Sunday, October 17, 2021, Civic Center, Orland Park, IL

I came home from the Woodstock show on Saturday, ate some food, then passed out for a few hours. These card shows tire me out.

It was really tough to wake up for the Orland show on Sunday. Man, I wanted to stay in bed! I had unloaded my display cases that I used in Woodstock from my car and replaced them with my bins of binders. I like to be on the road to Orland by 7 a.m. I think I left this morning around 7:15 a.m.

I love all the road construction by O'Hare -- NOT! The drive to Orland is so unpleasant, especially when compared to the drive to Woodstock where I wind through forests and farms. The drive to Orland features miles of post-industrial wasteland. Ugh!

Arriving at the Civic Center, I observed the parking lot was full and I could see several pee-wee football games in the distance. Oh, I miss pee-wee football. I played in the 1970's and my first team was the Redskins. We came in third, behind the Cowboys and Oilers. The next season, I was on the Cowboys, we came in last. I think we scored only two touchdowns the whole season. I was the player who set up our second touchdown by catching a five-yard pass then running a good 40 yards before getting tackled on the 5-yard line. I'm still pissed off that the coach sat me for the next few plays. I felt that I had the team's biggest offensive play of the year and should have been given the opportunity to score. But, no! They gave the ball to Ty Laphoon the next three plays and he was able to score on Fourth and Goal. Ty was much larger than me and ran like a fullback. I was a speedster in my youth. I think if they gave me the ball on a sweep, I could have scored on the next play. Fun times! I'd give anything to go back to 1978 and suit up for the Cowboys one more time!!

I really wanted to watch the pee-wee football games in Orland but duty called and I loaded my stuff into the Civic Center. Usually Big Brad is blocking the entranceway making it difficult to load in but today he was behind his table, instead of in front, and I was able to bring my cart in with ease.

As I have stated before, I have been setting up at the Orland show for a good 20 years. The best part of the Orland show is that it is the most consistent show I do. I can almost always count on a good number of vintage collectors among a large crowd.

Thank the cardboard gods because Orland once again came through. We had a really nice crowd. I started to get sales immediately. Mike was my first sale as he continues to work on his 1975 baseball set. My pal Will picked up some 1971 and 1958 baseball. Once again, Will brought his grandson Charlie. It is so fun to have Charlie with us. I love his enthusiasm and feed off his joy for the hobby.  

Mini Rant: I think people have forgotten that this is a kid's hobby. I think companies like Fanatics have no concept of the true meaning of collecting cards and will probably ruin it for us all. Just my thoughts. Others disagree. The guy set up next to me, largely with Pokemon cards, thinks Fanatics will benefit the hobby. I don't see it that way. I find it very dangerous that one company is going to control the manufacturing, distribution, point of sale, and the secondary market. With all that control, seems to me, that Fanatics just wants to fleece the hobby and suck out as much money as it can before leaving the hobby in ruins.

I don't see how guys, like the knucklehead set up next to me at Orland, can make any money when they can no longer obtain wax at wholesale prices, once Fanatics takes over. Also, Fanatics will have a negative effect on card shows when all the wax dealers and modern card dealers disappear. In addition, with billions of dollars at their disposal, what is to stop Fanatics from buying up all the vintage cards? Are my days as a vintage sports card dealer numbered? Just a few thoughts to ponder. 

Anyway, back to Charlie. He had a goal of buying packs today. He said he really enjoys opening packs. Joe took him around the room several times and Charlie came back each time with piles of packs. He set himself up in the corner behind my tables and proceeded to open all the packs. In one pack, he pulled a Fernando Tatis relic card. In a Pokemon pack, that he purchased from my neighbor, he pulled some card that is worth around $500. I don't really understand Pokemon and have no idea what makes a Pokemon card valuable but the dealer next to me was all excited about that card Charlie pulled. 

So I sold a bunch of cards early on. I brought out one display case and filled it up with my oldest football cards. I was hesitant to place the football out after poor sales at Woodstock but was pleasantly surprised as I sold some 1948 Leafs and some 1952 Bowmans. Like I said, Orland is always consistent and is truly a tremendous show.

Unfortunately, I have to miss the November Orland show but will be back for the two December shows.

