggers, and investors. I think the card companies are quite brilliant in milking the investors and creating "rare" cards for them. It is as new day in the sports card hobby. It is strange that vintage is now a niche when it was once so dominant.

I am going to continue buying and selling vintage cards. I still enjoy putting sets together. I still enjoy collecting. At the same time it is fun to make some money selling cards but much more fun to purchase vintage cards. I will do it for as long as I physically can. I still look forward to setting up at shows on the weekends. I love hanging out with folks who enjoy vintage cards as much as I do. 

Though, I can't help but think about what a strange new world the hobby has become. I am thankful that card shows are still alive and as strong as they have ever been. I went to my first card show in 1978 and have never stopped going. I know that far more cards are bought online these days than at card shows but shows are still viable and still enjoyable. I hope to see you at a card show soon!

Oh, and a big THANK YOU to everyone who came to my booth at the National with nice comments about this blog!! I am honestly thinking about entering the vlogging world but I will need help as this tech is over my head. Anybody able to help?

Photo time....

REA had this Wagner at their booth. It is always cool to see the T206 Wagner, which is still the holy grail to me, no matter what price Lebrons and Bradys are receiving in Goldin Auctions.

Now for my Natty pick-up, pictured below. My buying wasn't as good as past National but I did find some stuff....

SEE YA!

Saturday, July 31, 2021, Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL

I am not sure how many Nationals I have set up as a dealer. I think it may be seven or eight. I do know that the one constant has been my pal Dave McDonald. I love setting up with this guy. He is one of the most knowledgeable guys I know. We also enjoy a lot of the same things like vintage cards, classic rock, food and a good laugh. We always have a great time at the National.

At that very first National with Dave, we were joined by our pal Bob. I think Bob set everything up the first time. He registered us for the tables and charted out our layout. It was great. Unfortunately, Bob's work and family schedule makes it tough for him to set up. So the second National I set up at as a dealer, I made the reservation and recruited additional guys.

I also registered the group for the third National I attended as a dealer. At that one, we were set up across from PJ and we agreed to join forces. PJ has been registering the group for the last several Nationals now.

I remember when I was registering the group, it was real easy to get space. However, I observed that there has been an increase in demand for dealer space at these past few Nationals and PJ has had to really hustle to maintain our regular spot at the Chicago Nationals.

PJ and Dave also set up at some Cleveland Nationals that Scott and I were unable to attend. As a general rule, it is really hard for me to get the time off work to set up at the National, a five-day show. At every other National in the past, I have needed someone to watch my booth so I can represent clients in court in the morning then head over to the convention center.

This time around, I made an extra effort to schedule my court cases before and after the National. It was difficult to do but I was able to get it done. I have been thinking about the 2022 National in Atlantic City and decided just before this year's Chicago National that I want to set up in Atlantic City next year. 

I have been talking about it with Dave, PJ and Scott. They do not seem all that interested. I cannot do it alone, I need a second person. I enlisted by brother Jon who has agreed to attend the 2022 National in Atlantic City with me. Thanks Jon! I have never been to a National outside of Chicago so I am already excited for 2022. Also, I have always wanted to go to Atlantic City. Jon and I love to  gamble. Our dad taught us how to play craps when we were toddlers -- we're from Chicago, what can I say!

So in order to reserve space at the 2022 National in Atlantic City, I had to attend a dealer space lottery on Saturday morning. I was very concerned about making it to the lottery at my allotted time of 8:20 a.m. because I am a terrible morning person.

Thankfully waking up was not a problem and I made it to Rosemont in about 15 minutes, in plenty of time. I have never participated in this lottery before as space used to be simple to obtain back in the day. PJ advised I use his name for registration because he was a "5" and I was a "2." The 5's get called for booth selection well before the 2's. When I arrived to Room 12, there was a crowd already there. I observed folks filling out paper work. I grabbed some papers and a pen, went into the dealer hospitality room where folks were chowing down on complementary doughnuts, and filled out the forms.

