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Sloooooowwwww Weeeeeekeeeeend

6/23/2015

Not much to report from last weekend. I held my show at the Clarion in Milwaukee on Saturday, June 20, 2015. I did not have much of a turn out. As I said before, we are at the height of the graduation season so most folks have something else to do. Though, I have to admit it was a little depressing. I spend a lot of time and money on the show and it is tough to come up empty for my efforts. I am just going to shake it off and work hard for the July 18th show. I am planning an ad in the Milwaukee Journal this time around. The expense is too great for me to do an ad before every show but I will at least have one before the July 18th show. Hopefully the ad brings more people in.

I have a really good group of dealers right now and I hope they all stick with me through the lean times of summer. We have had fairly good attendance up until this past weekend. A card show is only as good as the dealers and customers who attend. So please mark your calendars for Saturday, July 18, 2015, I need all hands on deck.

Things weren’t much better Sunday at the Wilmot Flea Market. There was a nice crowd but not a whole lot of sports card collectors. I’m planning on hitting the Wilmot Flea Market again on Sunday, July 5, 2015. I need to sell a lot more cards to keep attending the flea market.

Next Saturday, June 27, 2015, I am setting up at the American Legion show in Jackson, Michigan. Former Tiger pitcher Dan Petry is slated to sign autographs. I’ve done the Jackson show once before and did not have a particularly good day, even though there was a nice crowd. This does not seem to be a show for vintage set collectors. I may be wasting my time and energy lugging all my binders out to this show. I am trying to think of a creative way to set up for this show. At the last one, I noticed that several dealers seemed to do well by spreading out a couple hundred cards on their tables -- I may go this route. I have a few days to think about it.

On Sunday, June 28, 2015, I am setting up at the Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale, Illinois. It will be nice to be back at an Illinois show. If you are near Jackson, Michigan, on Saturday, or Bloomingdale, Illinois, on Sunday, come out and see me! I need customers!!!!

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Bought A Ton Of Stuff... Again!

6/18/2015

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The last time I set up at the show in Appleton, Wisconsin, I went up there on the Friday before the show and spent the night in a Motel 6. Well, this is a small show and I learned that the dollars aren’t there for hotel expenses. So I sucked it up and woke up at 4 a.m. on Saturday, June 13, 2015, and was out the door by 5 a.m. I made it to the Northland Mall in Appleton at 7:45 a.m.

I had three tables this time and was set up next to a nail salon on my left and dealer Bill Nest on my right. There were a good number of dealers at this show with a nice mix of modern and vintage sports cards, autographs and memorabilia.

My first customer of the day was Mark who was also my first customer when I first attended this show back in April. This time around Mark purchased some 1965 Topps football tallboys. My next customer purchased a 1977 Topps Bruce Sutter rookie and said he was down to just one more card to complete the set. Todd, who I met last time, found a couple of cards for his 1976 Topps set. My next customer was wearing a Brewers hat and purchased some 1951 Bowmans, some 1975 Fleer Football, and some old Sport magazines.

I recently purchased a large collection that included about 500 sports magazines from the 1940s through the 1960s. I made a binder of baseball magazines for this show. There is a ton of stuff in this collection and I will be breaking out some really cool items out all summer long.

The Appleton show was a lot slower this time around which is the norm for all shows in the month of June because of high school and college graduations. Bill left the show early for a graduation party. With nothing doing at my tables around 11 a.m., I went and purchased a to-go box from the Chinese buffet. The food was pretty good.

My first customer after lunch was a Ryne Sandberg fan. I don’t carry cards from the Sandberg era. He was able to find some non-sports cards that he was interested in and purchased all of my 1964 Beatles A Hard Days Night cards. A fellow bald man purchased some 1972 Topps baseball high numbers. Rounding out my day was the guy who collects players from Panama. He purchased 1969 and 1970 Topps Rod Carews and a 1970 Kelloggs Rod Carew.

I met a collector from Niles, Illinois, who was looking for hockey cards. I have three binders of hockey but did not bring them with me because I did not think anyone in Appleton would be interested in hockey cards. Next time I’ll make sure I bring some hockey cards.

I did not buy any cards. Nothing came by my tables. One of the dealers asked me if I was interested in buying some cards but my sales were low and I wanted to go home with a little cash in my pocket.

Unlike last time, when I had customers at my table until 3 p.m., this time around I was packed up and on the road by 2 p.m. It was an easy drive home. I always enjoy the Wisconsin countryside.

I slept in on Sunday, June 14, 2015, and was up at 6 a.m. instead of 4 a.m. I made it to Gonzaga Hall in Milwaukee around 8 a.m. It was humid and hot in the room all day. Someone needs to get Jeff Peterson a fan.