On the buying front, I had a great day as well. I purchased a pile of graded 1955 Bowman football -- I'm a glutton for punishment. I also purchased some Post Cereal baseball from the early 1960's along with a few Mantle cards. My purchases really piled up and I had to scramble at the end of the show to find a box to take all my purchases home.

As expected, the show cleared out by noon, as everyone wanted to watch the Bears lose to the Packers. Will, Joe, Charlie and I caught the end of the game at the sub shop. Another excellent Orland show is in the books.

There is no rest for the weary as I have another double-bill weekend planned. ​I'll be at the Sheraton Madison Hotel, 706 John Nolan Drive, Madison, on Saturday, October 23; then I'll be at the Buenavista Banquets, 7507 W. Oklahoma, Milwaukee, on Sunday, October 24. I'll have some great vintage football cards! Come see me this weekend!!!

Saturday, October 16, 2021, St. John's Lutheran Church, Woodstock, IL

Well before the Pandemic card boom, I observed that my vintage football cards were not selling nearly as well as they had in the past. There was a time when vintage football cards sold well 12 months out of the year but especially well during football season.

Unfortunately, I can no longer sell vintage football cards 12 months out of the year. Surprisingly, they don't even sell much during football season. I do not understand why the card collecting world has lost interest in vintage football. I really have no explanation.

The big rookies still sell but the rest of the stuff just sits. If I was smart and more of an investor rather than someone who just loves vintage cards, I would stop buying vintage football cards. But I just can't help myself, I keep buying them and buying them. I have a silly amount of vintage football cards. So the last two weekends, I have brought out a display-case set up filled with vintage football cards. I sold a handful of vintage football cards at the Rockford show last weekend but did not sell one card today at the Woodstock show! I am just dumbfounded.

I have some really great stuff like 1948 Leaf Sid Luckman, Bulldog Turner, Johnny Lujack, George Conner, and Charlie Trippi -- a really great selection of Hall of Famers from 1948 through 1980. I just love this stuff! I am going to keep buying it and I guess I will just end up stockpiling it because it is not selling.

Rather than complain about lack of sales, I would rather talk about the great players depicted in these wonderful pieces of history. Below are pictures of some of my vintage football cards that are for sale along with a little write up about these heroes of yesteryear.

1950 Bowman Sammy Baugh

Hall-of-Famer Sammy Baugh was the quarterback for the Washington Redskins during their championship years of 1937 and 1942. He regularly lead the league in passing. He threw for six touchdowns against the Lions in a game in 1947. He was pretty much the first modern-day quarterback who passed first instead of handing the ball off to a running back. When he retired in 1952, after 16 seasons with Washington, he held ALL of the NFL passing records.

Back in Baugh's day, players played both offense and defense. Baugh was an excellent defensive back and was the first NFL player to intercept four passes in one game. He also was probably the greatest punter of all time. He still holds the record for highest average in a career -- 45.1 yards per punt.

1956 Topps Norm Van Brocklin

​Chicago Bears founder George Halas created the T formation with Sid Luckman in mind but first he had to lure Luckman to the Bears. After graduating from Columbia University, Luckman had no interest in the NFL. Halas offered Luckman a large sum of money and Luckman agreed to join the Bears in 1939.

In 1940, Luckman lead the Bears to the NFL championship by demolishing the Washington Redskins 73-0. From 1940 to 1946, Luckman lead the Bears to the NFL championship game five times, winning four. In 1942, Luckman's Bears posted a perfect 11-0 record.

Luckman is still the greatest Bears quarterback of all time and remains one of the NFL's greatest quarterbacks of all time.

​1948 Bowman Bulldog Turner

From the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

For the Bears, acquiring Turner in the first round of the 1940 draft proved to be a masterstroke. For both, the 1940 season marked the beginning of a period of dominance of their particular specialties, the Bears in winning championships and Turner in becoming the best all-around center in pro football. As a linebacker who was blessed with halfback speed, Turner in 1942, lead the league in interceptions with eight.

On offense, he was a flawless snapper and an exceptional blocker who could also play guard or tackle. Never was his versatility more evident than in 1944 when he was asked to fill in as a ball carrier in an emergency situation. He consistently grinded out long gains, including a 48-yard touchdown romp. Three years later against Washington, Turner came up with what he called the favorite play of his career, a 96-yard interception for a touchdown.

