A Care Package From Bobby

I got a message out of the blue on Instagram last week from a kid named Bobby who has followed my account since i started it back in November 2013.  We had discussed trades before in the past, but never really matched up.  Nonetheless, he has "liked" a lot of my posts and commented on a bunch of them as well.

I guess he had a few things he wanted to part with, so he sent out a care package.  A lot of it was cards from UD Biography.  Since Bobby is a huge vintage fan, I was really surprised to find the above 1954 Topps Bobby Young card in the package, in a special top loader that was marked "enjoy this."

I have been hoarding 1954s recently, preparing myself to pull the trigger on starting the set sometime in the future.  That being said, I really did enjoy that he included the card.

Finally, among the late 2000s Upper Deck cards that Bobby sent, was this Adam Jones that I didn't have in my collection.

This is a really nice card, from early in Jones's tenure in Baltimore.  He has grown into the face of this Orioles team, and I am really happy that he is on our side.  He seems to be maturing as a hitter.  I would really love to see him finish his career in Baltimore and become part of a new generation of Orioles who have their numbers retired and new sculptures erected outside the outfield wall at Camden Yards.

I am really thankful that Bobby sent this package along to me.  I believe he is one of the youngest people trading actively on Instagram.  If I remember correctly, he is either 10 or 11.  A real nice kid, I am happy that I received these cards.  Now, I need to work to pay it forward to him and hook him up with some nice vintage.

Thanks Bobby!!

The PWE Bandit Strikes Again

I wish I could teach a course on trading baseball cards.  So many people ship cards unprotected, or with minimal protection, that it gets really old, really fast.  My latest run-in with poorly packaged items comes from an Instagram trade with a kid who's handle is ipautos100.  I'm sure he is a young kid and didn't really have an idea that the card couple be damaged in a PWE, but nonetheless, the main piece I traded for in our deal was creased badly.

The above manufactured hat logo relic was part of a two-for-one deal I made with him that also got me the below Bowman Sterling Hunter Harvey auto in exchange for a 2015 Museum Collection Dalton Pompey auto.  His Pompey got to him unscathed, mainly because I always securely ship my items in bubble mailers.  My Harvey patch got wrecked and when I sent him a pic of it, I got no response whatsoever.  So, lesson learned, I won't be trading with this kid anymore.

I can understand kids not having a lot on money to spend on shipping, but if you are going to be sending higher end, or thicker cards via USPS, they HAVE to be sent in a bubble mailer.  Something smart that these guys can do is save every bubble mailer they have sent to them, and re-use those so they can cut down on supply costs.  I haven't had to buy a bubble mailer in years due to this very reason.  Not only is it a cost-saving method, it is also good for the environment.

I was just really disappointed to get the Harvey patch in, only to see that it was damaged in shipping, and the fact that the kid didn't really seem to care.  He also didn't comment when I posted that it was damaged on Instagram and tagged him in the photo.  He did "like" the photo, though.  At least I have that going for me.

Thinking of Baltimore

I am not going to sit here and act like I am at all qualified to make any kind of social commentary on the events that have gone on in Baltimore.  However, there is a lot of unrest going on and the last two Orioles games have been postponed due to safety concerns at the ballpark and in the city.  Tomorrow's game will be played at 2:05, but it will be closed to the public.  I have never heard of any major sporting event being played without any fans in attendance.  I'm sure it will be surreal.

I am not normally one who does a lot of praying, but tonight, I pray for my friends in and around Baltimore.  I pray for the city that I have visited countless times that it can heal and rebuild.  Finally, I pray for the folks who believe that their idea of "protesting injustice" includes destroying their own neighborhoods as well as stealing Pringles, Arizona Tea and Funyuns.    No one is being honored by that type of behavior.  I hope that reason wins out in the end and the unrest is quelled.

I also want to take a minute to thank everyone who has messaged me to check on me.  I was surprised that a lot of folks think I am actually from Baltimore.  I'm not, I'm from North Carolina, but the concern showed is definitely appreciated.

