In the middle of my vacation break from work, I found the time to pay another visit to the Sports Cards and More Show in Orland Park. This was the 3rd time this year that I stopped by the show to fill some Want List finds, and discover some more star cards that I could round up for a buck or two each. 

I came away with a little bit of a shorter stack than last time, but this was a good, quality stack. Lots of “first cards” of certain players added, including some hall of famers. Better yet, I actually got to move around the place for a change; my last two stops only went so far before I ran out of money (1st) and time (2nd). I spent less money this time. 

For trip No. 3, I wanted to go back and find some of the tables I missed in both go-arounds. I wound up going back to three of them I stopped at the first time. 

The highlight of the day was sitting with a father-and-son team to talk vintage baseball, and go through a box of vintage commonsHa and semi-stars. We talked some baseball trivia, such as stats of the 1950s and Hall of Fame stuff. It had been months since I bought cards from them, but they somehow remembered me, which I find neat. I even showed the younger gentleman my blog and Want List; he said he may have some for me. 

Speaking of the Want List – and I hope he’s paying attention – I have to reshuffle it a little bit. 

When I put together my Top 25, I was hoping that I would have a better chance at getting my first cards of hall of famers by listing cards later in their careers and cheaper. As it turned out, after today, the years didn’t matter. I’ll post that list soon.

Hall of famers that I scored my first cards of:

Al Kaline – 1968 Topps Play Ball

Early Wynn – 1960 Topps

Nellie Fox – 1961 Topps

Warren Spahn – 1965 Topps

*Sparky Anderson – 1960 Topps (although he was better known for managing)

I now have at least 1 original card of a hall of famer with service time in the 1970s, with the Kaline find. My most recent missing pieces now are Mickey Mantle and Don Drysdale (1969). I doubt I’ll ever afford a Mantle.

Other “firsts” included:

Jim Gilliam (Dodgers great) – 1964 Topps 

Bobby Thomson (Shot Heard ‘Round the World) – 1957 and 1959 Topps

Don Newcombe – 1959 Topps (on the Reds at that time)

Denny McLain – 1969 Topps, which is the year after his 31-game winning season

Johnny Podres (Dodgers great) – 1961 Topps

Gus Bell (1st of 3-generation Bells) – 1961 Topps

Want List finds:

Tony Conigliaro – 1971 Topps (Angels); Conigliaro team arc complete.

Ralph Garr – 1976 Topps Traded (White Sox); Garr team arc complete.

Sparky Anderson – 1972 Topps (Reds); Sparky manager team arc complete.

Dick Williams – 1972 Topps (A’s); Williams manager team arc complete.

Vada Pinson – 1969 Topps (Cardinals); seeking Indians and Angels of Vada.

Gaylord Perry – 1969 Topps (Giants); Perry team arc complete.

Oddball – 1964 Topps Bob Kennedy (Cubs). The position is “head coach,” which is a reference to the College of Coaches system the Cubs used in that time. 

Should have been on the Want List but got it – 2008 Topps Mike Piazza (A’s). 

All in all, a good day. I may make it back there one more time to hit a table I was at during my 2nd trip, because I left a few Want List finds there due to running out of money. 

I’ll need to visit my friend Beau’s shows in Madison next year. 

NEW Want List to be updated soon! Check back!