1951 Bowman Charley Conerly

Clink the link below:

Giants Chronicles: The incredible story of Charlie Conerly

This is just a smattering of the amazingly cool vintage football cards I have been bringing out to shows. I have a seemingly endless amount of these types of cards depicting Hall-of-Famers from yesteryear, each with a great story. I recommend learning about the remarkable history of the NFL and all of its stars from the past.

While my sales at the October Woodstock show were negative, there were plenty of people at the show... they just don't realize yet that they need to start focusing on vintage football cards!

One of the young whippersnappers at the show came over to my table to show me a 1969 Topps Ernie Banks that he bought from me several months ago raw and just received it back from SGC in a 7 holder. He was set up across from me and had some sort of high-definition electronic video microscope that he uses to analyze cards and determine a grade. He said he charges $5 per card for the service.

"I have an eye for these things," he told me.

I politely passed, thinking I have toe jam older than him and am not going to pay $5 so so he can guess the grades of my raw cards. He can keep buying them and send them in, if he likes.

As I have said before, I really like the Woodstock show and will continue to set up whether or not I have any sales. I am just stubborn that way. Though, I probably won't be back until February as I have other things going on. So look for me at the February Woodstock show. I might be at the January show but I am thinking it is probably the same day as my Oak Creek show. If not, I'll be at the Woodstock show.

In the meantime, I am working on my Orland Park blog and should have it done soon. Next weekend, I am setting up at two shows again. I'll be at the Sheraton Madison Hotel, 706 John Nolan Drive, Madison, on Saturday, October 23; then I'll be at the Buenavista Banquets, 7507 W. Oklahoma, Milwaukee, on Sunday, October 24. I'll have some great vintage football cards! Come see me this weekend!!!

Saturday, October 9, 2021, Rock Church, Rockford, IL

Man, it was dark on this unusually warm and muggy October morning. I woke up around 5:15 a.m., loaded the car, and was on the road to Rockford by 6:13 a.m. The sun finally started to rise around 7 a.m. while I was plugging along I90 West to Rockford.

I have been to Rockford many times but have never done a show there and have never been to the Rock Church. So I asked Siri for directions. Unfortunately, Siri took me about 15 miles west of the Rock Church to Harrison Road. Rock Church is on Harrison Avenue, not Harrison Road.

I will say this -- the country-side west of Rockford is absolutely beautiful. Still very green for October, hilly, rivers and some beautiful farms. Harrison Road is a tiny carriageway dotted with big red barns and shiny corn silos -- not an ideal place for a card show. 

I was able to convince Siri to give me directions to Harrison Avenue and made it to the Rock Church by 8 a.m. Man, that was a long ride! So the Rock Church is actually really easy to get to. Harrison Avenue is the first Rockford exit from I90. It will be a much smoother ride next month!

Once on Harrison Avenue, I was guided to the church by many signs along the side of the road declaring "Card Show" with an arrow. I really appreciated those signs. It was nice to know I was no longer lost.

Promoter John Craig greeted me as I pulled into the lot, directing me to double park by the front door for load in. I met John at the Woodstock show a few months back and he invited me to set up at his show. I finally took him up on that invite.

John allowed me to pick out my tables. I chose two in the back row. This is an excellent space for a card show. It is a large gym with nice wide aisles and plenty of space between dealer tables on the sides and the back.

I am not sure how many dealers were there but it was just about a full house. There were quite a few dealers. I was happy to see a whole bunch of friendly faces like Jason Galleske, Reed Pentek, Dave Kania, John Dobiecki, Tom Mularz, Curtis Payne and Phil Bucaro. It is always nice when setting up at a show for the first time and seeing all sorts of familiar faces. I felt right at home.

It was great to see Phil, who I have not seen in a couple of years. He was set up with two buddies and they seemed to be having a great time.

Then I saw a couple other dealers I knew, who came to the show to buy, namely my pals Gary George, Jeff Talamantez and Lloyd Ramsby.

Dealer John Dobiecki reported great sales.

For my set up, I decided to bring nine display cases and filled four of them up with vintage football, one with vintage basketball, one with vintage hockey, and three with pre-War baseball and some early post-War baseball.

After set up was completed, I took advantage of some of the snacks John brought in for the dealers and munched on a couple of doughnuts.