So, now, I leave you with a video from Game 2 of the 2014 ALDS when the city was united and, if only for a moment, we all cheered as one.

Instagram Deal With Evan - 2009 Topps Unique Orioles Triple Relic

The crease at the bottom of the card notwithstanding, is this not an awesome card?  I had no idea it existed until I saw it posted on Instagram.  The page was a kid named Evan, who's screen name is "alldaycards".  I bought the card off of Evan for $8 shipped and it came well packaged in a bubble mailer.  So, the crease at the bottom was definitely not Evan's fault.

The card would look amazing if it was triple signed as well.  I'm sure they exist.  I'll have to go back and look at some and see what I can find.

This card will go nicely into my Roberts PC that had been stashed away, since no new cards would be issued for him.

I appreciate the deal, Evan, and I hope we can make more in the future!

Care Package From Garrett

I got a care package in the mail a few weeks ago from a new person I net on Instagram, a guy named Garrett.  He asked me for an Orioles rally towel, and I obliged him, since he asked nicely.  In return, he surprised me with this 2013 USA Baseball Kevin Gausman relic and a bunch of Orioles cards.

I wasn't expecting anything in return, and getting this package from Garrett was really nice.  I appreciated it, and I hope to do some trades with him in the future.

Gausman has looked a little sluggish so far this season, but I think he, much like the Orioles, will break out of it, and go on to have a strong season.  We will see, for sure.

Thanks Garrett!  I hope you all can check him out on Instagram, his screen name if card_collector02.

Instagram Trade With Justin Lands Me Another Davis Quad

I completed a trade on Instagram recently with a kid named Justin that got me yet another Chris Davis quad relic from 2014 Museum Collection.  I sent Justin an amazing card in return, but I didn't mind.  It was a numbered to 3 Yonder Alonso relic/auto that I knew he would love a lot more than I would, and I got this Davis out of it.

I love Museum Collection so much and I have so many of these cards, now.  I haven't gotten one of Davis's 2015 Museum Collection cards yet, but I know I will get one soon.

You can't really tell, but the card is 3/99.  I'm really happy it came, and got here in good shape.

Instagram Trade With Jacob - Lots of Autos

I completed a deal on Instagram recently with my buddy, Jacob, after he had been offering me the above Willie Mays auto for some time now.  I think I passed on this card quite a few times before I finally gave in and bought it from him with some cash and also sent him a bunch of cards for his various PCs.

The Mays is a really nice card and is in good shape.  This auto is actually a lot better than the one I have on my Mays ball.

Jacob also included a bunch of extras that I wasn't expecting.  I imagine these cards were TTM autos that he had received, but I really liked them all, nonetheless.  This Wade Boggs relic/auto is pretty cool, even though it is creased quite a bit.  Two Hall of Fame autos in this deal, not too bad.

Here is an auto of the 1948 Rookie of the Year, Al Dark.  Dark passed away in 2014 at the age of 92.  He had a pretty decent career, having hit 2,089 hits, 126 home runs and carrying a .289 batting average over 14 years in the majors.  He won the World Series in 1954 with the Giants.

 Here is an auto the Jacob sent me of former 20-game winner, John Tudor.  Tudor played in the majors from 1979 to 1990 and had a career record of 117-72 with a 3.12 ERA and 988 strikeouts.  He won the World Series in 1988 with the Dodgers.

This 1986 Donruss of Chris Chambliss looks really nice signed in blue sharpie.  Chambliss was the 1971 AL Rookie of the Year.  Over 17 seasons, he had 2,109 hits, 185 home runs and a .279 batting average.  Chambliss won the World Series with the Yankees in 1977 and 1978.

Here is an auto of former pitcher, Bryn Smith.  This is a 1983 Fleer.  Smith played from 1981 to 1993 and had a career record of 108-94 with a 3.53 ERA and 1,028 strikeouts.

