Sunday, February 17, 2013, Gonzaga Hall, Milwaukee, WI -- Well, I've fallen behind again on the blog. As I write this, today is Feb. 24 and I attended the Orland show. That blog is in the hopper and I hope to get it done this week. I'm also watching the Oscars while I write this. Being a fan of anything and everything vintage, I really enjoyed watching Shirley Bassey sing "Goldfinger" and seeing Christopher Plummer. I even liked Babs singing "Memories." It was nice to see a noted vintage sports card collector, Seth MacFarlane, hosting the Oscars. Another random note about MacFarlane, he grew up in New England, near my wife's family. My brother in-law was Seth's 5th Grade teacher.
Anyway, I attended the Gonzaga show last weekend and it was jam packed. Keith, the head of the Wisconsin Sports Collectors Association, the promoters of the show, told me that the week before the show they gave out more than 1,000 flyers at "Brewers On Deck," the team festival celebrating the Brewers. I am very appreciative of Keith and Mike and everyone at the WSCA, these guys do a top-notch job. The extra effort really shows.
I was greeted this morning by Dave Horshack, who has been absent for a few months. Dave told me he was preparing for Brewers on Deck. Dave sells Brewers and Packers photos along with bobbleheads. His photos are tremendous. It was nice having Dave back and we fell into our usual routine of discussing cake. I shouldn't eat cake being diabetic an all but I can't resist the freshly baked cake served at the Gonzaga show.
The show filled up fast today and I had a crowd in front of my tables watching the auction. Customers had to fight through to see my display cases. I probably lost some sales because of the auction watchers blocking portions of my tables. I know I've said this before, but I'd really like to see the auction moved to another room. Other than the auction, this is a tremendous show.
I sold a few cards today. A regular got things going with a purchase of some 1975 Topps baseball including a Nolan Ryan. Another regular picked up some 1971s. Then I had a regular customer purchase some 1976 Topps baseball. A new customer purchased some 1964 Philadelphia football. A regular customer purchased some 1961 and 1968 Topps baseball. Jim, who always buys me a cup of coffee (Thanks Jim!), picked up some 1952 Topps.
A regular customer purchased some 1978 Topps baseball. Jeff picked up a big pile of 1975 minis. I reloaded the '75 Mini binder just a few weeks ago and it is already empty. Jason purchased some 1971 Topps baseball. A regular found some cards in my dollar box. Then the rush hit and sales came quick and I couldn't write them down. Here's the few things I was able to write down when the smoke cleared: Jeff picked up a 1970-71 Lou Alcindor. A regular customer, who I have been seeing the last several weeks in Illinois, took my advice and drove up to Gonzaga and purchased some 1959 Topps baseball. He said he really liked the show and was glad he made the drive.
Another regular customer, who a few months ago commented that I look like Ryan Braun, pulled out a photo of Braun and you know what? I agree, I kind of look like Ryan Braun. Pictured below is Braun on the left, me on the right.
Anyway, I attended the Gonzaga show last weekend and it was jam packed. Keith, the head of the Wisconsin Sports Collectors Association, the promoters of the show, told me that the week before the show they gave out more than 1,000 flyers at "Brewers On Deck," the team festival celebrating the Brewers. I am very appreciative of Keith and Mike and everyone at the WSCA, these guys do a top-notch job. The extra effort really shows.
I was greeted this morning by Dave Horshack, who has been absent for a few months. Dave told me he was preparing for Brewers on Deck. Dave sells Brewers and Packers photos along with bobbleheads. His photos are tremendous. It was nice having Dave back and we fell into our usual routine of discussing cake. I shouldn't eat cake being diabetic an all but I can't resist the freshly baked cake served at the Gonzaga show.
The show filled up fast today and I had a crowd in front of my tables watching the auction. Customers had to fight through to see my display cases. I probably lost some sales because of the auction watchers blocking portions of my tables. I know I've said this before, but I'd really like to see the auction moved to another room. Other than the auction, this is a tremendous show.
