The world of sports collectibles has lost a true icon and a larger-than-life personality. Don West, the longtime pitchman of sports card packages on Shop at Home TV, passed away Dec. 30 at the age of 59. He had been battling brain lymphoma for about a year and a half. Perhaps Don is more well known as the commentator for TNA Impact Wrestling. If it was humanly possible … [Read more...] about Remembering Don West: The Ultimate Hobby Pitch Man
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The Making of Tom Brady’s First Rookie Card
When I look back at the years I spent developing products for the various sports card companies I worked for, the memories are all over the spectrum. When I left Pinnacle, I was one of the last eight people remaining in the company. At the beginning of 1998, we had a staff of nearly 300. I landed at Collector’s Edge of Tennessee, based in Denver, Colorado. Confused? Yeah, … [Read more...] about The Making of Tom Brady’s First Rookie Card
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
Don West: Still Crazy After All These Years
If you channel surfed in the wee hours of the morning during the mid or late-1990s, you couldn't miss him. Sandwiched between shows about jewelry and beauty products on Shop at Home Network was a husky voiced pitchman bellowing about the virtues of rookie cards and signed memorabilia. It felt like even if you hit the mute button on your TV set, he'd still find a way … [Read more...] about Don West: Still Crazy After All These Years