Here's a story I wrote for Sports Collectors Daily about next month's release of Obsidian football by Panini:

​www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/panini-obsidian-football-sports-a-darker-look-for-2024/

Here's a story  I wrote for Sports Collectors Daily about the upcoming 2024 Topps Archives baseball set:

www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/2024-archives-promises-more-retro-designs-from-topps-vault/

Here's a story I wrote for Sports Collectors Daily about the memorabilia collection of the late Ronald Post, a former Clairol sales rep who amassed an amazing collection of baseball memorabilia, including a book that had more than 1,000 autographs that he obtained on his own.

www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/book-with-1000-autographs-of-baseball-greats-part-of-taurus-auctions-sale/
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​​There are definitely some advantages to retirement.

I retired from full-time work in early November, and although I continue to write pieces for Sports Collectors Daily and do contract work on a sporadic basis, I now have time to things I had no time for before.

Baseball card shows, for example. They still make me feel like a kid.

So, on Saturday (Dec. 7) I ventured to the Florida State Fairgrounds for the inaugural Tampa Sports Collectors Expo.

I honestly was not expecting much. After all, I am a vintage card collector, and any shows I have attended over the past few years tended to feature newer sports cards and Pokémon cards.

I was longing for the days of shows at the defunct Tampa Bay Center mall — now the training camp of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — and the Countryside Mall in Clearwater, where I once got to chat with Negro Leagues legend Buck O’Neil. And then, checking out the occasional shows at the defunct Big Top flea market in North Tampa were fun.
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I am a vintage card collector, so finding cards from the 1950s through 1975 at reasonable rates is my goal. I’ve done my sharing of prowling through antique stores and flea markets, but I wanted the feel of a big show.

And while there are monthly shows at the Holiday Inn Tampa Airport Westshore with 80 dealers, my work schedule prevented me from attending.

I was pleasantly surprised after arriving at the Tampa Sports Collectors Expo show — the organizers for the Holiday Inn shows in Westshore were one of the sponsors — as it had vintage cards, modern offerings, autographs, memorabilia and celebrity signings. The show at the Fairgrounds advertised more than 150 dealers, and there was something for everyone.

For example, while I was in attendance, there were lines for collectors seeking on-site autographs from Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer, pitcher Sam McDowell, second baseman Cookie Rojas and Super Bowl XXXVII MVP Dexter Jackson, who had two interceptions in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ victory against the Oakland Raiders. Former baseball stars Cecil Fielder and Chris Sabo were also there, along with Hall of Fame pitcher Jack Morris and pro basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman.
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What I always enjoyed at card shows was the banter with the dealers. Sure, they are trying to make a buck, but sharing stories and comparing finds are pure gold.

That is why a guy like Paul Allen was so much fun.

Allen, who has a radio background in the Tampa Bay area at stations like WTAN, was selling cards while his wife Tracy logged in the results. We swapped stories about people we knew in the business — Allen remembered my former boss at the Tampa Tribune, Tom McEwen — and loved talking about sports cards. He also had a folder showing photographs of himself with Tampa Bay sports figures from his younger days.

Granted, these cards are not in mint condition. Very good to excellent, if I want to be charitable. But I use those cards as trade bait with members of the internet card trading groups I belong to, so a find like this is a godsend.

I also bought some Yankees commons from the 1965 Topps set, the first baseball card set I ever collected as a kid. And 1958 and 1959 Topps cards of Tony Kubek, a ’59 Topps card of Elston Howard and a 1955 Topps card of Dick Hall.

Then Paul showed me a graded card of a 1963 Topps common card, which was perplexing until he flipped it over. It was a misprint, with the back being the No. 200 Mickey Mantle card.

Nice.

I offered $11, but Allen did not bite. I cannot blame him.
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From another dealer I bought a pair of 1958 Topps baseball cards depicting Milwaukee Braves players Bob Hazle and Bob Buhl. Another card was a nice upgrade of a 1955 Topps baseball card of Dick Hall, and a decent 1955 Bowman card of Red Schoendienst.

One dealer had a very impressive collection of vintage cards from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s for sale, including some big name stars.

“I have the best vintage card setup here,” he said, and he is probably right.

His prices were steep, but I took a chance.

“Do you carry any high number 1967 Topps cards?” I asked, since I only need nine more to complete the set.

“Man, they fly out of here as soon as I get them,” he said.

I believe him.
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Joe Abel, the owner of Stand Still Entertainment who describes himself as a “human statue,” was also in attendance. I will not steal Joe’s thunder and publish a photograph of him, since the Sarasota resident makes his living that way. But he was standing rock still in front of a large Field of Dreams photograph, covered in gold and looking straight ahead. He uses the stage name Gold E. Glover, and for good reason.

Then he leaned forward toward me.

“You look like my uncle,” I said.

“I am your uncle,” he said. “And you owe me money.”

“Check with my dad,” I retorted.

Everyone’s a comedian, even bad ones like me.
 
Not limiting myself to vintage, I did find four inserts from the 2021 Allen & Ginter set at a reasonable price.

Heather, the woman who sold me the cards, does collectibles as a side venture. She is a professional photographer who owns degrees in travel and tourism and also in photography.

When I commented about the good turnout at the show, Heather was pragmatic.

“A good turnout is when I make a sale,” she laughed.

And a good show is when you feel like a kid again. That was my experience, as I savored the pure joy of finding cards I needed or could use as trade bait.

Here's a story I wrote for Sports Collectors Daily about the final results from the Larry Lucchino auction, which included memorabilia from the Red Sos championship teams of the 21st century -- especially the 2004 squad that ended the Curse of the Bambino.

www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/larry-lucchino-memorabilia-exceeds-expectations-in-final-bidding/

Here's a story I wrote for Sports Collectors Daily about the cards of the 1974-75 Kentucky Colonels, who won their lone NBA title that year:

www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/1974-75-kentucky-colonels-basketball-cards-aba/​