Finally, here is a 1983 Topps Traded Steve Kemp auto.  Kemp played from 1977 to 1986 and 1988.  He had 1,128 hits, 130 home runs and a .278 career batting average.

Thanks for the deal, Jacob.  I definitely wasn't expecting the extra autos and they all turned out to be really cool!

Instagram Trade With Nick - 2014 Bowman Ice Manny Machado

I completed a trade with a kid on Instagram named Nick recently when I sent him a bunch of Phillies stuff in exchange for this 2014 Bowman Ice parallel of Manny Machado.  This is a really cool card, and I'm glad to get it.

That being said, the Orioles really suck right now.  I know it's a long season, but they have looked absolutely pathetic against the Blue Jays.  Pitching has been terrible and there have been so many defensive miscues.  I look for Buck and Dan to make some changes, soon.  I'm not sure, however, what can be done to right the ship.

I just don't feel like talking baseball right now.

Picking Up Prospects From Frankie

I completed a trade recently with Frankie from the wonderful blog "My Life In The Sports Card Hobby" when I sent him a couple relic cards of Hall of Famers in exchange for some nice Bowman Chrome prospect cards.

One of the keys to the trade was this 2014 Bowman Chrome Shimmer refractor of Clint Frazier.  I've been kind of following Frazier a bit since he was drafted.  I have a couple of his cards, and am looking to get one of his autos at some point.  He's a really good player, and I think he will be really good for the Indians when he finally makes the big leagues.  This shimmer refractor is numbered 3/25 and will be put up.  I really enjoyed the different types of refractors that were offered in Bowman Chrome last year.  I hope they continue with this, because they were really cool-looking.

Another piece in the deal was this black wave refractor of the Orioles' first pick in the 2015 draft, Brian Gonzalez.  The O's didn't have a pick in the first two rounds during that draft, since they had signed Ubaldo Jimenez and Nelson Cruz that previous offseason.  I think they would like to have a do-over when they signed Jimenez, but Cruz was a really good pickup.  Gonzalez has been pretty good, so far, for the Orioles.  He went 0-1 with a 1.34 ERA over 10 games between the GCL Orioles and short season Aberdeen.  This season, he has started 3 games for Low A Delmarva and has gone 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA.

Frankie threw in a ton of extras in the deal.  This gold refractor from 2014 Finest is numbered 50/50 and looks really sharp.  Jones has started the season on a tear, and I hope he can keep it up.

Currently batting .167 for the Frederick Keys is Orioles catching prospect, Chance Sisco.  He had a stellar season last year when he batted .340 for Delmarva.  His average is really low right now, but that is only over the course of 5 games (2 for 12).  I think he will get on track and will continue to show why he is one of the Orioles top prospects.  This mini blue refractor from 2013 Bowman Chrome is numbered 65/99.

Another highly-thought-of catching prospect in the Orioles system is Jonah Heim.  I really like him because his grandmother follows me on Twitter and Heim follows me on Instagram.  It doesn't take much to make me happy.  Seriously, though, Heim is well regarded in the Orioles system.  He was a 4th round pick in the 2013 draft out of high school.  He is only 19 (with a birthday in June) and has hit for a low average so far in his Minor League career (.204 over 83 games).  With him being so young, I look for Heim's bat to catch up; he actually is hitting .278 for Delmarva so far this season. This green refractor is numbered 65/75.

Frankie really hooked me up in this deal.  He is a really great guy, and I hope you all get the chance to read and comment on his blog.  Thanks for the trade, Frankie!  I'll keep looking for cool stuff for you so we can work on our next deal.

Ebay Pickup - In The Game Manny Machado Auto

My friend from Instagram, Fred, messaged me recently and showed me this Manny Machado autographed card that was really cheap.  I ended up winning the auction for $15.00.  I was disappointed that the card was delivered in a PWE and came a bit curved, but I put it in a better toploader and am straightening it.