There was a nice crowd at Gonzaga. Packer legend Jerry Kramer was signing autographs and he always brings in a good crowd. My first sale went to a guy collecting 1972 Topps baseball. An older collector purchased some 1964 Philadelphia football cards. A customer wearing a Milwaukee Braves hat purchased some 1969 Topps football. Jeff picked up some 1951 Bowman football.

A customer purchased one of my newly acquired old Sport magazines. The old magazines were a big hit. I made a second binder when I returned from Appleton and they looked really cool on my table. I also filled up two display cases with publications including a 1963 World Series program, a 1953 Milwaukee Braves program, a 1961 Milwaukee Braves yearbook, a 1947 New York Yankees scorecard, a 1956 Chicago White Sox scorecard, and three 1951 Sport Magazines with Joe Dimaggio, Jackie Robinson and Mickey Mantle on the covers. Those display cases looked cool!

Jim, one of my long-time regulars, purchased some 1954 and 1958 Topps baseball. A customer wearing an Arizona State Shirt purchased some 1955 Bowman baseball. I don’t get into the Bears-Packers rivalry that most folks at this show happily participate in. However, I do get into the rivalry between my alma mater the University of Arizona Wildcats and the hated Arizona State Sun Devils. I almost doubled the price of those Bowman cards when I saw that ASU shirt. There is a dealer at this show that played football for ASU. He is a nice guy and never gives me a hard time for attending U of A. I, on the other hand, talk some trash during basketball season. I keep my mouth shut during football season because U of A usually stinks.

My next customer had a generic NCAA shirt with no college logos, just the NCAA logo. He went publication crazy. He purchased a bunch including a really cool 1951 Sport Magazine with Stan Musial on the cover, a 1967 Sport Magazine with Mickey Mantle on the cover and the super awesome 1951 Sport with a young Mickey on the cover. He also purchased some 1969-70 Topps basketball cards. Larry purchased a Sport Magazine from the 1950s with Bob Feller on the cover.

Next up was a collector putting together 1958 and 1963 Topps baseball sets. He found a few at my tables. An autograph hound purchased some 1974 Topps football cards. Jack, another autograph hound, purchased some 1963 Topps baseball cards to get signed. A customer wearing a Camaro T-shirt purchased a 1962 Topps football checklist. An older collector purchased my 1953 Milwaukee Braves program. My next customer purchased some 1972 Topps baseball cards. My last customer of the day purchased some 1966 Topps baseball cards and two publications.

On the buying front, I bought a TON of stuff. Don’t tell my wife! I pretty much spent all the money I made today on cards. I purchased some 1969-70 Topps basketball that included two Bill Bradley rookies, some 1970-71 Topps basketball, some 1961 Fleer Greats of the Game baseball, some 1959 Topps baseball, a pile of assorted football and baseball stars from the 1960s and 1970s, a mixed box of 1970s football and early 1980s football, a 3,000-count box that had a near set of 1976 Topps football along with a large number of 1966 Topps football and assorted other cards including some lower grade stars like a 1958 Topps Willie Mays and several beat up Pete Rose cards from the late 1960s. A really nice haul!!

My sales were a little lower than last month but I definitely purchased a lot more cards than usual. I noticed that there was a larger number of folks than usual coming around selling cards. I turned down a bunch of stuff because the sellers were way too high on their prices. One guy had two binders of Milwaukee Braves cards. At least half of the cards, if not more, were reprints. He also had some cool stuff in there like world series programs and ticket stubs. He wanted $1,600 for everything. I was more like $500. I don't think I could have sold the binders for more than $700. Then at the end of the show, I guy came in with a large box of raw cards that contained graded prices. He was pricing PSA 2s at PSA 5 prices. Needless to say, I took a pass on that collection.

It can be very frustrating buying cards from people who walk into the show with a box or binder. There is all sorts of pricing available online but these folks never consider the actual price that cards sell for. They just look at what a card is listed for on eBay or what it is priced at on the PSA website. The problem is that there are no parameters for pricing a card. Sellers on eBay can price a dollar card at $25 and they often do. To learn what a card actually sells for, you must check the completed auctions for the final sale price -- NOT the listing price.

As a result, most sellers off the street check these listing prices which are often four times what the cards actually sell for. Seems like I turn down cards most every show because the seller is in the stratosphere with his pricing. These guys are never going to be able to sell their cards. I would love to see them get a table and try and sell those cards to the general public at a show with such ridiculous pricing. I saw the guy with the Braves binders and that last seller go home with their cards. If they come back to the show, hopefully they will be more realistic with their pricing.

Overpriced cards aside, it was another enjoyable Gonzaga show this past Sunday. Up next is MY SHOW!!!! Come on out this Saturday, June 20, 2015, at the Clarion, 5311 S. Howell, in Milwaukee. I know a TON of people read this blog. I could really use your support at my show!!!

