Tuesday & Wednesday, July 29 & 30, 2025, The National Sports Collectors Convention, Rosemont, Illinois
I worked tirelessly for several months pricing cards in preparation for the National. When Dave fell ill in June, I knew I was going to have a lot more space. I priced and priced cards, worried I would not have enough cards to fill the 20-plus display cases I planned to bring to the National.
I gave up pricing cards on Sunday night and just chilled out on Monday. I arrived at the Stephens Center around 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. I was able to drive into the building and get about 30 feet away from my booth. Unloading the car was a breeze.
I wandered around the building to find the booth where I could obtain my badges and parking pass. My initial observation was that this year's show was absolutely huge. I ran into Tony Schaefer in the main room. He had a nice spot. Tony directed me to the proper booth for the badges.
I had two booths this year in the exact same location I was in during the 2023 National in Rosemont. I took 3/4 of the booth and gave 1/4 to my buddy Scott Ziegert, who I needed to help watch the booth.
In the months leading up to the National, tons and tons of people asked to share my space as National booths are extremely difficult to acquire these days. I probably would have given out some space had not a new management group arrived last year and placed some new rules including a ban on sharing space. I don't want to lose my booth, so I am not sharing with anybody but Scott. Turns out I needed all the extra space anyway!
I basically laid out both booths the same way Dave and I had our one booth in Cleveland last year. I had 16 feet of table space along one aisle then I made a U in another aisle allowing for another 23-feet of space. I brought out 20 display cases on Tuesday then saw I had space for more, so I brought out four more cases on Wednesday, for a total of 24 display cases.
I was amazed that I was able to fill all 24 cases with vintage cards. I actually could have filled 27 or 28 cases because I was initially unable to get all of my cards out. I find that it is better to overprepare than underprepare.
I spent most of Tuesday cleaning my display cases and inserting the cards. I was really happy with my set up but knew it was going to be awfully strange to set up without Dave. We have been setting up at the National together since 2008. He was like a security blanket. I was seriously uncomfortable without him there.
I was up bright and early Wednesday morning to meet my pal Al Lavine, who had signed on to help me for the first day of the National. As has become my tradition on the first day of the National, I stopped off at Chicago Bagel & Bialys in Wheeling, Illinois, for some corned beef sandwiches.
We parked in the Stephens Center parking lot and made the long trek to my booth. I essentially have the last booth in the building but it worked out great in 2023 because folks arriving from the parking garage were funneled down an escalator near by booth.
Unfortunately, no such luck this year and the crowds near my booth were noticeably lighter than last year... which worked out great. It was nice to have breathing space all week as plenty of buyers still found my booth and sales far exceeded expectations.
Upon arrival at the booth Wednesday. I sat down and ate my sandwich while Al took off to roam the show.
We had some down time until the VIPs were allowed entry around 3 p.m. I took my time setting up the booth, as I had locked everything away the night before.
Sharing the other side from my two booths was a large group from Texas. In the aisle across the way was a dealer I recognized from 2023 who had a bunch of sealed wax in tall display cases. Then on another side was a group with a mix of modern and vintage. On the other side was a group with modern. Just past the group from Texas was the autograph pavilion.
Scott texted me around noon and I went out to the front of the building to hand over his badges to his dad Jim. On my way back in, I saw a customer I knew from Boston, who I met at the Strongsville show. I gave him my booth number and he soon arrived ready to buy. He pulled out a bunch of cards and started my show off right! It was nice to have a little cash kitty long before the VIP's entered the show.
Then one of the modern card dealers from Texas gave me a nice deal on a 1957 Topps Frank Robinson rookie and a Rocky Colavito rookie. Boston guy was still at my booth and drooling over my purchases. Down dog, down!
I had a steady group of customers up until the VIP's arrived and sales were strong up until 8 p.m. Al came back at 3 p.m. when things were light. I told him I did not need him until 4 p.m. Turned out that I really needed him at 4 p.m. as I was much busier than expected.
Last year in Cleveland, sales were really light on the first day. What a difference a year makes. I was extremely busy and had excellent sales. Also, I observed that the air conditioning worked splendidly unlike 2023 when the place was a smelly sweat box.
I saw lots of folks I knew and it was fun to chat. Tim Payne was set up near by. I saw former ESPN reporter Bill Simmons walk by. Maybe if I wore a Celtics jersey he would have stopped at my booth.
Al and I were exhausted at 8 p.m. when the show closed for the night. I locked everything up and we made our way to the parking garage, walking with a huge crowd. When we finally made it to my car, I was barely able to pull into the crazy long line to exit the building. We sat in my car a good 40 minutes and only moved about five feet. We decided to park and go get something to eat in the square behind the parking garage that is filled with restaurants.
I parked a few feet away from where I initially parked that morning and we walked in the heat and humidity to the square. Once in the square it started to rain. We went from restaurant to restaurant and none had any tables available. Ugh!
We went back to the parking garage and observed the line to exit had reduced considerably. We hopped back into my car and were on the road to my house in about 20 minutes.
We were exhausted!
I was hungry. Al didn't want to stop for food. So we just went to my house and he drove off back to Milwaukee. I munched on some leftovers and passed out.
Day 1 complete!
I worked tirelessly for several months pricing cards in preparation for the National. When Dave fell ill in June, I knew I was going to have a lot more space. I priced and priced cards, worried I would not have enough cards to fill the 20-plus display cases I planned to bring to the National.