I saw Tony Schafer in there grabbing some doughnuts. We had talked about possibly teaming up for Atlantic City and the next Chicago National but I wanted to ensure I had some space so I joined this lottery deal.

With the paperwork complete, I got in line in Room 12. I handed my paperwork to a lady and watched her fumble with the forms and she seemed to be matching my paperwork with a list of names.

She told me that I am not a 5 but I am a 2 and had to register with the 2s. I explained to her that I partner with PJ and he is a 5 and I would like to register under PJ Sports. She said no. I had to register under my own name. I then attempted to explain my situation to a guy sitting to the her left. He said no, I have to register under my own name and had to redo the form with my name. They could not find a notecard with my name and wrote my name on a piece of paper and told me to hand it to a guy at the front of the packed room at a podium. I complied.

I sat down next to Gary George (love that guy!) and told him my situation. Gary was sympathetic. I am thankful that he'll be at Atlantic City so I know I'll see a friendly face next year. I scratched out PJ's name on the form and put my name on there and waited for the 2's to be called.

About 30 minutes later, I was called to come up and select my booth from a large map. I know nothing about the Atlantic City show and just randomly picked a spot. When I finished selection, I observed that only a handful of booths were available. The 2022 National was just about to sell out of dealer space.

I handed my form to a guy I recognized, I am pretty sure my pal Mark Smith introduced me to this guy in Strongsville and we had dinner together after one of the shows. I tried to explain my situation and he said that I could not register under PJ's name. I sucked it up and paid the famous Megan. If you ever registered for the National, you spoke to Megan at some point. I paid for the booth. I then was directed to hand my paperwork to my friend Gizmo. I received a fist bump from Gizmo and am now all registered for 2022. Woot! Now I need to obtain a hotel room....

That lottery was exhausting. Gizmo advised I go back to my booth and make some money. I made no argument. Back at the booth, I began to rearrange my display cases and informed the troops that I could not register under PJ's name. So this will affect us for the lottery in Atlantic City when I try to get booth space for 2023 in Chicago. I will have to wait until the end of the lottery to select booths for the 2023 National in Chicago. Ugh! Hopefully there will still be space available!!

So I waited too long to write this blog and cannot remember what I sold on Saturday. I was much too tired Saturday night to do a write up. I know I had steady sales all day long. Sales were not nearly as strong as Thursday or Friday but still much better than Wednesday.

Another big crowd on Saturday. My pal Ross Forman, who writes for SCD, told me the autograph line on Saturday wrapped around the building. I also watched a YouTube video of the line just to get into the building. Man, oh, Man!

And what was the deal with all of the video taping? I have never seen this before. Starting on Wednesday and continuing throughout the show, I observed folks making video of the show either using just their cell phones or various types of video cameras and equipment. Camera after camera went by our booth. Often they were in groups. I  thought the ones videoing by themselves were talking to themselves before I realized they were talking to a camera.

There were many impromptu interviews at PWCC's booth. Crazy. I need to go on YouTube and start watching all of these videos. I made many a goofy face when I realized I was on camera. Maybe I need to start doing vlogs instead of blogs which seems to be the trend.

I bought a few more things on Saturday but not a whole lot as stuff to buy because cards just did not show up at my booth, unlike past Nationals where I was overrun with people selling cards.

The bathroom was still gross. Someone dropped a can of Miller Lite in the toilet I was about to use. Nasty.

Regardless, Saturday was another fun day. I was tired when the show ended at 6 p.m. but was looking forward to dinner with Dave, PJ and our friend Larry at Tom's Steakhouse in Elmwood Park, near Rosemont. Tom's is an old-time restaurant. It is rumored to be a mob place. I think it was bombed in the 1970's. I first went there in the mid-1980's when my girlfriend's parents took us there for dinner. I loved it then and love it now. My own parents love Tom's and have taken me there many times. Then my wife and I went there when we lived nearby.