I just finished reloading my 1959 Topps baseball binder, my 1959 Topps football binder and 1964 Topps Giants baseball. I also plan on creating a binder or two of publications. I am going to make a football publication binder. If there is time, I will make a basketball publication binder. I have lots of new stuff for my display cases as well! Some come one, come all to the Fat Daddy Extravaganza at the Clarion on Saturday!!

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If I Only Drove A Packard Clipper

6/12/2015

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I learned something on Friday morning -- traffic from Chicago to Indianapolis is much more bearable when I leave mid-morning as opposed to the afternoon. I made it to my Motel 6 around 3 p.m. The La Quinta, where the June 6 card show was held, was just up the street. After checking in, I drove around to find a place to eat. Traffic was real heavy. I settled on a Chinese buffet, as usual. Afterwards, I decided I needed a walk so I drove around to try and find a park, mall, retail strip or something interesting where I could walk around. I could not find anything near the La Quinta. There were strip malls, neighborhoods and farms. I am going to have to investigate before my next trip to Indy in August to find a cool place to wander. I spent the evening holed up in my room watching TV.

This was my first time at this particular Motel 6. I've now stayed at three different Motel 6 locations in Indy. This one was noisy the whole night and I did not sleep very well. I am not staying at this place again. I love traveling for shows but I really hate the hotels. I don't think a clean, quiet, and affordable hotel exists in America.

Anyway, on Saturday morning, I stopped at Starbucks for coffee and lemon cake before the show. Once at the La Quinta, I was pleased to see that we were in a bigger room. Unfortunately, my three tables were placed directly across from the Bob. Ugh! Bob was on me like cheese on macaroni. He was flipping through my binders before I had even finished setting up. He messed up my 1952 football binder. I had to take out half the pages and put them back in because he had knocked them loose. He told me not to yell at him.

While I did not yell, I was worried when he started pulling cards because he almost always refuses to pay for them all. I am also suspicious that he is a thief so I watched him closely this time around. As usual, he pulled all sorts of stuff. I gave him a nice price and lo and behold he paid me my price without an argument. He also left real early and I was free from his hassling ways for the rest of the day. I am so thankful that I don't have to see the Bob again till August!

Pictured below are photos from the past Saturday's La Quinta Inn card show in Indianapolis. Click on the photos for a larger view.

Sales seemed to come early and there was a nice crowd which is the norm for this show. Promoter Seth said that when he arrived at 6 a.m. there were customers waiting for him. Crazy! Anyway, it seemed like the Cardinals fans were out en masse on this day unlike my last visit to Indy where everyone seemed to be Reds fans. A customer wearing a Cardinals shirt was my first sale after the Bob and he purchased some 1973 Topps baseball. A new customer purchased some 1971-72 Fleer Globetrotters.

Around 11:30 a.m. the crowd died and it looked like my day was over. An hour later, a rush of new customers came into the room and I was busy again. A regular customer purchased some 1972 and 1966 Topps baseball cards. A new customer purchased some 1970 Topps baseball cards. A father and son team that I met at either the Schaumburg or Hoffman Estates shows in Illinois a few months ago came out to see me after reading this website and seeing that I was setting up in Indy. Thanks guys! They purchased some T205 Cardinals.

I made the mistake of discussing politics and religion with one of my regular customers. He is a republican and I am a democrat. I objected to a couple of choice words he had for me and argued a bit. Realizing that I was heading down the path of no return, I ended the conversation and focused back on cards. I may not agree with your politics but if you like cards, we can always find a common ground.

I noticed that some of my regular customers were missing today like Big Daddy Dave and John. As a result, sales were off. I ended up purchasing a handful of cards from another dealer like a 1958 Topps Don Drysdale, a Hank Aaron Baseball Thrills, a 1963 Topps Yogi Berra, a 1972 Topps Frank Robinson Traded, a 1974 Topps Nolan Ryan and a 1975 Topps Jim Rice rookie.

There was a tremendous selection of vintage cards in the room on this day. Wayne Johnson was set up across from me as usual. He has some really great vintage stuff. A vintage dealer who I met at the Fishers show was also set up. A dealer I had never seen before had a nice display of vintage cards. Brian and Craig Mayne were set up and they carry some nice vintage stuff along with wax and supplies. Terry also has a few vintage cards on his table. I think Indy vintage collectors need to take note that there is more and more vintage at the La Quinta show.

So back when I left the Chicago area on Friday morning, the temperature was cold and in the 50s there. It was 90-plus degrees in the afternoon when I arrived in Indy. It got really hot after the show on Saturday where the temperature was again in the 90s. I think it was still just in the 60s in Chicago. It was tough to adjust to the heat.

