Joey Votto has redefined himself. The 38-year-old slugger for the Cincinnati Reds has reached 30 home runs this year. It is only the third time in his long career he has reached that milestone. Votto is a shoe-in for the Baseball Hall of Fame, even before his resurgence. He has more than 300 home runs, more than 2,000 hits, and more than 1,000 RBIs. Over the first decade … [Read more...] about Votto Proves He’s a Hall of Famer Despite Being Undervalued in Hobby
Editor's Blog
How 9/11 Brought the Hobby to a Temporary Standstill
I still remember that day minute-by-minute. If you were alive at the time, chances you do, too. How could 20 years go by so quickly? I was living near Seattle at the time, and my job at Pacific Trading Cards required me to travel about once or twice a month. When I had to go to New York, I always stayed at the World Trade Center Marriott. If you had ever been to the twin … [Read more...] about How 9/11 Brought the Hobby to a Temporary Standstill
Buying Smart in the 2021 NFL Season
There will be pro football from now through February 13. It’s a long haul season this year—17 weeks of games followed by a month’s worth of playoffs before we even get to Super Bowl 56 in Inglewood, CA. It’s the time of year when collectors and investors get antsy to buy cards and hopefully see it pay off as the 2021 season unfolds—and beyond. A few products … [Read more...] about Buying Smart in the 2021 NFL Season
Editor’s Blog: Pondering Fanatics, Leagues “Secondary Market” Plans
There’s much we don’t know about the reported deals between Fanatics and the major sports leagues to corral the bulk of the sports trading card market. I think we can safely assume, though, that what’s going to happen won’t be just a swap of distribution models and a logo change or two. With the leagues and players having reportedly captured a stake of the potential … [Read more...] about Editor’s Blog: Pondering Fanatics, Leagues “Secondary Market” Plans
Editor’s Blog: Pause the Panic on Fanatics Sports Card Deal
Fanatics’ acquisition of a large chunk of the sports card landscape will kill collecting! Fanatics’ acquisition of a large chunk of the sports card landscape will be the greatest thing ever to happen to the hobby! Ah, opinions. The product of a free country and a Facebook account. Scour the comments on social media and you’ll find opinions as diverse as the reaction to … [Read more...] about Editor’s Blog: Pause the Panic on Fanatics Sports Card Deal
Topps Says It Was Blindsided by Fanatics’ MLB Deal
On Tuesday night, the man who had guided the Topps Company since the fall of 2007 had to be feeling pretty good. Michael Eisner’s investment and patience appeared to have paid off handsomely. The trading card business had grown to unprecedented heights. Topps' sales were up 78 percent from 2020 and Eisner was nearing the finish line of a plan to take the … [Read more...] about Topps Says It Was Blindsided by Fanatics’ MLB Deal
Passing of Les Woodcock Recalls One of Hobby’s Most Prolific Baseball Card Writers
His death last month didn’t create many headlines beyond his Martha’s Vineyard home, but Les Woodcock is surely worth remembering. An acclaimed journalist and editor, Woodcock wrote the back of more than 20,000 sports cards during a “second career” in the 1980s and 90s. Born on Long Island and a Korean War veteran, Woodcock was one of the first employees … [Read more...] about Passing of Les Woodcock Recalls One of Hobby’s Most Prolific Baseball Card Writers
Business and Pleasure: Sports Card Fan is Flipping His Way to Success
It’s the life of a nomad. Josh Roth is the portrait of the character in card collecting known as a Flipper. He spent part of his week in the familiar surroundings of a card show, making deals. This time, it was the biggest stage of all: the National Sports Collectors Convention in Rosemont, IL. “One-hundred percent a flipper,” he says before … [Read more...] about Business and Pleasure: Sports Card Fan is Flipping His Way to Success
Memories of the National: When Brien Taylor Was the Toast of Anaheim
It’s not exactly a Tale of Two Cities, because Anaheim is the only city involved. But it is certainly a Tale of Two Nationals. I have been to three Nationals in Anaheim – 1991, 1996 and 2000. When Anaheim first hosted the National in 1985, I didn’t even know there was such a thing. I also missed out on the 2006 National, which was the last one held on the west coast, just … [Read more...] about Memories of the National: When Brien Taylor Was the Toast of Anaheim
Editor’s Blog: Huge Turnout Means Variety of Sales at National Sports Collectors Convention
There are apparently a lot of sports collectors on vacation this week. On an otherwise ordinary summer Thursday afternoon in the Chicago area, thousands of folks you’d think would normally be working somewhere else turned out for the first full day of the 2021 NSCC. From the conversations to the glazed looks to the uncertainty over where things were located and how they … [Read more...] about Editor’s Blog: Huge Turnout Means Variety of Sales at National Sports Collectors Convention