Sunday, March 10, 2013, Gonzaga Hall, Milwaukee, WI -- Please click the video above for the perfect background music to accompany this intriguing and compelling baseball card show blog.
I was up late the night before the show, pricing 1952 Topps. Then at midnight, it was time to "spring ahead" with the yearly spring time change. I ended up losing an hour. I was TIRED in the morning and was slow getting out the door. I was counting on everyone else sleeping in a bit because of the time change. No such luck. There was an early crowd as usual.
But before I could get to the show, I had to sleepily drive through some treacherous weather. I think for the first time ever, I made it through the winter without a snowstorm prohibiting my travel to a card show. Though, the March 10 Gonzaga show was a close call because of extremely dense fog coupled with freezing rain. The fog grew thicker and thicker as I drove north on Interstate 94. I held my breath at times because visibility was down to 25 feet or less in some spots. I was tempted to pull over. I kept thinking of those 50-car pile-ups you read about occurring on some random North Dakota highway. If one car stopped in front of me, I'd never know and smash right into it. Thankfully, I arrived in Milwaukee in one piece, though a little shaken.
I was up late the night before the show, pricing 1952 Topps. Then at midnight, it was time to "spring ahead" with the yearly spring time change. I ended up losing an hour. I was TIRED in the morning and was slow getting out the door. I was counting on everyone else sleeping in a bit because of the time change. No such luck. There was an early crowd as usual.
But before I could get to the show, I had to sleepily drive through some treacherous weather. I think for the first time ever, I made it through the winter without a snowstorm prohibiting my travel to a card show. Though, the March 10 Gonzaga show was a close call because of extremely dense fog coupled with freezing rain. The fog grew thicker and thicker as I drove north on Interstate 94. I held my breath at times because visibility was down to 25 feet or less in some spots. I was tempted to pull over. I kept thinking of those 50-car pile-ups you read about occurring on some random North Dakota highway. If one car stopped in front of me, I'd never know and smash right into it. Thankfully, I arrived in Milwaukee in one piece, though a little shaken.
Pictured above is a photo I took just past the Illinois/Wisconsin border. This is at about 7:30 a.m. The fog became much thicker as I drove on. Thanks to the weather, turn out was lighter than usual. Surprisingly, quite a few folks drove up from Illinois. I have a regular Illinois customer who collects ABA cards. He usually drives up to the Wisconsin shows. Today he found some 1975-76 Topps ABA cards. Do you remember my last Serb Hall blog where I met Al Bundy? Well, lo and behold, Al showed up at my table early today to pick up those 1955 Bowman umpire cards he said were too expensive. I kind of wish I didn't have them. It would serve him right. I don't respond well to folks who try to bully me. This guy is pure aggravation. After he purchased the Bowmans, he asked me if I would sell him 1965 Topps high numbers, which book at $8 a piece, for just 75 cents a piece. I politely declined.
Other than Al, I had no problems with anyone at this show (sorry Ted). Even the folks watching the auction today did not block my tables from paying customers. After dealing with Al, I had to go get a piece of cake to put me in a better mood. My buddy Dave had the red velvet today. I went with the marble.
I priced out some Red Man's for the show today. I've had a small group sitting around for a while and I thought it was high time to get them out. Well, I won't be bringing Red Man's out any time soon because I sold almost all of them. I love the Red Man's. They are over-size cards with the players depicted in a painting, much like the paintings in the 1953 Topps baseball. They're really cool and you just don't see them around that often.
A new customer purchased a 1953 Red Man Warren Spahn. He was eyeing some others and came back later in the show only to find them gone. Steve then purchased some 1972 Topps football. Jim picked up some 1952 Topps and some 1953 Topps, including a Carl Furillo. Jim also bought me a cup of coffee. Thanks Jim! A regular customer picked up some 1933 Goudeys. Jason pulled a bunch of cards out of my 1970s' binders. Jeff picked up some 1953 Topps, 1954 Bowmans and some 1975 Minis.
Then I had a bit of a rush where sales were happening quickly and I couldn't write them all down. Here is what I was able to jot down: a regular pulled some cards out of my $1 box. Another regular purchased some 1968s and 1972s. Mark picked up a small box of non-sport cards called World on Wheels. I picked up the cards a month ago with Mark in mind. He also purchased an assortment of 1950s baseball. Thanks Mark! A new customer purchased a 1976 Topps Fred Lynn. Then Keith bought three boxes of Somoas, the ever-tasty coconut Girl Scout Cookies. Thanks Keith! My daughter is selling Girl Scout cookies again. Keith, who is one of the coolest card show promoter around, emailed me earlier in the week and offered a table in the front hallway for my daughter to sell cookies. Her troop had set up at a restaurant the day before. There was no way I could wake her up to sell again. So I put out a few cookies at my tables. I think I sell more cookies at the shows than the troop does at their "Sight Sales." Did I say how cool a guy Keith is? He also gave me some Easter goodie bags for my kids. The kids were pretty happy when I pulled those things out when I got home.