Finding the cheapest gasoline is always an adventure when on the road. I have learned to leave a quarter tank of gas in my car when I head to Indiana because gas is always cheaper across the border and I can get there on a quarter tank. The Shell Gas Station next to the La Quinta was selling regular unleaded for just $2.49 a gallon. When I left Chicago, the gas price there was $3.19 a gallon.

Wayne and Walt gave me some excellent direction out of Indy so I could avoid road construction after the show. Thanks guys! It was smooth sailing out of Indianapolis. I hit some construction much further on I70 and I hit a few slow patches. I ended up stopping at a Mickey D's for a couple of burgers. There weren't a whole lot of food options on the drive to St. Louis. It took me about 4 hours.

I was real tired on the drive from not sleeping well the night before but for some reason I woke right up when I got to St. Louis. I need to be alert when driving in St. Louis because my GPS has all sorts of problems every time I go to this town. It got me to the street where my hotel was located but it took me the wrong way. I eventually figured it out and righted the ship. As my car crept up a hill dotted with old motels that time forget, the whole scene went Film Noir.

I don't know if it was the lack of sleep but I drifted into the past and saw the area covered in fog, big cars, zoot suites, hats, cigarettes, cheap alcohol, and crazy jazz. This was the "Wander Inn," see. The kind a place that a fella down on his luck could sink further. There may be a dame or two around but they were only trouble. Johnny law was always hanging around. Many get-rich schemes were hatched at the Wander Inn. Looking around I could see that dreams were shattered and love was lost as time stood still (I think they used a lot of cliches in the 1940s, right?).

I parked my Packard Clipper in front of a building that seemed like the logical place to house an office. Once inside, I was greeted by the scent of mothballs and stale bread. The clerk, shielded behind a thick plate of glass, was busy explaining the rules and regulations to a pair that seemed like they just jumped ship in Havana. I paid the $61 room fee and was handed a key.

Back to the present, I pulled up to my room (pictured above) which looked like a broken down old shed. It was surprisingly clean and comfortable inside. I called up vintage dealer extraordinaire Tony Schaefer and we made plans to meet at a place called Lester's Restaurant. Seth from the La Quinta show also made the trek to St. Louis but he was comfortably in bed when I called and wasn't getting up for nothing. He missed out. Lester's is cool. A bronze statue of Stan Musial sits at the entrance. Inside there is a large bar and a large restaurant. We opted for the restaurant which had plenty of televisions so we could watch Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals. I wasn't all that surprised that the locals were rooting for Tampa Bay.

Lester's is a barbecue place and had a great menu. Tony went with some kind of fried fish thing. I went with the barbecue sampler, pictured below, that had smoked turkey, a quarter chicken and some beef brisket. It was good! This was a good call on Tony's part. I drank a fresh Shlafly's Ale.

For some reason, I thought I remembered how to get back to the Wayside Inn from Lester's. Turned out I was way wrong and quickly got lost. I pulled over and plugged in the GPS which was absolutely no help. It took me in circles. I felt like Chevy Chase in European Vacation where he says "Look kids, Big Ben," over and over as he was stuck driving in a circle. I don't know how long it took me to get back to the Wayside but it sure seemed like a long time. The hockey game was over and the Hawks lost when I finally found the place.

I tried to watch some TV but fell asleep quickly. I woke early without the aid of my alarm. I bid the Wayside farewell around 7 a.m. and figured I'd find a place to eat breakfast on the way to the Orlando Gardens Banquet Hall, the home of the St. Louis card show. The GPS took me through residential areas and there was no place to eat. I decided to explore and eventually found a Krispy Kreme a few miles from the show. Oh those glazed doughnuts right off the rack were oh, so good! Krispy Kreme also has pretty decent coffee.

Back at the Orlando Gardens, I saw Bill who used to set up in Orland years ago. Once set up, Tony came by and purchased a bunch of cards. Thanks Tony! Most everyone in the room was wearing some sort of Cardinals-related item. My first customer was wearing a Cardinals hat and purchased some 1973 Topps baseball. My second customer was wearing a Cardinals shirt and he purchased a 1965 Topps Mike Shannon. There were lots of guys working on Cardinals team sets today.

My next customer had long hair that was dyed pink and wore a hoop in his lower lip. That hoop did not look very comfortable. He purchased a bunch of 1963 Topps. It seems like he is in a band. I wonder if it is anyone I have heard of. Next up was a customer who told me that he is a goalie and still regularly plays hockey. He pulled out a bunch of hockey cards from both of my hockey binders. One thing I've learned over the years is that St. Louis is a hockey town. They love their Blues and are very knowledgeable on the NHL. I always meet a bunch of hockey card collectors. I sold hockey cards to another guy who had on a black T-Shirt from the Hockey Hall of Fame. He also purchased a bunch of stuff from both hockey binders and gave me a hard time for being from Chicago.