I sold a few cards today. A regular got things going with a purchase of some 1975 Topps baseball including a Nolan Ryan. Another regular picked up some 1971s. Then I had a regular customer purchase some 1976 Topps baseball. A new customer purchased some 1964 Philadelphia football. A regular customer purchased some 1961 and 1968 Topps baseball. Jim, who always buys me a cup of coffee (Thanks Jim!), picked up some 1952 Topps.
A regular customer purchased some 1978 Topps baseball. Jeff picked up a big pile of 1975 minis. I reloaded the '75 Mini binder just a few weeks ago and it is already empty. Jason purchased some 1971 Topps baseball. A regular found some cards in my dollar box. Then the rush hit and sales came quick and I couldn't write them down. Here's the few things I was able to write down when the smoke cleared: Jeff picked up a 1970-71 Lou Alcindor. A regular customer, who I have been seeing the last several weeks in Illinois, took my advice and drove up to Gonzaga and purchased some 1959 Topps baseball. He said he really liked the show and was glad he made the drive.
Another regular customer, who a few months ago commented that I look like Ryan Braun, pulled out a photo of Braun and you know what? I agree, I kind of look like Ryan Braun. Pictured below is Braun on the left, me on the right.
Let's see, my notes are really bad for this show. Jason picked up some 1976 Topps baseball. A new customer purchased some 1958 Topps baseball. Another new customer purchased some '58s, including an Eddie Mathews and Warren Spahn All Star. A regular customer purchased some 1959 Topps baseball, including the Keystone Combo with Nellie Fox and Luis Aparicio, a Jim Bunning and a Richie Ashburn. A regular customer purchased some 1961 Topps baseball. A dealer pulled some cards out of my dollar box. A regular purchased a nice group of 1950 Bowman baseball. A new customer purchased some 1958 Topps baseball. A regular customer purchased some 1965 Topps baseball.
Then there was Bob... I have never met Bob before but apparently he is well-known in Milwaukee and has been around forever. Jim told me he is a flea market guy. My first-impression of Bob is that of a Depression-era hobo, sort of like Jackie Gleason's hobo character. Bob should have been wearing an old thrift store suit, beat-up Clark Kent hat, clown shoes and smoking a big cigar. When Bob saw my dime box, he stopped dead in his tracks. I had the box on the far corner of my tables, behind my dollar and quarter boxes. Instead of leaning over and going through the box like everyone else, he attempted to walk behind my table. The problem here is that Bob is a bit rotund and he knocked over a bunch of stuff on my neighbor Ken's table. I helped Ken pick up his stuff from the floor, he was good natured about it. I fetched Bob a chair and he planted himself behind my table and at the backside of the dime box.
Bob started cracking jokes that went over my head. He had a straight man with him, I think he called him Tom. I just didn't understand their banter. Anyway, Bob right away asks for a discount. Usually, I don't mind discounting cards but this is my DIME box. The cards cost just a freakin' dime! How much more of a discount can I give? Bob says he'll buy several hundred. So, I say I'll give him a discount. But he doesn't seem to believe me or he senses my reluctance and starts pulling out cards and pointing out flaws. My response: "You're pulling out cards from 1966 that book at $3. Even with a crease, I think a dime for a $3 card from 1966 is a fair price." Bob just makes more jokes that go over my head and throws in some banter with Tom.
After a long while, a lot of banter back and forth, Bob pulls about 500 cards. At a dime a piece, that's 50 bucks. Bob offers $15. I start counting up the cards. That sends him into a tizzy. He's giving me all sorts of hobo talk. He did not like me counting up the cards. He wanted a price right there and then. I tried to ignore him and continued counting cards. I counted 300 out of the pile of cards and gave up. I told him he could have all the cards for $25. He took the deal and gave me a crumpled up $20 bill and a fiver. That was the hardest 25 bucks I have ever worked for at a card show. Whew!
On the buying front -- nothing. Nobody brought me ANY cards!! Last month, I left the show with a treasure trove of stuff. Nothing today. Come on Milwaukee, I want to buy your vintage cards!! Bring some stuff in!!!
On the way home, I stopped off at the Brat Stop and ate some wings and a brat. That food was good! I may have to make the Brat Stop a regular stop off on the way home.