Not a whole lot of vintage in the room other than me, Tom and Reed. The rest of the dealers were modern. One guy had a bunch of signed jerseys. A lot of young guys setting up. One of the young dealers purchased my 1971-72 Topps Bobby Hull. I loved talking to this kid. He is a huge Hawks fan and schooled me on all the wrong moves the Hawks have made the past several years.

There were also a lot of kids in the room as customers. They were not much interested in my vintage cards but it was cool to see so many kids at the show. John, the promoter, does an excellent job with this show. At one point, he had all the kids surround his table for some live breaks.

It is nice to see some younger promoters like John. I also met another young promoter, Beau, who runs the show in Madison, WI, another real nice guy. I hope to eventually get up there and set up. Gone are the days when all the promoters were angry old codgers. I think the hobby is in good hands!

Most of the folks attending the show were into modern cards, though, many stopped and marveled at some of my old stuff. I sold a few cards. A young guy picked up my 1960 Topps Bart Starr and Paul Hornung. A customer wearing a Frank Thomas jersey, who told me he attended Palatine High School, purchased my 1978 Topps Walter Payton. He was interested in my Gale Sayers rookie but I would not discount it enough to his liking. I'm happy to keep that card rather than sell it too cheap.

Another young guy purchased my 1971-72 Topps Jerry West and Gail Goodrich. I sold a few more hockey cards and handful of football cards. One guy, building vintage Cubs sets, found some 1950 Bowman Cubs at my table. Overall, sales were a little disappointing but I never expect much when I first set up at a show. My experience has been that I need to do the show for a while and build up a following before I can expect a good amount of sales. So I booked the next show on November 13. Gary said he is setting at that show, so if Reed and Tom come back (I think Tom said he will be out of town), that will make four of us with a pretty great selection of vintage cards. Dave also always has some vintage on his table. Vintage collectors, mark your calendars and come see us at the Rock Church on November 13.

Quite a few guys mentioned this blog. It is always great to set up at a new show and be met with compliments for my blog. I always appreciate the kind words. Thank you guys for regularly reading my sports card misadventures.

Speaking of the blog.... I kind of let all the no-show-late-canceling dealers have it with my last blog. I am happy to report that one of the no-shows did show in Rockford and paid me for his table from the last Oak Creek show. So that is one guy to delete from my shit list. I told him he must give me at least a week's notice if he is not going to make it. I need time to contact folks on the waiting list and they need time to prepare for the show.

Back at the Rock Church, I think the show goes until 3 p.m. but I took off around 2 p.m. I was really hungry and tired and wanted to get to the Burger King up the street in the worst way. I had a really long drive home. I made the mistake of exiting I90 at Roselle Road which had a ton of traffic. I wanted to avoid the I90 and Route 53 interchange which is kind of suicidal. One of the worst designed interchanges in the Chicago area. So it ended up taking me two hours to get home where I fell into bed with my fluffy Golden Retriever and slept for hours.

There are so many shows right now! Seems like a new one is popping up in Wisconsin and Indiana every week. Illinois, on the other hand, is lacking. I'd love to see a new show in the northern suburbs. With all these new shows, I'm a busy beaver and will be setting up at two shows next weekend. These are actually older established shows next week with Woodstock on Saturday, October 16, and Orland on Sunday, October 17.

I've got just one table for the Woodstock show at St. John's Lutheran Church, 401 St. John's Road. I'm leaning towards bringing out four display cases and one dime box. I'm going to bring football cards for the display cases. If you plan on attending the Woodstock show and want me to bring out any binders, let me know. Newly reloaded binders are 1972 Topps baseball and 1972-73 Topps Hockey.

On Sunday in Orland, I plan on bringing out all the binders and maybe two display cases filled with vintage baseball from the 1960's -- though, that could change. With the Bears-Packers at noon, I'd like to be able to exit the show quickly and catch the game. Sometimes I get guys who are not football fans camping out and going through all my baseball binders when I am itching to leave to watch some football. I might just bring out display cases. I can fit 10 cases on my tables in Orland.

​Anyway, I am rambling. Have a great week everybody and hope to see you next weekend!

Pictured below are some of the football cards I brought out to Rockford. I'll probably bring these to Woodstock next weekend.