Then a customer purchased some 1957 Topps baseball. A customer wearing a Topps T-shirt also purchased some 1957 Topps baseball. I was surprised that my newly reloaded 1958 Topps baseball binder did not get any action today. Next up were a pair of autograph hounds who purchased quite a few old St. Louis Rams cards to get signed.

Randy, who just may have been my very first St. Louis customer four years ago and has purchased cards from me each and every time I have been to St. Louis, bought a bunch of 1970s basketball cards. An older collector purchased some 1952 Bowman baseball cards. A customer working on a 1956 Topps baseball set found quite a few cards at my table. I rounded out my day by chatting with Mike Oberlander, who hails from the same Chicago suburb as I do. We went to high school together. It is always great to see Mike who now lives in St. Louis. Unfortunately, I did not have any of the 1939 Play Ball he needs. Next time Mike!

Then I have to mention this dealer named Mark who I met years ago at the Sun Times show. He annoyed the hell out of me when I first met him and continued to bug me this past weekend in St. Louis. He is a bad dealer. Hardly anyone stopped by his table on this particular day. He spent much of his time trying to pull customers from my table -- a severe jackass move. I gotta say a really cool moment occurred when Mark went up to Randy and tried to get Randy to leave my table and go by his table. Mark started telling Randy about the new cards he picked up. Randy stopped him short and shouted, "Mark, I don't care!" Mark high-tailed it back to his table. Randy was quick to express is dislike of Mark. It was pretty obvious that most folks in the room share the same sentiments when it comes to Mark. Seems like every town has their own Mark or Bob.

Anyway, my sales were excellent so I decided to spread some of the wealth. There were a lot more dealers in the room than my last visit in February. In fact, this was one of the largest shows I have attended all year. Earlier in the day, Tony introduced me to some younger dealers. I saw a stack of 1952 Topps on their table and ended up getting a pretty good deal on them.

This is also an autograph show with at least three guests at each show. I was kind of amazed that Cardinals fans were lining up to get Fergie Jenkins' autograph on this particular day. I was debating on getting Fergie's autograph because he is one of my all-time favorite players. I decided against it because I still have the scorecard he signed for me at a game at Wrigley Field when I was a kid in 1973. Other signers included Ray King, Mike Ramsey and Reed Low. Fergie stopped to look at my table which I thought was really cool.

Pictured below are some photos from this past Sunday's St. Louis show.

When I stepped into the parking lot after the show I was once again greeted by intense heat. I love St. Louis but it is much too hot there in the summer months. Once loaded up, I drove around to find some gas. I paid $2.79 a gallon. Not as cheap as Indianapolis but still cheaper than Chicago.

The drive home was much easier than my last visit to St. Louis when I got stuck in traffic with the huge number of Blackhawks fans that were in town for the Hawks-Blues game. My only issue this time was around Lincoln, Illinois, when I hit torrential downpour and hail. It was scary there for a few minutes. Regardless, I made really good time, under 5 hours which is a record for me.

Next up is Wisconsin mania with the Appleton show on Saturday, June 13, and Gonzaga on Sunday, June 14. I priced 1980-81 Topps hockey, and started working on 1959 Topps baseball which I don't think I will have done in time. I also purchased a tremendous collection recently that was in the works for several months. I now have about 500 or so vintage sports publications. I am going to break some of those out this weekend. I also priced a bunch of cards for my display cases. I will have lots of new stuff!

Also, mark your calendars for the Fat Daddy's Sports Card show which is set for Saturday, June 20, at the Clarion Hotel, 5311 S. Howell, in Milwaukee. I plan on pricing more publications for that show including some Milwaukee Braves scorecards from the early 1950s.

I hope to see a lot of people at the Appleton and Gonzaga shows this weekend. Come on out!

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May Show Roundup and a Farewell To Mike

6/5/2015

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So it has been tough losing my closest friend since age 14 -- that is 34 years of friendship. That's us pictured above in 1992, a few years out of college and road-tripping out west. I appreciate all the kind words. It is going to be real strange going forward without my buddy Mike around.

My last blog was from the Smith & Gordon Show on May 9, 2015. There are some rumors going around that there is some animosity between Mark and I. These rumors are false. Mark and I are good -- he just doesn't want to drive from Detroit to Milwaukee twice a month. He will be an occasional dealer at the show. I'll let everybody know the next one Mark plans to attend. For now, I've renamed the show the Fat Daddy Sports Show. Next one is set for Saturday, June 20, 2015, at the Clarion, 5311 S. Howell, in Milwaukee. I have 8-foot dealer tables available for $25 each. To send me a message, click HERE.

