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!!!
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!!!
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