Saturday, October 2, 2021, Salvation Army Community Center, Oak Creek, WI

I would like to start off this blog with a rant.... A week before the show, I was overbooked with dealers and was scrambling trying to figure out how to fit everyone in. Then slowly, day by day, dealers started to drop out. By midweek, I was no longer overbooked and started to add some folks off the waiting list.

On Thursday morning, I received a Facebook text from a potential dealer. I told him I was all booked up and added him to the waiting list. Then by 6 p.m. that night, the flood gates opened as four our five more dealers dropped out. I should have let that one guy come and set up!

On Friday, the day before the show, I was out to lunch and received another call from a dealer who cancelled. By the end of the day four or five more dealers dropped out. I thought about contacting the guys on the waiting list but in the past they have never been able to set up on such short notice. So I decided to place a post on Facebook stating that whoever responded could set up the next day. Only four guys responded and only two of them actually showed up.

Ugh! It is next to impossible to operate this show when 10 or 15 guys cancel a day or two before the show, not to mention the several guys that didn't bother to show up, didn't bother to contact me.

I am really pissed off. I really don't want any of these guys who cancelled to ever set up again! I certainly am not going to allow the no-shows to ever set up again.

My waiting list continues to grow but I can't get those folks into the show when dealers cancel at the last minute. A couple of the last-minute cancellations were legit, the rest, I'm not so sure about. So I've decided to create a one strike policy. All those guys that cancelled at the last minute get just one more opportunity. If they ever cancel again at the last minute, they will be banned. How hard is it to give me a week or so notice before cancelling? They are all on my shit list. 

Did I say I have a large waiting list (and a growing shit list)? Potential dealers continue and continue to contact me for tables. Some of the new dealers that cancelled are going back on the waiting list. I honestly have no confidence that any of these folks will ever actually show up. If you book the space, you have a responsibility to show up!! These are mostly grown men, what the hell is a matter with you? 

​Next up in the rant are all the cry baby dealers... stop your crying! I'm not your mother and I don't want to hear it! If you are a dealer in the gym, you have no reason to bitch. The gym continuously has the largest crowd out of the four rooms in the show. I can at least understand the guys in the Game Room bitching. For some reason, the crowds seemed to skip the Game Room this month. One of the contributing factors was all the dealer cancellations which left me with only half of my normal number of Game Room dealers.

Next month, to get more folks to visit the Game Room, I will be giving away free packs at my tables in the Game Room. So visit me in the Game Room at the November 6th show for a free pack of cards!

Is there another promoter in the country who works as hard as I do at promoting their show? I doubt it. Dealers, cut me some slack and stop bitching!

I must add that the majority of dealers that set up at my show are top notch and I could not ask for a better group of dealers. There are always a handful of whiners, I think these folks might be better off setting up elsewhere and not at my show.

One final rant... I hired a security guard --- who did not bother to show up! Unbelievable!! Thankfully, I did not receive a single report of theft. I am going to start looking for a new security guard.

​Despite the overabundance of last minute dealer cancellations, despite the cry babies, and despite the security guard blowing off the show, it was really a tremendous day.

Former Brewers Pitcher Don August showed up around 8:30 a.m. and enjoyed walking around checking out the dealer tables. Then he and I sat down at a table in Fellowship Hall and invited folks over for an autograph.

Admittedly, I was a little nervous at first because I am a huge baseball fan and get star struck when I am around a former major leaguer. As I was driving to the show, I was thinking about all the great players Don pitched against like George Brett, Don Mattingly, Ricky Henderson, Wade Boggs, Kirby Puckett and on and on. So for my first question I asked what it was like to pitch to George Brett. Don said it was impossible. He hit everything. Don said he was able to get Don Mattingly out with regularity and he could hear Mattingly cuss as he trotted to first on a pop out.

It wasn't before long where I felt like I was talking to an old friend. Don August is an amazing guy! A super nice guy and a joy to be around. He rewarded me with tons of awesome stories. I did not know he played in Taiwan where he learned how to write his name in Chinese. See picture below. He also played in Mexico and Italy. He has so many stories and plans to publish a book. I can't wait to read it! I am going to have him back at the show for a book signing next year.

​Don was scheduled to sign autographs from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. but stayed until noon! A huge THANK YOU to Don August for attending the show, signing autographs and chatting with everybody who came by!

So I normally get a chance to walk all four rooms in the morning but obviously could not walk around at this show. We had a nice crowd in Fellowship Hall. My buddy Andy watched my tables from 9 to 11 a.m. then Rachel watched my tables from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thank you Andy and Rachel!!