It has been a while since I have been at Tom's. Maybe 10 years. One of the things I loved about Tom's in the past was it's 1960's decor and the "Relish Cart" which is a cart the waitress brings over before your meal and is filled with pickles, olives, spiced veggies and the like. I observed that the 1960's decor was gone as is the Relish Cart. Nevertheless, my strip steak was absolutely awesome! Tom's soaks each steak in au jous sauce and it is just awesome. We had a great meal! Thanks Dave!

I was beat when I got home and watched "Venom" with my kids. What a silly movie. I slept hard that night.

​Photo time...

I had an opportunity to walk around the show today and saw all sorts of cool memorabilia. Pictured above is a 1934 Detroit Tigers pennant.

I thought this signed 1955 Topps Jackie Robinson was really cool. Above it there is also a signed Jackie Robinson Exhibit card.

Another cool item is this 1923 New York Yankees opening day program. There is just so much cool stuff at the National. I love walking around and checking everything out.

I ran into my old friend Jeff Bornstien. He used to have a card shop in Phoenix. Anybody know Jeff? I've known him my whole life. Our parents are close friends. His father was an amazing guy and he used to own one of the original Batmobiles from the 1960's TV show. When I was a kid, Jeff's dad drove the Batmobile over to my house. The Batmobile was in my driveway! Anyway, I saw Jeff at the end of the show Saturday over at the PWCC booth. He offered to sell me this Mantle wire photo. Even though it is cool, I did not buy it because I do not know the value of wire photos. Anyone know anything about wire photos? What does this thing sell for? Anyway, it was great to see Jeff.

Friday July 30, 2021, Donald Stephens Center, Rosemont, IL

I think I needed an easy night after the first two days of the National. It was great to chill at home Thursday evening. I had a tough time falling asleep. I woke up well before my alarm clock. Grump went smoothly.

I was out of the house fairly early, around 8 a.m. I decided to hit the Chicago Bagel and Bialy Deli in Wheeling, Illinois, on my way into Rosemont. I picked up a couple of corned beef sandwiches for Dave and I.

Traffic was slow getting to Rosemont. I headed straight for the CTA lot this time, I did not want to fool with the crowds at the Convention Center parking garage. As I entered the show, I thought I might be late but was actually early. The other dealers were just starting to arrive. Scott, Jim and Danielle must of gotten there just before my arrival. I was surprised Dave was not there already.

As I removed the tarps from my display cases, folks were already coming around to take a look. One of the OBC guys who purchased cards on Thursday, purchased some more before I could take off both tarps. It sure was nice to have such an early sale.

I followed my routine of rearranging the display cases. They are always messed up at the end of the day. I like to have them nice and organized in the morning. My pal Tony Schaefer came by to check out our booth and started pulling cards. Tony regularly purchases cards when are set up at the same show and his purchases are greatly appreciated. We miss Tony at the Orland show. He has one of the best vintage inventories around. He is set up at the National  in his usual spot near the Wallateria.

The crowds started to pour in while Tony was at the booth and he could not stay as he was called back to his booth to help out some customers. Fixing up my display cases was difficult with the rush of customers.

It was great to see Bruce from Milwaukee. He, like many others, was shell shocked at the enormity and the massive crowd at this year's National. Bruce purchased some 1967 Topps for his set. Thanks Bruce! Another guy, in from California, purchased my 1965 Topps Frank Robinson. He appreciated my price and said I was one of the most reasonable vintage dealers in the building.

Sales came fast and furious once again as an even larger crowd than Thursday filled up the Stephens Center. I was working it on Friday morning helping many people at once. I sold a graded 1915 Cracker Jack common to an older collector. A collector from Louisville swooped up my 1968 Mantle PSA 4. Another collector purchased my 1948 Leaf Luke Appling PSA 4.

I sold a bunch of T206 commons and a handful of T205 commons. One guy bought my 1941 Double Play Arky Vaughan. I also sold a large number of 1940 Play Ball cards to a collector who flew in from Salt Lake City. Another older collector purchased a bunch of 1950 Bowmans, including a Ralph Kiner. Another collector purchased my 1969 Topps Johnny Bench.