The card is nice, though, and I really appreciated Fred showing it to me.  I have quite a few Manny autos, now.  I just wish he would start hitting for the season, because the Orioles need his bat right now.

Thanks for showing me the card, Fred!

Another Amazing Deal With Michael

I completed a couple deals with my friend, Michael recently and they all came in one package yesterday.  One of the biggest pieces in the deal was this Miguel Cabrera 4-color patch card numbered 24/25 (Uniform Number Ebay 1/1 wooo hooo).  This card is amazing, and I plan on keeping it for myself.  I like Cabrera, and I really wanted a "sick" patch of his.

The other piece of the deal was supposed to be a Craig Biggio auto that I wanted to trade to a friend of mine, but Michael decided that he wanted to do a Biggio PC, so he sent me this Machado relic/auto instead.  I think I like this card a lot more than that Biggio.  Look at how young Manny is!

As some throw ins, Michael included this Chance Sisco Bowman Chrome auto and the below Black refractor.

I was surprised, I thought this black refractor would be numbered, but it isn't. I think it is just the black wave refractor.  I think they started the black static and carbon fiber refractors in 2014.

Michael also included this Michael Kopech refractor auto from 2014 Bowman Sterling.  This is a really nice card, and I already have an idea who will be getting it.

Another throw in was this Gregg Olson IP auto.  I actually started a binder for IP autos that friends have sent me.  This will look good in there.

Finally, the other big deal I made with Michael was getting this autographed game used Nolan Reimold bat from him.  I have pretty much anything else Nolan, but I didn't have a bat.  It looks awesome, and I need to get another bat tube, so I can display it next to my Brian Roberts and Brooks Robinson signed bats.

Thanks so much for another couple of successful deals, Michael!  I really appreciate it.  Now, let me save some money for the National!!  Haha!

Instagram Trade With Eric - 2007 SP Legendary Cuts Brooks Robinson Relic

I completed a trade with my friend, Eric from Instagram recently that got me this awesome triple relic Brooks Robinson.  The card is from 2007 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts.  I remember opening one pack of these back in '07 and I pulled the triple relic Dave Winfield.  While Winfield is a great player, Brooks is awesome.  I was glad to get this off of Eric.  I sent him an extra 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken "F*ck Face" card that I found in my box.  I didn't even realize that I had two of them, so that was a bonus.

The card is numbered 35/99 and is in great shape!  Thanks for the deal, Eric!

Set Complete - 1948 Bowman

Please allow me to let this sink in a little bit.  I have completed the 1948 Bowman set.  Wow.  I started this set in March 2010 when I picked up the Bob Feller RC, followed by Warren Spahn and Stan Musial.  Once I got those out of the way, I thought I would have a good chance to finish the set.  I didn't know it would take me 5 years.

So, there you go, I have completed the 1948 Bowman set with card #29, Joe Page.  This card is a short print, so that is why it took so long to get it.  I only paid $10.05 for it, which was much less than what I had shopped it for.

Page (b. 1917 - d. 1980) played in the majors from 1944 to 1950 and 1954 for the Yankees and Pirates.  He was a very effective reliever in his career, leading the league in games finished in 1947, 48 and 49.  He was an All Star three times and finished as high as third in the MVP voting (1949).  He was a member of the 1947 and 1949 Yankees world series winners.

Pickup From The Dimwit - 2014 Triple Threads Kevin Gausman Relic-Auto

I completed a trade recently with Sam, the author of the blog, The Daily Dimwit.  I sent him a Colin Moran auto from 2014 Bowman Sterling and in return, he gave me this awesome 2014 Topps Triple Threads Kevin Gausman quadruple relic/auto.  The card is numbered 15/75 and looks amazing.

I sent Sam some additional cards, but I doubt that they measure up in comparison to this card.  I need to pick Sam up some more stuff to send his way.  Speaking of, I have a few other fellow bloggers that I need to hook up, since they have sent me care packages.  I'm getting to them and I appreciate everyone's patience.

