Non-sports Detour

I’d heard about the Greater Boston Sports Collectors Club show from SABR members/ committee members and the Facebook group crowd, so with my youngest son now living in Waltham, I figured I’d check it out. Nicely, the Celtics were home against the Bucks, setting up a great weekend. (At that game, the Red Sox came out hoisting the World Series trophy. Way cool.)

I had my goals – 1961 Post, 1975 Hostess, 1963 Bazooka All Time Greats, 1972 Fleer Famous Feats; you’ve been reading about those, if you’re following at home. There’s a certain feeling I (and maybe you) get at a card show. If I don’t see anything I need early on, it all feels like a big waste of time – why did I come so far?, can I leave early?, I’m getting tired, etc. Then the first success comes and everything’s OK.

I made a good dent in the Post set, 22 more cards putting me in to the final 25%. Also, found 6 Hostess, though, because decent hand cuts aren’t worth dealer’s space and time, they were hard to come by. No Famous Feats, no Bazooka ATG, at least that I saw. My biggest success was with a set I expected nothing from, the 1953 Bowman Television & Radio Stars of NBC. I know this is a baseball card blog, but this is what I’ve got for you this week.

The TV & Radio sets, a 36 card set with horizontal backs and a 96 card set with vertical backs, are beautiful. Different checklist and, for the few names that are shared, different pictures. Similar to the Bowman baseball issues of that year, the NBC roster is portrayed in gauzy Hollywood headshots, not as crisp as the baseball color cards, nicer than the black and whites. I’m working on the vertical backs and it’s been an interesting group to pursue. (I did get two horizontal backs – Gertrude Berg of “The Goldbergs” and Judy Canova.)

For some reason, I had the Bob and Ray card and a Hoagy Carmichael and have had them for years. There are some big names – Groucho Marx and Bob Hope, some lesser names – Carl Reiner, Dinah Shore, etc., and some unknowns. It’s in the long forgotten “stars” that the fun resides. I’m not a back reader by nature, but the bios are remarkable, actors, actresses, newscasters, bandleaders and a chimp, all at the peak of their fame.

I don’t know enough about how short prints come to be, but the 1953 Bowmans are weirdly made. Even number cards are cheap, my average price on those has been less than $2, but odd numbers are harder to find. Still, pricing is erratic, and I’ve gotten odds for the same price as evens. As in many things, it depends what the seller knows. At this show, some sellers were wise to the distribution patterns.

Thankfully, the first seller wasn’t and I got a handful of cards for $1.50 each. The big payoff was a dealer who had recently gotten a complete set and was breaking it up. I spent most of my time, and money, with him. I’m now within real striking distance of completion.

A few highlights from a set you likely don’t know:

Who is this adorable, non-menacing urchin? I’ll reveal after the picture.

It’s Little Ronnie Walken, now Christopher.

I got this Arnold Stang for $6, but can you really put a price on it?

Let the baseball collectors chase Mantle, I got a Sid Caesar!

Carmen Dragon, father of Daryl, The Captain from Captain and Tennille.

Poor Lucille Wall! Imagine being her in the ‘50’s. Worse, being her agent. “No, I represent Lucille Wall. Wall, with a ‘W.’ People love her too!” And check out her bad instincts – “Would like to try tv but not at the expense of radio.”

A completed page. In 1953, Phil Harris (lower left) was the biggest star. Who could’ve predicted that Little Ronnie Walken (2nd from left on top) and Today Show girl Estelle Parsons (below Walken) would win Oscars?

All in all it was a great show, made better from a deal I made last week. A Facebook friend was looking for lesser condition 1969-1971 Topps baseball and that’s exactly what I had, 1,100 cards worth from Poor to EX! Everything I made in that sale went to this show, a very solid trade and an excellent bit of timing.

The next Boston show is in April, maybe, I hope, coinciding with the Red Sox schedule. Maybe the Celtics will come out and interrupt that game.