On Sunday, May 10, 2015, I went out to the Wilmot Mountain Flea Market in Wilmot, Wisconsin. I spent a few hours there but never really was able to set up because there was a steady mist and I did not want my cards to get ruined. I lost my $25 table fee. Lesson learned.

On Saturday, May 16, 2015, I trucked down to Indianapolis for the Fishers American Legion Card Show. I spent Friday night in one of the crappiest Motel 6's around. I now know to NEVER stay at the Motel 6 on Shadeland Avenue in Indy. I Pricelined the room for $47. When I arrived at the motel I observed that the regular price was $39. Neither Priceline nor the motel would refund the extra $8 I spent on the room. Can you say RIP OFF! I won't be using Priceline or this motel again.

Anyway, I had a nice show in Fishers, pictured below. My Fisher shows have been regularly starting off with a customer I affectionately refer to as "Stinky" because, he, well, stinks. Nice guy though. If he could just bathe prior to coming to the show. He leaves a foul odor behind. He purchased a bunch of cards out of my 50-cent box and some 1976 Topps football.

A regular customer purchased some 1975 Topps baseball, 1972 Topps baseball, 1967 Topps baseball and some cards out of the 50-cent box. A rather large dude purchased some 1971 and 1973 Topps baseball. A dealer purchased my 1957 Topps Carl Erskine.

Just prior to the show, I sold some cards to Tim on eBay. When I saw the Indiana address, I asked if he wanted to pick up the cards at the show. He did not get back to me so I did not bring the cards. Turns out, he came to the show and paid me for the cards. I sent them out when I got home. He also purchased some 1955 Topps baseball cards at the show. Then he showed me some cards he brought along which were awesome like a 1949 Bowman Satchel Paige rookie and 1953 Topps Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays cards. Cool stuff!

A regular purchased some 1976 Topps baseball cards. A father and son team purchased some 1976 Topps football and 1975-76 Topps basketball. A regular customer purchased all my 1952 Topps baseball. A customer wearing an Indianapolis Colts hat purchased some 1969 Topps Decals. A regular customer purchased a large pile of 1956 and 1977 Topps baseball cards.

Another regular purchased an autographed card of Frank Duffy. A regular customer purchased some 1959 Fleer Ted Williams. A new customer purchased some 1976 and 1977 Topps football. Another new customer purchased some 1965 Topps baseball. Then, as always, there was the Bob. He came by when I was extremely busy and started to pull out 1951 Bowman baseball. He had his collection of '51 Bowmans with him in a binder. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him pull out a large pile of cards. When he was ready to pay, he presented a small pile of cards. So it looked like he stole some cards. I went back into my '51 binder and saw that he put back a bunch of cards in the wrong order. Once again, I had to sort cards after dealing with the Bob. Hopefully, he didn't steal any cards but I am very suspicious. This guy just sucks.

Well, with money in my pocket, I went on a little buying spree. I purchased some 1954 and 1955 Bowman baseball from a customer. I purchased some 1957 and 1958 Topps baseball from another customer. Then I bought some 1965 Topps football tall boys.

Some final observations about this show. I think this was my third Fishers show and it had the smallest crowd to date. The small crowd did not affect my sales. The restaurant was closed again. I was smart enough this time to stop at Mickey D's for breakfast and coffee prior to the show. I can't make the June or July Fishers show but I'll be back for August and September. I'm debating on whether to set up at the October Fishers show because it is the same day as Fort Wayne which is an easier drive, I don't have to get a hotel and there is NO Bob! So, I'll probably set up in Fort Wayne in October and skip Fishers that month. A big thank you to everyone but Bob who purchased cards from me at the May Fishers show. See you folks in August!

On Sunday, May 17, 2015, I was at the tremendous Gonzaga Hall show in Milwaukee. I noticed that customers were lining up early for this one. My usual neighbor PJ was absent and in his place was a modern card dealer I recognize from the Orland Park shows. We had a steady flow of customers all day long. A much larger crowd than last month.

A regular customer got the day going by purchasing a bunch of 1959 Topps baseball cards. Another regular purchased some 1981 Topps football cards. Jim found some 1955 Topps and Bowmans. Jason purchased some T205s, 1955 Bowmans and 1956 Topps baseball. I recently reloaded the 1955 Bowmans and 1956 Topps binders and they saw a lot of action. Mark bought a whole bunch of different items including some 1970 Kellogg's baseball. Thanks Mark!

A regular customer purchased some 1959 Fleer Ted Williams cards. Another customer purchased some 1959 Topps baseball. A regular customer purchased some 1975-76 Topps basketball cards. I am anticipating an increase in basketball card sales because the Milwaukee Bucks are pretty good and with a great young core and a terrific head coach, they should be good for a long time.

