New Card Show Record

Yesterday was June edition the monthly hotel card show that I try not to miss. Attending the TriStar show last Saturday took a bit of the edge off. I'd wiped out my friend Darrell's cheap 1970 stash at that show so my main reason for heading across town yesterday was just to hang out and talk cards.

I got a late start because of the terrible morning weather and seriously considered not going at all. But I ended up making the 40 minute drive in the rain. I walking in with two things in mind. Getting lucky and finding some cheap 1970s (a long shot given the usual crop of part-time dealers that set up there) and finding some of the four current players cards I need for my fantasy binder.

A trip around the tables showed me that my 1970 quest would be as futile as I figured it would be. Darrell has spoiled me with his cheap but very presentable vintage. The stuff he sells me for a buck or two (and sometimes less) goes for $5 or more at these other tables.

So I went back to a table where the guy had jumbo boxes of current cards for ten cents a card. Mostly they contained those glossy chrome-ish parallels, semi-stars, anonymous Bowman rookies and Topps base set inserts from about 2012 on. I spent about three quarters of an hour shuffling through this mess and found three players I needed before my back gave out.

Now I had a decision to make. Am I going to just pull three dimes out and pay the guy thirty cents after spending most of an hour there? Or do I keep digging? Well I kind of did neither. I reached waaay back to the end of a row of baseball cards I hadn't gotten to yet and pulled out a huge handful. I went through them as fast as I could and dropped four almost random cards onto the tiny stack of the three I needed. then I did the same with his football cards. If a card made me hesitate for even a micro second I stacked it. In a minute or so I was done.

I somehow felt less guilty paying the guy for ten cards than I would have for three. Dumb, I know.

The Frank Robinson Archives card at the top is one of them. I'm sure it's a dupe but I didn't care. Anyway here are the other six:

I thought the signed Raul Allegre would bump whatever card I had of him in my football fantasy team collection. Sadly I realized tonite that I never had the guy on my team! I met Ray Childress in am elevator after his playing days. He was a lot smaller than I would have thought a defensive lineman would be. The Fernando is one of my favorite Stadium Club cards. I'll take a dime dupe of it any say.

So, to make a long story longer...I spent a whole dollar at the show. Never in my collecting life have I go to a show and only spent a dollar. Sixty mile round trip in the rain and I spent a buck. Sigh.

On the way home I realized my car phone charger had crapped out so I stopped at Target. While there I found two Matchbox Mustangs. 99 cents each. This pushes my collection to an even 10.

And when I got home I had a box waiting. It contained my displayed piece of the basketball court that the University of Houston's has removed as part of the renovation of the basketball arena (RIP Hofheinz Arena).

Back in the programs glory days when I worked there the arena had a Tartan flooring system in place. I'd love to have a piece of that but it's long gone.

All in all it was an interesting day. Hopefully by the July hotel show Darrell will have replenished his vintage stock!