Thanks for the trade, Sam!

A Vintage Care Package From Bryce

I got a nice care package in the other day from my buddy, Bryce, from Instagram.  I have helped him with his collection a bit recently, and in return, he sent me a nice surprise.  I didn't expect a bunch of vintage to be inside the envelope he sent, but there ended up being a lot.

Most unexpectedly, there was a 1952 Topps Eddie Kazak included.  I don't own a whole lot of 1952 cards, but I do have some of them.  Most notably, I have the Bob Feller and Virgil Trucks from that set.  I also have two Yankee guys.  I have seen a sweet Yogi Berra floating around on Ebay that I have been eyeing, but I haven't been able to pull the trigger on it.  This Kazak card is really sharp, and pops really nice when scanned.

Speaking of cards that pop, this 1954 Topps Paul Minner card is a really nice one.  Included with two other '54s, I chose this one because of the red background; easily my favorite color among the 1954s.  I have quite a few '54s now, and if I could land a few of the key rookies, I would consider this set as one of the sets I would pursue when I complete 1959.

Not pictured were two really nice 1971s (Fingers and a World Series Highlights Brooks Robinson) and a "not quite vintage" 1986 Sportflics Reggie Jackson.  Those cards were nice, but I felt like this 1988 Topps Tom Glavine RC would look nice when scanned and put up on this blog.  I was right.  The yellow of the name ribbom and the red of the Braves header really make this card stand out.  It is very reminiscent of the 1967 Topps Hank Aaron that I have.  Subtly so, at least.  I think it is a really cool card, and I will include it with my Hall of Fame rookies.

Thank you so much for the care package, Bryce!  You have no idea how happy I was to open the package and to see all the vintage goodness inside!

One To Go - 1948 Bowman Pete Reiser

That's right, after this card arrived in the mail today, I only need one card to complete my 1948 Bowman set.  Spoiler alert - that one is on it's way as well.

The Reiser is a really sharp card that I got for $29.49.  That was quite a bit over what I had projected for it, but this card was in far better condition, so I went for it.

Reiser (b. 1919 - d. 1981) played in the majors from 1940 - 1942; 1946 - 1952 for the Dodgers, Braves, Pirates and Indians.  He missed the 1943 to 1945 seasons due to World War II, which seems like it was bad for him, as he was off to a hot start in his career, and didn't really capture any of that magic when he returned.

He finished as high as 2nd in the MVP voting (in 1941) and was an All Star three times.  He finished his career with 786 hits, 58 home runs and a .295 batting average.

The last card I need is Joe Page, and it is on it's way.  I am beyond excited.

A Disappointing Instagram Trade - Damaged Sonny Gray

I completed a trade on Instagram recently that I was really happy about.  I had this nice Sonny Gray Team USA relic coming in exchange for a Cole Tucker 2014 Bowman Sterling refractor auto.  He clearly won the deal, but I was trying to be nice since we chat quite a bit and he told me how Tucker was his idol and the card would mean a lot to him.

It was really unfortunate that he chose to send the card in a PWE.  The top loader that the card was in was broken and there was a snap case that had some Orioles cards from a mutual friend that was also destroyed.

I am not mentioning his name, because I really don't want to call him out.  I told him the card was damaged, and he offered to send me the Tucker back, but that's not the point.  I wanted the Gray, and it's here, but damaged.  This was only our second trade, even though we talk a lot.  I doubt we will be doing any more trades for a while.

Care Package From Freesecollector614

I got a really nice care package in the mail last week from a guy on Instagram that I have never traded with, but he has interacted on my posts for a long time.  He put a nice note in the package that said that he appreciated everything that I have done in the card community and wanted this Chris Tillman card to fit into my collection.

Boy, does it ever?  It is a 2014 Topps Mini black parallel numbered 5/5.  I didn't have any of these, yet and with it being a /5 parallel, I imagine it would have been really touch to find, had I been searching for it.