I gave up pricing cards on Sunday night and just chilled out on Monday. I arrived at the Stephens Center around 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. I was able to drive into the building and get about 30 feet away from my booth. Unloading the car was a breeze.
I wandered around the building to find the booth where I could obtain my badges and parking pass. My initial observation was that this year's show was absolutely huge. I ran into Tony Schaefer in the main room. He had a nice spot. Tony directed me to the proper booth for the badges.
I had two booths this year in the exact same location I was in during the 2023 National in Rosemont. I took 3/4 of the booth and gave 1/4 to my buddy Scott Ziegert, who I needed to help watch the booth.
In the months leading up to the National, tons and tons of people asked to share my space as National booths are extremely difficult to acquire these days. I probably would have given out some space had not a new management group arrived last year and placed some new rules including a ban on sharing space. I don't want to lose my booth, so I am not sharing with anybody but Scott. Turns out I needed all the extra space anyway!
I basically laid out both booths the same way Dave and I had our one booth in Cleveland last year. I had 16 feet of table space along one aisle then I made a U in another aisle allowing for another 23-feet of space. I brought out 20 display cases on Tuesday then saw I had space for more, so I brought out four more cases on Wednesday, for a total of 24 display cases.
I was amazed that I was able to fill all 24 cases with vintage cards. I actually could have filled 27 or 28 cases because I was initially unable to get all of my cards out. I find that it is better to overprepare than underprepare.
I spent most of Tuesday cleaning my display cases and inserting the cards. I was really happy with my set up but knew it was going to be awfully strange to set up without Dave. We have been setting up at the National together since 2008. He was like a security blanket. I was seriously uncomfortable without him there.
I was up bright and early Wednesday morning to meet my pal Al Lavine, who had signed on to help me for the first day of the National. As has become my tradition on the first day of the National, I stopped off at Chicago Bagel & Bialys in Wheeling, Illinois, for some corned beef sandwiches.
We parked in the Stephens Center parking lot and made the long trek to my booth. I essentially have the last booth in the building but it worked out great in 2023 because folks arriving from the parking garage were funneled down an escalator near by booth.
Unfortunately, no such luck this year and the crowds near my booth were noticeably lighter than last year... which worked out great. It was nice to have breathing space all week as plenty of buyers still found my booth and sales far exceeded expectations.
Upon arrival at the booth Wednesday. I sat down and ate my sandwich while Al took off to roam the show.
We had some down time until the VIPs were allowed entry around 3 p.m. I took my time setting up the booth, as I had locked everything away the night before.
Sharing the other side from my two booths was a large group from Texas. In the aisle across the way was a dealer I recognized from 2023 who had a bunch of sealed wax in tall display cases. Then on another side was a group with a mix of modern and vintage. On the other side was a group with modern. Just past the group from Texas was the autograph pavilion.
Scott texted me around noon and I went out to the front of the building to hand over his badges to his dad Jim. On my way back in, I saw a customer I knew from Boston, who I met at the Strongsville show. I gave him my booth number and he soon arrived ready to buy. He pulled out a bunch of cards and started my show off right! It was nice to have a little cash kitty long before the VIP's entered the show.
Then one of the modern card dealers from Texas gave me a nice deal on a 1957 Topps Frank Robinson rookie and a Rocky Colavito rookie. Boston guy was still at my booth and drooling over my purchases. Down dog, down!
I had a steady group of customers up until the VIP's arrived and sales were strong up until 8 p.m. Al came back at 3 p.m. when things were light. I told him I did not need him until 4 p.m. Turned out that I really needed him at 4 p.m. as I was much busier than expected.
Last year in Cleveland, sales were really light on the first day. What a difference a year makes. I was extremely busy and had excellent sales. Also, I observed that the air conditioning worked splendidly unlike 2023 when the place was a smelly sweat box.
I saw lots of folks I knew and it was fun to chat. Tim Payne was set up near by. I saw former ESPN reporter Bill Simmons walk by. Maybe if I wore a Celtics jersey he would have stopped at my booth.
Al and I were exhausted at 8 p.m. when the show closed for the night. I locked everything up and we made our way to the parking garage, walking with a huge crowd. When we finally made it to my car, I was barely able to pull into the crazy long line to exit the building. We sat in my car a good 40 minutes and only moved about five feet. We decided to park and go get something to eat in the square behind the parking garage that is filled with restaurants.
I parked a few feet away from where I initially parked that morning and we walked in the heat and humidity to the square. Once in the square it started to rain. We went from restaurant to restaurant and none had any tables available. Ugh!
We went back to the parking garage and observed the line to exit had reduced considerably. We hopped back into my car and were on the road to my house in about 20 minutes.
We were exhausted!
I was hungry. Al didn't want to stop for food. So we just went to my house and he drove off back to Milwaukee. I munched on some leftovers and passed out.
Day 1 complete!
Pictured above is my booth on Tuesday afternoon during set up. I was able to park my car next to that white van on the right to unload. The guys from Texas, who would later set up to the right, had not yet arrived.
Pictured above is my booth on Wednesday afternoon, waiting for the VIPs to arrive. That is Scott in the middle of the picture wearing the red shirt.
The show began to heat up shortly after general admission folks were allowed in after 4 p.m. I was much busier this year than last and unable to walk the show. I only left my booth for a few bathroom breaks. I had a really nice first day of the National.
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