A younger collector who lives in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood purchased my 1953 Bowman Minnie Minoso. Another younger collector purchased my 1954 Tommy Lasorda. Another collector purchased my 1954 Johnston Cookies Warren Spahn, A father and son team from Nebraska purchased my 1953 Topps Yogi Berra. Another collector purchased a 1966 Topps Fergie Jenkins rookie.

I had one guy buy some cards and he was kind of looking at me side ways. Later he came back and asked a question and addressed me by name. Apparently he knows me but I do not have any recollection of him, which happens often because I set up at card shows most every weekend and regularly meet a large number of people. Please don't get offended if I forget your name... or forget ever meeting you. My memory is terrible and I am not intentionally trying to snub you. Many people at the National talk to me like they know me. I try to fake it in our conversations that I know them. Sometimes, the memory comes back and I might recall a previous conversation. It is just so hard to remember everyone but I do appreciate you all!

A collector working on the 1956 set purchased my '56 Don Zimmer. Another collector purchased a 1960 Topps Nellie Fox All Star. I sold my 1964 Topps Bob Gibson. I also sold a 1961 Topps Hank Aaron. I sold my 1965 Topps Pete Rose.

These are just the sales I remember. There were many, many more. Sales were strong in the morning. There seemed to be a noon lull then sales picked up in the afternoon. Overall it was quite a day. Better than Thursday. I am also close to doubling my sales total from the 2019 National.

During that noon lull, I took a walk and observed that they added dealer tables next to the autograph pavilion and pushed the Box Breakers back to another room. So this year's National had more dealer tables than any in recent memory.

Dave and I had been wondering about our friend Sandy, who made an appearance today. Sandy is a long-time customer of Dave's and a professor at the John Marshall Law School where I obtained my law degree. It is always great to see Sandy and I was glad he found us. The only other person I have been wondering about is Craig from Akron. Craig! Where are you? Stop by and say hello!

I gotta say something about the crowd. Wow! I did not think is was possible to draw a larger crowd than Thursday but that Friday crowd was just massive. I was a little annoyed when a line formed at Ebay's booth and stretched in front off our booth, blocking access to my little corner. I also cannot stand the Topps booth, pictured above. Year after year it is sooooo loud and annoying.

Another thing I would like to address is the bathroom near the eBay booth. Ugh! Gross! Why can't people flush the toilet? Also, dudes, wash your hands please! Don't touch your ding-a-ling then touch my cards! Is it that big of a deal to wash your hands after you go to the bathroom? Also, that bathroom needs some ventilation. It is hard to breath in there.

Quite a lot of attendees to the show are concerned about COVID. Seemed there were more folks wearing masks on Friday than on the previous days. I don't have a problem with folks wearing masks but it is hard to hear someone through their mask. As the Delta Variant cases spike, I should probably wear a mask as well but I just hate them. They are so uncomfortable but if the masks are mandated again, I will wear one. I hopeful I am protected with my Moderna vaccine that I received back in April.

I bought some cards today. Not a whole lot of stuff making its way to my table but I have been making some purchases each day. I picked up a Red Heart Nellie Fox today. I love the Red Hearts and have sold a bunch of them the past few days. It was nice to pick one up.

The air conditioning seemed to work better today than the previous days but I started to feel hot in the late afternoon. I noticed that my neighbor PWCC set up some fans. What is the deal with the AC? I don't recall there ever being an issue with the AC at the Stephens Center at previous shows. 

I have been wanting to go to the casino after the show but was uncomfortable with the thought of going there with my pockets filled with cash and opted to head straight home after the show. I took my wife and kids to DQ and had a nice evening at home. Overall, Day 3 was absolutely tremendous. Woot!

Pictured above is the stupid bar the RES placed next to our space, cutting our usual space in half.

Pictured here are the crowds across from our booth. Check out the two dudes in the middle with the man bun hair on top and shaved on the sides. I saw this hairdo all week. I'm guessing this is the latest trend for young dudes. 

Pictured here are the crowds at the dealer booths next to the autographs and breakers. This area is new for 2021. It was jammed in there! It was hard to walk around.