But before I went home, I made a few more sales. Gary purchased a 1955 Topps Yogi Berra. A new customer pulled some cards from my quarter box. Another new customer purchased some 1960 Topps. A regular customer purchased some 1952 Topps. A regular customer purchased a 1974-75 Topps Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Bill rounded out my day by purchasing some Girl Scout cookies. Thanks Bill!
On the buying front, a guy came to my table with a pair of 1978 Topps Eddie Murray rookie cards. He wanted just $10 a piece for them, which isn't a bad price, but I already have a dozen or so Eddie Murray rookies in stock. I just don't need any more at any price. Then I purchased 12,000 or so cards in binders and a shoe box full of stuff. Thanks Del and Jeff! The cards are mostly from the 1970s and I plan on building a whole bunch of sets. It was tough getting all those cards into my car after the show. The drive home was just as scary as the drive to the show with dense fog, freezing rain.
I'm still behind on the blogs. I have a bunch more on the way. My next show is Serb Hall on Sunday, April 7. I plan on pricing about a dozen or so T206s I recently purchased. I know I have a few T206 collectors at the Serb Hall show. Hopefully, there isn't any fog on Sunday!!
Below is a short video from the show. There is also a picture of the binders I purchased.
Other than Al, I had no problems with anyone at this show (sorry Ted). Even the folks watching the auction today did not block my tables from paying customers. After dealing with Al, I had to go get a piece of cake to put me in a better mood. My buddy Dave had the red velvet today. I went with the marble.
I priced out some Red Man's for the show today. I've had a small group sitting around for a while and I thought it was high time to get them out. Well, I won't be bringing Red Man's out any time soon because I sold almost all of them. I love the Red Man's. They are over-size cards with the players depicted in a painting, much like the paintings in the 1953 Topps baseball. They're really cool and you just don't see them around that often.
A new customer purchased a 1953 Red Man Warren Spahn. He was eyeing some others and came back later in the show only to find them gone. Steve then purchased some 1972 Topps football. Jim picked up some 1952 Topps and some 1953 Topps, including a Carl Furillo. Jim also bought me a cup of coffee. Thanks Jim! A regular customer picked up some 1933 Goudeys. Jason pulled a bunch of cards out of my 1970s' binders. Jeff picked up some 1953 Topps, 1954 Bowmans and some 1975 Minis.
Then I had a bit of a rush where sales were happening quickly and I couldn't write them all down. Here is what I was able to jot down: a regular pulled some cards out of my $1 box. Another regular purchased some 1968s and 1972s. Mark picked up a small box of non-sport cards called World on Wheels. I picked up the cards a month ago with Mark in mind. He also purchased an assortment of 1950s baseball. Thanks Mark! A new customer purchased a 1976 Topps Fred Lynn. Then Keith bought three boxes of Somoas, the ever-tasty coconut Girl Scout Cookies. Thanks Keith! My daughter is selling Girl Scout cookies again. Keith, who is one of the coolest card show promoter around, emailed me earlier in the week and offered a table in the front hallway for my daughter to sell cookies. Her troop had set up at a restaurant the day before. There was no way I could wake her up to sell again. So I put out a few cookies at my tables. I think I sell more cookies at the shows than the troop does at their "Sight Sales." Did I say how cool a guy Keith is? He also gave me some Easter goodie bags for my kids. The kids were pretty happy when I pulled those things out when I got home.
But before I went home, I made a few more sales. Gary purchased a 1955 Topps Yogi Berra. A new customer pulled some cards from my quarter box. Another new customer purchased some 1960 Topps. A regular customer purchased some 1952 Topps. A regular customer purchased a 1974-75 Topps Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Bill rounded out my day by purchasing some Girl Scout cookies. Thanks Bill!
On the buying front, a guy came to my table with a pair of 1978 Topps Eddie Murray rookie cards. He wanted just $10 a piece for them, which isn't a bad price, but I already have a dozen or so Eddie Murray rookies in stock. I just don't need any more at any price. Then I purchased 12,000 or so cards in binders and a shoe box full of stuff. Thanks Del and Jeff! The cards are mostly from the 1970s and I plan on building a whole bunch of sets. It was tough getting all those cards into my car after the show. The drive home was just as scary as the drive to the show with dense fog, freezing rain.
I'm still behind on the blogs. I have a bunch more on the way. My next show is Serb Hall on Sunday, April 7. I plan on pricing about a dozen or so T206s I recently purchased. I know I have a few T206 collectors at the Serb Hall show. Hopefully, there isn't any fog on Sunday!!
Below is a short video from the show. There is also a picture of the binders I purchased.
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