St. Leanders Sports Collectors Show, I finally made it

A couple of years go Mr. Haverkamp asked me if I attended the St. Leanders Sports Collectors Show. I answered no but I will. Well skip ahead a couple of years and I kept my word. In large part I missed two of the last three card shows at Serramonte Mall either because I was on our cruise or I couldn't drive-I'll be damned if I will miss the next one, so I pledged to make this one in the mean time. See image borrowed from Sport Collector's Daily below to get a sense of the show.

The show promised about 75 tables of "100 Years of Sports Memorabilia for sale (1880’s-2000’s)

Knowledgeable Vendors, many of whom are collectors themselves A family atmosphere with no adult oriented material on display" I would say this was an accurate description. So I showed up a bit early, lined up and paid my $4 admission fee when the doors opened. I headed in and did a quick scan and at first I thought I found a table of dime boxes, alas I was wrong. Here boxes were cards with priced at various prices of less than $1. I found a couple and moved on. I circled through a couple of times. Picked up a 1971 Bob Gibson I needed. After a few laps I thought I got the vibe of the show.

First, this is not a card show-period.  Mr. Fuji there are no dime boxes which bummed the hell out of me. Is there anything much funner in card collecting than a really good table of dime boxes? The show had cards-almost all vintage, including T-206s, Pre-war PCL Zeenuts, PCL Game Programs-looking for the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Seals, or Oakland Oaks? If you want game used and I mean old bats etc. This is the place. There was a great selection of local sports collectables. What has been mentioned before by fellow bloggers and I can't stand are cards displayed with no price. I mean do you go to your grocery store and the food doesn't have prices? It is awkward to look at a card in a display case or a binder that has no prices, the dealer asks if they can help you, then says make me a deal or makes small talk, then hits ya with price far above what it is either worth or you are willing to pay.  My Redbird vintage needs list is getting real tight leaving me only the creme de la creme of cards and I fear only the Bay may work of these.

So was I able to add any cards to our collection? Well I was able to add a whopping 19 cards. I picked up another 6 cards  that we already had. These will eventually make it to Ray over at All Cardinals All the Time and a few for fellow Bay Area blogger Mr. Fuji. There was a seller whom is at Serramonte show who has bins of marked down vintage. Usually, what I find in these are cards with some minor condition issue-I am condition sensitive. After working up a sweat and thinking about taking off I noticed his bins had some vintage Philadelphia Gum and Topps football cards. So I dug in. What did I pull out? I don't target Chicago Cardinals cards but for 75 cents per? I am in!1958 Topps Football anyone? I wouldn't say these are near mint but they are excellent-IMO.

#60 Gern Nagler (1X Pro-Bowler, near by Santa Clara U player) , #65 Jimmy Carr (RC)

#82 Woodley Lewis (1X Pro-Bowler, 1951 NFL Champ), #88 Earl Putman

#107 John Olszewski (2X Pro-Bowler), #131 Dick Nolan (RC). Some condition sensitive 1962 Topps-these are in pretty good condition as high grade singles are difficult because of the black borders and their chipping issue.

#139 Sam Etcheverry, #141 Bobby Joe Conrad, and #144 Sonny Randle. More Football you ask? Indeed! One of my favorite issues is the 1963 Topps #147 John David Crow, #148 Bobby Joe Conrad, and #155 Larry Wilson (RC). This leaves me with an upgrade needed of the team card and the Cardinals' team set for 1963 is complete.

Are we done yet? Nope-these two cards complete the 1966 Philadelphia Gum team set-also the subject of my next Football Cardinals post. The second card was actually a real, real bargain ($5!) -these checklists are hard to find unmarked for a good price.  #158 Jim Bakken,  #2 Checklist 100-198. 

We are still not done yet with football, this card pick up now leaves me with one card (Jackie Smith)  to complete the 1967 Philadelphia Gum team set. #157 St. Louis Cardinals TC.

To wrap up the football pick ups 1971 Topps #47 Jim Hart, #20 Larry Wilson AS, #161 Ernie McMillan AS. 

Now on to baseball-1969 Topps Checklist #107 (with #161 Jim). There is another variation with #161 having the player's first name as John, another Gibby #70 National Pitching Leaders, and 1972 Ted Simmons upgrade.

 Now the modern pickups-all Albert all the time.

2007 Fleer Ultra Feel the Game, 2008 Upper Deck X Xpontential X5, 2010 Topps Red Back, and 2011 Topps Chrome X Factor.

The last of the Redbirds-2015 Bowman Chrome Gold Refractors all #ed to 50. #109 Bryce Denton (#28/50), #151 Nick Plummer (#34/50), and #189 Ryan Helsley (#41/50).

Bryce a 18 year old second round pick who was at Rookie ball for Johnson City in 2016. He really improved over his first year and I believe the Redbirds have high expectations for him. Nick a 20 year old-was drafted in the  first round but he was out all of 2016 with a wrist injury. Ryan a right hander who spent last year at Single A Peoria where he went 10-2.

OK, just a few more-one guy had these little team bags for a $1 that contained various cards kind of like a dime box-as there were 10 cards or so in each. I picked through them and noticed one of those Spring Fever cards I love on the front-bam I picked it up. It contained some decent cards but most importantly it contained 5 2013 Spring Fever cards I needed. Booya. This is all the cards, yep all but a few doubles or for other blogger cards.  

I have to say I wouldn't run back to this show unless I was looking for some old, old vintage. But hey I got out of the house, walked round, picked up a few cards and was able to hit a brewery I haven't been to. Originally I had planned to visit the new

21s Amendment Brewery in San Leandro as I always hit Drakes-which I love.

However, I discovered this brewery that has been open for almost exactly two years to the day of my visit (this coming Saturday is the anniversary).The brewery is called Cleophus Quealy Beer Company. Really interesting beers-many sours and funky brews. After a couple of pints and a couple of bottles to go I headed back south. All in all a good trip. But I can't wait for Serramonte in January.