I really appreciated him thinking of me, and also the nice note.  I don't do what I do for any kind of attention, but it is kind of nice to be recognized from time to time.

Instagram Trade With Sam - Team USA Relics

I completed a trade with my buddy, Sam, recently that landed me a couple relics of some Team USA players.  I got these because he didn't want much for them, and I thought it would be cool to put them up and see if these guys made the majors some day.

Josh Elander was drafted by the Braves in the 6th round of the June 2012 draft and spent last season at High A Lynchburg.  His numbers are pedestrian, but is still young enough (24) to maybe still have a chance at the majors one day.

JJ Schwarz is a freshman for the University of Florida and actually had a 4 homer night last Tuesday night, which was pretty cool.  He's someone that I will have to remember when his time to be drafted comes around.  It looks like he is around 18-19 years old and is a catcher for Florida.  Definitely someone for me to keep an eye on.

I don't so a lot of prospecting, but I thought it might be cool to take these off of Sam's hands and see what happens.  If anything, they're cool cards.

Thanks for the deal, Sam!

Almost There! Two 48 Bowmans to go After Today

I picked up one of the remaining cards I needed for my 1948 Bowman set when I got this Frank Shea off of Ebay for a steal.

I went on there a few months ago and priced what it would take for me to finish the set that day and based on that pricing, I got this one $10 cheaper just by being patient (not one of my stronger virtues) and getting it via an auction listing instead of a Buy it Now.  Great job!

So, with this, we are down to two cards for the set.  I hope I can nail them down soon!  I'm starting to get excited about the prospects of another vintage set once this one is put to bed.

Care Package From TJ

I got a huge care package in the other day from fellow blogger, TJ, the Junior Junkie.  TJ hooked me up with a bunch of nice Orioles stuff like the above 1978 Topps Mike Flanagan buyback card.  I don't normally care all that much for buyback cards, but this one is really nice.  It is in good shape, and the dumb foil logo that Topps insists on defacing the cards with isn't too bad.  I'm still someone who likes to not have the foil stamp on the card, especially since I build sets of older stuff.  The card is really nice, though, so I'll let the foil stamp slide this time.

I can't believe I didn't have this 2013 Panini Hometown Heroes card of Brooks Robinson yet.  I opened a couple packs of this when it originally came out, and once my LCS sold out of them, I didn't really give the set much more thought.  This card is really sharp, and I like how it scanned.

Thanks for the care package, TJ!  I really appreciate it.  I need to find you some stuff that I can send your way soon.

Trade With Scott F. - A Nice RC and Set Needs

I completed a trade with my friend, Scott F. recently that was a long time coming.  I had picked up a nice Dellin Betances card from Michael, that I wanted to flip to Scott.  We just couldn't agree on the appropriate stuff for him to send in return.

Luckily, Scott went to a card show a couple weeks ago and called me from there so we could finish the deal.  One of the keys to the trade was this 2007 Bowman Chrome Clayton Kershaw card that I wanted to put with my good RCs.  Kershaw is a beast, and I'm glad to pick this up.

Scott also sent me 9 cards I needed for my 1969 set.  I am still needing more than 200 cards to finish this set, but I have kind of let it sit while I have been chipping away at my 1948 Bowman and 1959 Topps sets.  Getting 9 cards from Scott definitely help me whittle the number down, so I'm happy he found me some good ones.

Thanks for the deal, Scott!

Ebay Pickup - 2014 Bowman Chrome Chris Davis Printing Plate

Finding stuff in my "to be blogged" pile that I can write about isn't tough.  It's even nicer when I have single cards that I picked up that I can blog about quickly and easily after a long day.  Today is one of those days.

I worked almost 12 hours today and I am wiped.  Instead of skipping an entry tonight, I can just show off this 1/1 printing plate from 2014 Bowman Chrome of Chris Davis that I picked up recently.