Jeff, the ultimate customer, purchased a TON of stuff including 1955 Topps and Bowman baseball, 1956 Topps baseball, 1951 and 1952 Bowman football. Thank you Jeff!! A regular customer purchased my 1953 Johnston Cookies Warren Spahn. I had that card for a while and was really surprised it did not sell sooner. I love the Johnston Cookie cards. I think they are the coolest regional issue around. I currently have some up on eBay -- check them out HERE.

My excellent day continued when a regular customer purchased some 1970 Topps baseball. Another customer named Mark pulled out a bunch of Milwaukee Braves from the 1953 and 1954 Topps sets. He told me that he was buying them to turn them into coasters. An interesting concept. However, Mark wanted them extremely cheap. He was offering less than I paid for them. I think some folks do not realize that even lower grade vintage cards do actually have some value. I cannot buy a card that high books at $30 for the $1 you are offering. I never turn down a reasonable offer... I stress the word REASONABLE. We ended up making a deal on the cards but I really sold them too cheap because Braves cards are very popular and easy to sell in Milwaukee, I really do not need to discount them. Though, sometimes as a dealer, it is hard to turn down a paying customer.

Then a new customer purchased a 1957 Topps Moose Skowron without asking for a discount. Yes! Thank you! Jack purchased a bunch of baseball cards from the 1950s and 1960s to send out for autographs. Rob rounded out my day by purchasing a bunch of baseball cards from the 1970s.

As I was packing up, I noticed two guys standing by the dealer table next to mine. The dealer had packed up all his cards and brought them out to his car. He left a nice display case on his table and walked over and sat down at another dealer table across the room. The two guys, who remind me of characters from the film "American Movie," started to debate on whether the dealer left the display case behind and no longer wanted it. Eventually, they talked themselves into taking the display case. At that point, I interrupted them and informed them that the dealer did not leave the case behind and that he was in fact still in the room. I pointed him out. The guys then emptied their pockets of card holders that they apparently took off the dealer's table and high-tailed it out of the building.

When the dealer returned to his table, I told him that I rescued his case. He claimed he was watching the guys from across the room. My recommendation to dealers at this show or any show is that if you start to pack up your stuff, pack it all up and take it out to the car so the American Movie guys don't swipe your stuff. My recommendation to the American Movie guys is that you NEVER take anything off a table at a card show without paying for it. Dealers NEVER vacate their tables leaving items behind such as display cases and card holders. Those belong to the dealer -- NOT YOU! If you did not purchase it with real U.S. currency, the item is not yours to take. Thank you.

On Saturday, May 23, 2015, I was set up at the Fort Wayne show, pictured below. For some reason, I thought this show starts at 8 a.m. like all the Indy shows. I drove two hours from New Buffalo, Michigan, thinking I was really late. Turns out the show starts at 10 a.m. and I arrived in plenty of time. I had the first three tables when you walk into the room. I was able to get out four display cases and all my binders, except for older football which I left at home.

Barber John was my first customer and he purchased some 1970 Topps baseball. A Bengals fan purchased some 1976 Topps Football. A new customer purchased some 1959 Topps baseball. Mark sent over a younger guy who collects old White Sox. He told me his grandfather is from Chicago and he was raised a White Sox fan. He purchased Minnie Minoso cards from 1956 and 1957 along with assorted White Sox from 1970.

Another customer named John purchased all of my 1948 Leaf boxing cards and all of my 1959 Fleer Ted Williams cards. Thanks John! Another customer purchased a bunch of 1962 Topps baseball. David purchased all of my 1951 Bowman baseball. Bob rounded out my day by purchasing a bunch of 1934-36 Diamond Stars. It turned out to be a pretty good day.

With cash in my pocket once again, I purchased a bunch of 1953 and 1954 Topps baseball cards. To round out the day, I ordered a burger from the hotel restaurant which was terrific. The waitress brought the food into the show for me.

On the way home, I started to take Route 30 west but got frustrated with all the traffic lights and thought I could head north and catch I80. Turns out I80 was much further north than I anticipated and I ended up weaving through endless country roads in northeastern Indiana. I knew I was adding an extra hour to my drive home through this maneuver but did not mind because the scenery was absolutely beautiful. I drove through all sorts of hilly hamlets along hidden lakes and green forests. It was an extremely pleasant drive.

On Sunday, May 24, I decided to skip the flea market. A buddy from Los Angeles was coming into town for Mike's funeral. Mike's family had set up a memorial gathering at the one bar in our hometown of Northbrook, Illinois. It was a real nice event. I saw some folks from high school who I haven't seen in 30 years. Folks packed the bar to toast Mike, a true barfly and a guy who had a positive affect on many people, myself included.