Those two really worked it because my tables were crowded all day long. I had customers from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Needless to say, my sales were excellent. Much better than last month.

When I finally made my way into the gym around noon, there was still a good crowd in there. Most every dealer in the gym reported good sales. The hallway and the Game Room seemed a little light on attendance. I wish folks would visit the dealers in the Hallway and the Game Room. There is some great stuff there and you are missing out!!

Hallway dealers, though, reported good sales. Most of the Game Room dealers were unhappy. I plan on setting up in the Game Room next month and hope to lure more customers into that room. Again, I will be giving away free packs of cards.

I did end up buying some cards but it was really difficult to do since I was crazy busy with Don August then collecting table fee from the dealers. I was at my tables for about an hour. Dave brought me a box cards including some cool 1955 Topps Double Headers. See picture below. Robin brought me a box of 1960 Topps football. Some other guys brought me cards but I was unable to look at them, I just did not have the time.

​Overall, I thought this was a pretty good show. Seemed like we had a nice crowd. Seemed like most dealers had excellent sales. If I could just get dealers to show up and get a few of the babies to stop their whining, this show would be Nirvana!

I had quite a few texts, calls and Facebook messages relating to the show over the weekend, please be patient, I will answer everyone but it may take me a few days. I hope to eliminate some of the lame dealers for the November show and introduce some new dealers off the waiting list.

Looks like I am going to have former Packer Bob Long signing soon. I'll let you know when I get more details.

Up next for me is the show at Rock Church in Rockford, Illinois, next Saturday. I have never set up at this show or at a show in Rockford. I am looking forward to the new experience. I plan on bringing out display cases and filling them up with football cards. If anyone planning to attend the Rock Church show wants me to bring something special, let me know.

I really have to thank everyone who attended the Oak Creek show this past Saturday. It is this consistent and excellent attendance that allows me to be a little more flippant with my rogue dealers than I normally would be. Thank you guys so much! Thanks for reading through my rants! Thanks for spending your hard-earned money at my show! Next show at the Sal is on November 6. I have already started to add new dealers for the Game Room. It should be another great show!

I hope to see everyone in Rockford next week! Cheers!!

Saturday, September 25, 2021, Lake Station VFW, Lake Station, IN

It has been a few years since I last set up at a show in Indiana. I had visited this show once before and I liked what I saw. It is a huge room, lots of dealers, bar with food and drinks.

The promoter Bob does a really great job getting the word out about the show. I saw it listed all over Facebook. I also saw a listing for another show at the same venue and was a little confused. I think others may have been confused as well because attendance was very light. The other show was held just the week before.

Apparently, Bob originally had a partner with this show and the two had a falling out so they split in two and there are now two shows, by different promoters, at the same venue every month. 

I was able to eek out some sales to long-time customers/friends Mike, Howard and the Mantle guy. Not a whole lot of vintage in the room other than my set up. Thus, not a whole lot of vintage buyers -- which benefited me greatly as I purchased a 1966 Topps complete baseball set. So it was a worthwhile venture for me.

There was a large number of dealers at this show and all seemed very friendly. I saw a lot of wax, dime boxes, modern star cards and the like. Some jerseys and other memorabilia as well.

I was able purchase a steady stream of diet Cokes from the bar along with a hot dog. Having food and drink at the show is key for me.

I knew some of the dealers like Eric, Cigar and Karl. I also saw a bunch of people that I knew.

I enjoyed talking to the promoter Bob who grew up at a card shop then worked at one, after his dad sold his shop. Bob currently sells cards full time. I really like this venue, though it is tough drive for me coming down from Northern Illinois through a ton of road construction.

I booked the next show on October 30 and am hoping for better attendance. Seems like Bob's former partner runs his show on the same weekend as Orland, so Bob's show is the better option for me.

I had a really enjoyable day, other than the horrible traffic driving home. Next up is my show at the Salvation Army, 8853 S. Howell, in Oak Creek, WI, on Saturday, October 2, 2021. Former Brewers Pitcher Don August is signing autographs from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Autographs cost $15. I will have some of Don's cards to purchase for $1 each while supplies last.

Hope to see everybody next weekend in Oak Creek!

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.

​