I would love to go for the rainbow, but I missed out on the superfractor recently when it sold on EBay for $115.  Maybe it'll pop up next time. Anyway, I got a good deal on this one, and just barely missed out on the red parallel.

Bowman Chrome was a great product this past year, as you are all aware.  I plan on getting all of Davis's parallels for this, and who knows, maybe even the superfractor, if it ever comes back online.

April 4, 2015 Card Show Recap

1949 Bowman Bobby Doerr that I picked up for $14.00

I set up at my first show in years at yesterday's Sports Cards and Memorabilia show in Raleigh, NC.  I hadn't set up at one in so long because I kept telling myself that I didn't have enough to sell that would sustain the costs of the tables and gas, etc to get to the show.  I finally took a look around, and with the encouragement of a few of the ladies I work with, I made the decision to try the one-day Easter show, since the table fees were pretty cheap.

1948 Bowman Enos Slaughter that I needed for my set.

I was off of work for Good Friday, so I planned to spend the day preparing for the show.  Much unlike how I was in college, I actually planned ahead and didn't save all of the work for the last minute, as I worked all week in organizing and sorting cards so I could spend Friday pricing stuff up.  I also spent Friday putting the final touches on my different boxes of stuff so I could get up and go early Saturday morning.

1948 Bowman Whitey Lockman for my set.

I originally had planned on getting a hotel room in Raleigh, Friday night so my wife, son and I could get up early and head over to the State Fairgrounds to set up, but I got a message early in the week that my brother, Philip, wanted to come with me to the show.  This actually helped me out tremendously, since he couldn't get here until late Friday evening, he saved me money on the hotel.  It also helped, since my wife was called in to sub for someone at work, so Philip immediately was thrust into an "Assistant" role.  His help proved invaluable yesterday.

1959 Topps Ken Boyer All Star card for my set.

I also made a deal with one of the guys I talk to from Instagram, Jacob, that would allow him to set up and sell a few of his cards at a corner of my tables.  Jacob and his family came into the show about two hours after it opened and hung out with us for a few hours.  He didn't have much luck in selling stuff, but he seemingly enjoyed himself and left the show with a few nice pickups.  I feel bad for his parents, though, as I think they weren't really sure what they were getting into but hanging out for hours at a card show.  I hope they weren't too bored.

1959 Topps Ken Boyer for my set

The overall attendance of the show was WAY down, according to the show's promoter.  During the slow times, Philip and I would converse about various baseball topics (and other stuff that I won't repeat) and I would also wander around the show, looking for deals.

1959 Topps Roy Face for my set

The biggest hit for my table was my stack of Orioles ALCS rally towels.  For $5 a piece, they almost single-handedly funded my tables.  I got a lot of compliments on them, and I think, had it been a 2-day show, I would have made a lot more money.

1959 Topps Al Kaline All Star card for my set

The folks who came by my tables were definitely entertained when they stopped to browse my boxes.  Philip did a great job of engaging each "customer" and chatted with quite a few of them, especially if they brought up football.  There were a few that stood there and talked to him for 10-15 minutes, and they each bought stuff in the end as well.  I think Philip enjoyed getting out of town and hanging out.  He does like to talk to folks, and when football (or sports in general, really) comes up, he lights up!

1959 Topps Dodgers Team Card for the set.

During some of the down time (of which there was plenty), I was able to find some cards for my various sets that I have been working on.  I found two of the last remaining cards for my 1948 Bowman set.  I was fully prepared to buy all of the cards I needed to complete it, but wasn't lucky enough to find a vendor who had all of them.

1969 Topps Rod Carew All Star for the set

I was able to pick up cards for quite a few sets, which was nice.  In all, I got 4 cards for the 1969 Topps set; 5 cards for the 1959 set and two cards for the 1948 Bowman set.  Not bad.

