[Topps206]

What a day at the Chicago Sports Spectacular. It was my first time at a November Show in Chicago since 2016, before I moved to Oklahoma and later Indiana for work. I've been going to the venue for 20 years, have definitely noticed some changes, as patrons are kept back and don't crowd the pavilion, it seems, as they used to.

I had low number tickets for Jerry Lucas, Rick Barry and Ralph Sampson.

Rick Barry, I had to get him on his first three covers, especially the two 1960s ones. I don't care for how the second 1967 cover turned out, but his first 1967 cover, and especially the 1970 cover, look fantastic. I usually request blue, but Rick took charge and switched to silver for the 1970 cover and stuck with silver for the second 1967 cover. He knew what he was doing. The late great Bill Walton (R.I.P.) wanted to sign his December 1976 cover for me in black when I met him in February 2024 in Crossover, but he eventually yielded to my request of blue. It's the first time I ever saw a guest take charge the way Rick Barry did. He also has a 1974 cover, and I would like to get it signed someday, but I don't care for that one as much as I do the other three.

Ralph Sampson wasn't a big talker but was nice enough. He has some really good covers that I like. My favorite cover of his is the 1983 pro cover with the Rockets, and I also own the 1981 cover at Virginia, plus I got a TTM of his 1980 cover with Mark Aguirre and Albert King in 2019. The reason I chose to get this particular cover signed is because I found it to be in the best condition compared to the 1981 and 1983 covers I own. I'll have to watch the Virginia/Georgetown game with Ewing on YouTube.

Jerry Lucas, I can't say I was fond of his price, but at 85 years old, plus his first time appearing at the venue since 2012, I figured this was probably my one and only shot to get him on something. I was really torn between his Sportsman of the Year cover and his 1960 cover and would have been happy with either one. In the end, I went with the S.O.Y. cover due to, you guessed it, the best condition I could find either one in. He's the first athlete I can think of who wasn't 100% sure the year he got inducted into the Hall of Fame, as he himself previously thought he got into Naismith in 1979, but official sources say 1980 and he put 1980.

He's still quite lucid and I really like the signature. It's incredible how these former athletes in their 80s or pushing 80 can put the younger generation athletes to shame with how they sign their name. I saw a Caitlin Clark signed piece at the show today, and considering her generation, it's actually a respectable signature, even if not as nice as Jerry Lucas or Reggie Jackson. Patrick Mahomes puts a P and two squiggly lines. No thanks. I'm not dishing big money for that.

I need to make it a New Year's resolution to spend less on this in 2026 after a big spending year in 2025. I won't stop completely, but I have some stuff in January and hope to scale back on the paid signings for a while. A free event I know of over multiple days in the spring will help with my addiction and won't cost anything. So, I hope that takes the edge off and I don't see any '60s cover guests or cover guests in their eighties near me for a good bit.