Baseball card shows began to spring up fairly regularly in the 1970s. They still weren't a common sight and more often than not, you had to drive a little ways to find one. Many were held in VFW halls or small hotel conference rooms with local collectors buying and selling but mostly trading. Larger cities, though, began to hold "National" shows--larger events … [Read more...] about Editor’s Blog: Dawn of the National
Mike Berkus
NSCC to Honor Late Founder Mike Berkus
The National Sports Collectors Convention will honor founder Mike Berkus by naming the event’s center stage the Mike Berkus Center Stage. The announcement came at a private NSCC dinner attended by members of the Berkus family and collectible industry executives attending the 30th Industry Summit trade conference at the Sheraton Waikiki. “Mike Berkus guided the National … [Read more...] about NSCC to Honor Late Founder Mike Berkus
Editor’s Blog: Looking Back at 2015; Looking Ahead
The mother of all extended holidays is over. The NFL regular season? Dust. The season lives for only two college football teams. Holiday merchandise is now 70% off. 2015 is now relegated to the archives but there was plenty to remember as the calendar turned to a new year and a lot to wonder about as 2016 gets underway. Panini America continued to … [Read more...] about Editor’s Blog: Looking Back at 2015; Looking Ahead
Notes: Star-Trib on Berkus; Mantle Musings; Love to UD; Awful Autograph Story
When dealers at the 1994 National Sports Collectors complained angrily about an unexpected overflow crowd being kept out of the show, director Mike Berkus was ready to turn the tables. "You think you had a bad day. Let me tell you about my day,” he told them of his day-long duel with the fire marshal. Berkus, who died of brain cancer last month at age 69, had a way of … [Read more...] about Notes: Star-Trib on Berkus; Mantle Musings; Love to UD; Awful Autograph Story
Ramblings: Remembering Mike Berkus
Like most long-time hobbyists, I was taken by absolute shock on a chilly November day with the startling news that Mike Berkus had passed on. Mike was a lot of things in the hobby but most of all he was a lifer. Like many of us, he was addicted to the joy of chasing items he wanted for his collection, thrilled to meet his heroes from his youth and always knew how to say the … [Read more...] about Ramblings: Remembering Mike Berkus
NSCC Director Mike Berkus Dies After Cancer Fight
Mike Berkus, founder and executive director of the National Sports Collectors Convention since 1980, died Friday after a short battle with brain cancer according to friends. He was 69. The news caught many in the hobby by surprise. Berkus had coordinated this summer’s show in Chicago and had been planning the 2016 event in Atlantic City. A Minnesota native, he made … [Read more...] about NSCC Director Mike Berkus Dies After Cancer Fight
2015 National Sports Collectors Convention Opens in Chicago
The first of an estimated gathering of around 50,000 collectors, sports fans and exhibitors converged on the Donald E Stephens Convention Center Wednesday as the 2015 National Sports Collectors Convention returned to the Chicago area. The five-day event runs through Sunday, drawing collectors from across North America and even some from other countries who will buy, sell … [Read more...] about 2015 National Sports Collectors Convention Opens in Chicago
Ramblings: Where to Hold the National
As I write this and you read this, the best and most important show of the year will be coming up in Chicago. I have written many times that at this point of the National’s history I believe it is best served by keeping what is a great collectors market in the show rotation. Some argue it should be held there permanently but others point out that if the show does not move … [Read more...] about Ramblings: Where to Hold the National
NSCC to Offer $2,500 Per Slot Vintage Card, Memorabilia Draft
The National Sports Collectors Convention will hold its first "National Vintage Break" in Chicago this summer, offering some high-end items in exchange for a $2,500 buy in. Sponsored by Heritage Auctions and Ripping Wax, the event will be held at the Case Break Pavilion at the Donald E Stephens Convention Center, Saturday, August 1 at noon. The event will be limited … [Read more...] about NSCC to Offer $2,500 Per Slot Vintage Card, Memorabilia Draft
35th National Set to Open Wednesday
The 35th Annual National Sports Collectors Convention gets underway Wednesday with organizers expecting at least 45,000 collectors and curious sports fans to descend on the International Exposition Center in Cleveland during its five-day run. The National is the largest sports and entertainment collectibles show in the world. It's a place where sports/entertainment … [Read more...] about 35th National Set to Open Wednesday