1969 Topps Carl Yastrzemski All Star card for my set.

The cards I got for my 1969 set may be some of the more significant of the cards I picked up.  I didn't really have the time to sit and search any of the bargain boxes, since I had to keep a constant watch on my tables.  I had help, with Philip there, but I didn't want to make it seem like I dumped on him while I took off to search for stuff.  He was really helpful when I got up to walk around, and even sold a few things, which really helped.

1969 Topps Johnny Bench All Star card for my set.

Each 1969 card that I picked up was of a Hall of Famer, so those kind of dented my budget quite a bit, but they were easy to spot on various tables, so I could snatch them up quickly and not have to sit and dig through boxes.

1969 Topps Lou Brock for the set

The 1959 Topps were bigger names and high number All Star cards that I needed, so getting those 5 out of the way was nice.  My nicest vintage find, however, is the 1949 Bowman Bobby Doerr that I have posted at the beginning of this post.

2013 Topps Emerald Parallel of Yoenis Cespedes for the set

I even found a 2013 Topps Emerald for that languishing set.  It was a bigger card in the set, the Cespedes, and I got it for $1.00.  I was a little disappointed that I didn't see more stuff that really jumped out at me, like in past shows.  I felt like some of the regular vendors that I buy from weren't there, even though the tables were sold out.

2011 Bowman Chrome Paul Goldschmidt that I picked up for trade

I passed out quite a few of my blog business cards to some folks that came by my tables.  Philip also was a great spokesman for the blog, as he would talk it up to the people who came by.  I was glad he did, because I usually am too modest and just hand out the business card, but he talked up the blog and even recommended it to a couple folks who said that their kids were just getting started in collecting.  I wonder if the business cards are successful in bringing traffic to the blog?  I hope a couple of the folks we talked to check it out and become regular followers.

I did find a few cool things at the show that didn't involve completing sets.  I got this nice Jimmie Foxx manufactured patch card for my Foxx PC.

Also, there was a guy there trying to sell a signed baseball by Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, Connie Mack and others.  I overheard him telling someone that Ruth was on the ball, and since Chris was with me, I had him ask the guy if he could see the Ruth auto.  He obliged and let us take a look.  That was something really cool for Chris to see.

Toward the end of the show, a young man, probably 14 or 15, I'm guessing, came by and asked if I would be interested in buying from him.  He had a real nice binder of stuff, and he and I chatted a bit while I looked through it.  Well, I chatted.  I think the guy was nervous, shy, or both, because he didn't say much.  I imagine it was both, because I have seen how some of the vendors at certain shows treat kids who bring stuff in for sale or trade.  Some of them act like they can't be bothered and can be kind of rude to these kids who are proud of their collections.  I try my best to be friendly, engaging and respectful to everyone who comes by, regardless of age.  As it turned out, the young man had some really nice stuff, and was really reasonable with his prices.  I picked up the above David Ortiz patch card for my friend, Joey, since I knew he would love it.  I hope the young man left my tables happy, because he seemed really friendly, and I hope he had a good experience at the show.

I did manage to get some steals as well.  One vendor that I bought a couple 1969s from had this Chris Davis jumbo relic card for $3.00.  You know I had to pick it up for that price.  I think I have one already, but I wasn't going to turn this one down at that price.

Overall, I had a good experience at the show.  I was disappointed that attendance was down, but I sold just enough stuff to break even on my tables.  Since a bulk of what I sold was rally towels, I still have quite a bit of inventory available for the upcoming June show.  I am highly likely to set up at that show as well.  As long as I can keep and maintain a reasonable inventory, without it becoming cumbersome, I might continue to set up.

I hope Philip had a good time.  He seemed to.  It was nice hanging out with my big brother, and I think he enjoyed getting out of town.  I'm really hopeful that some of the folks we talked to will check out my blog, using the business cards that I handed out.

It was really cool meeting fellow instagrammer, Jacob.  I know he left happy, so that's all that matters.

Thanks for checking out this really long post.  I had a good time, and I know that the next show will be even more successful.