I don't have any photos of today's show for the blog. I actually took some video on my new iPhone 4. You can get the 4 from AT&T for just a penny. After the show, I let my wife load some apps onto the phone and I think she accidentally erased my video. I'll try and take some video at the March Gonzaga show.
I'd like to give a shout-out to Terry from Cincinnati who sent me a message that he enjoys my blog and would like to check out these Milwaukee and Chicago shows that I write about. Terry also said they have nice shows in Cincinnati. I'd like to hit a Cincinnati show one of these days. Thanks Terry for the kind words!
As previously stated, I attended Orland and will have a blog this week. Next week, I'm back in Milwaukee for the Serb Hall show on March 3. We're in the bar for this one and I'll only have two tables. Bill was telling me that PJ got drunk last time we were in the bar. If I lived closer, I'd get drunk too!!
A big thank you to everyone at Gonzaga today. Nice show! I'm looking forward to Serb Hall! Who is buying the drinks?
Then there was Bob... I have never met Bob before but apparently he is well-known in Milwaukee and has been around forever. Jim told me he is a flea market guy. My first-impression of Bob is that of a Depression-era hobo, sort of like Jackie Gleason's hobo character. Bob should have been wearing an old thrift store suit, beat-up Clark Kent hat, clown shoes and smoking a big cigar. When Bob saw my dime box, he stopped dead in his tracks. I had the box on the far corner of my tables, behind my dollar and quarter boxes. Instead of leaning over and going through the box like everyone else, he attempted to walk behind my table. The problem here is that Bob is a bit rotund and he knocked over a bunch of stuff on my neighbor Ken's table. I helped Ken pick up his stuff from the floor, he was good natured about it. I fetched Bob a chair and he planted himself behind my table and at the backside of the dime box.
Bob started cracking jokes that went over my head. He had a straight man with him, I think he called him Tom. I just didn't understand their banter. Anyway, Bob right away asks for a discount. Usually, I don't mind discounting cards but this is my DIME box. The cards cost just a freakin' dime! How much more of a discount can I give? Bob says he'll buy several hundred. So, I say I'll give him a discount. But he doesn't seem to believe me or he senses my reluctance and starts pulling out cards and pointing out flaws. My response: "You're pulling out cards from 1966 that book at $3. Even with a crease, I think a dime for a $3 card from 1966 is a fair price." Bob just makes more jokes that go over my head and throws in some banter with Tom.
After a long while, a lot of banter back and forth, Bob pulls about 500 cards. At a dime a piece, that's 50 bucks. Bob offers $15. I start counting up the cards. That sends him into a tizzy. He's giving me all sorts of hobo talk. He did not like me counting up the cards. He wanted a price right there and then. I tried to ignore him and continued counting cards. I counted 300 out of the pile of cards and gave up. I told him he could have all the cards for $25. He took the deal and gave me a crumpled up $20 bill and a fiver. That was the hardest 25 bucks I have ever worked for at a card show. Whew!
On the buying front -- nothing. Nobody brought me ANY cards!! Last month, I left the show with a treasure trove of stuff. Nothing today. Come on Milwaukee, I want to buy your vintage cards!! Bring some stuff in!!!
On the way home, I stopped off at the Brat Stop and ate some wings and a brat. That food was good! I may have to make the Brat Stop a regular stop off on the way home.
I don't have any photos of today's show for the blog. I actually took some video on my new iPhone 4. You can get the 4 from AT&T for just a penny. After the show, I let my wife load some apps onto the phone and I think she accidentally erased my video. I'll try and take some video at the March Gonzaga show.
I'd like to give a shout-out to Terry from Cincinnati who sent me a message that he enjoys my blog and would like to check out these Milwaukee and Chicago shows that I write about. Terry also said they have nice shows in Cincinnati. I'd like to hit a Cincinnati show one of these days. Thanks Terry for the kind words!
As previously stated, I attended Orland and will have a blog this week. Next week, I'm back in Milwaukee for the Serb Hall show on March 3. We're in the bar for this one and I'll only have two tables. Bill was telling me that PJ got drunk last time we were in the bar. If I lived closer, I'd get drunk too!!
A big thank you to everyone at Gonzaga today. Nice show! I'm looking forward to Serb Hall! Who is buying the drinks?
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