Monday, May 25, 2015, was Mike's funeral. His family had his remains cremated. It is hard to believe that someone with such life and energy is now just dust inside a vase. We drank shots of whiskey at his grave and doused the dirt in alcohol -- which was fitting for Mike. I was incredibly lucky to have had the honor to call him my friend. Farewell buddy!

The best tonic for grief is baseball cards!! For me, pricing cards and reloading binders is a wonderful escape for whatever ales me. I have been posting a ton of stuff on eBay. I finally made it out to the Wilmot Mountain Flea Market on Sunday, May 31, 2015. I skipped setting up at a card show on Saturday, May 30. There was nothing locally. I think the closest show was in Ohio, five hours away.

The flea market is an entirely different animal than card shows. Vendors MUST arrive extremely early or risk all the spots selling out or end up at the far end of the market where no customers are willing to venture. It is key to load up the car the night before. I filled my car with card tables, toys, old clothes, some antiques, toys, and sports cards and sports memorabilia.

I couldn't sleep and gave up around 3 a.m. In zombie mode, I ate some breakfast, showered and put on several layers of clothes because it was cold and damp outside. I was out the door by 5 a.m. The Wilmot Flea Market opens to vendors at 5 a.m. so I was late. I got there are 5:45 a.m. The sky was overcast and I was worried that the sky would open up with rain, even though the "accurate" weatherman said no rain. I think the ugly morning kept the multitudes of vendors away and I was able to get a decent spot.

On one side of me was a couple that took up two spots with items for the ladies like clothes, purses, make up and bras. I have never been one to be overly analytical when it comes to women's undergarments but these were the largest and most colorful bras I have ever seen. I snapped a photo, texted it to my wife and asked if she wanted a fluorescent yellow zebra-pattern triple XD bra. She responded with some instructions as to where I should go and some other choice words of which I will not repeat here.

Set up on the other side, was a classic hustler, chain smoking and trying to sell some sort of sketchy alternative to cable television. He had blonde hair and blues eyes but was impressively adept at speaking Spanish and seemed to focus his efforts on those native to Mexico with the claim that they can watch Mexican TV for free with his system, which requires a yearly fee. The hustler was with a younger lady and he had her scout up front for a spot closer to the entrance. A short while later, they moved to a spot up front -- thankfully.

I wish I had brought more stuff because I could have spread out into the vacated spot. Unfortunately, my van is in the shop and I fit about all I could into the Camry.

It was butt cold in the morning. I had longjohns, two shirts, my winter coat, hat, gloves and boots on and I was still cold. I think the cold kept some customers away because they were slow to arrive.

This is my third season at the Wilmot Flea Market and I have developed some regular customers. Each time, like clockwork, my first customer is an older gentleman who likes absolute junk like 1980s baseball cards. He is a very nice guy and the only guy in the world who buys my 1980s cards. The only problem is that he is a chain smoker, which seems to be a prerequisite for attending the flea market. I hate cigarettes and get really nervous when someone has a cigarette dangling from their mouth just a foot or so above my easily damageable cardboard sports cards. I don't think he dropped an ash onto my cards but it sure was a close call there for a while. He bought my 1988 Topps baseball set, a 1990 Score Football set, and some old screwdown card holders. Except for the cigarettes, I love this guy!

Another regular at the flea market is a lady who collects Chicago Bulls cards from the 1970s. She found a bunch at my table. Then Don came out to see me. He first drove down to Wolff's in Rosemont and hung out with Dan Salemme, a sports card dealer and flea market veteran. Don picked up a bunch of 1970s ABA cards from me. It was also nice to have him watch my table so I could take a bathroom break. Thanks Don. Then Kevin came out to see me and purchased most of my 1933 Tattoo Orbits. Thanks Kevin!!

I sold some cards to a guy who has a thrift shop. I also sold some cards to another flea market vendor. The rest of my sales were toys, comics and antiques. It turned out to be a pretty good day. The weather even warmed up and by the end of the day my face and neck were sun burnt.

I'm heading down to Indy today for Seth Murray's show at the La Quinta on Saturday, June 6, 2015. After Seth's show, I'm trucking to St. Louis for the Orlando Gardens show. I'm hopeful, I can catch Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals. I'm staying near the Orlando Gardens banquet hall. If any St. Louis folks have any suggestions as to where to catch the game, please let me know.

I just finished reloading my 1958 Topps baseball binder and am looking forward to the shows this weekend. One final note on my buddy Mike. He drank heavily, smoked filterless cigarettes, did not eat right and never exercised -- a recipe for death. Life is too precious to piss it away. I know I am going to take better care of myself and I hope everyone that reads my blog reevaluates and decides to cut out the drinking, smoking and sedentary lifestyle. Hell, maybe some of us fat guys need to start getting some pick-up basketball games together after the shows. Stay healthy!! Be healthy!!!

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