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Joe P.I didn't know that I wounded you that badly.
You shouldn't have tried to get cute with me, especially when you have thin skin.
Unlike you,I can back up every word I said.
It's funny but not surprising that you would jump in on this when you were not the one being addressed.
You know absolutely nothing about what this is all about, but yet your wounded little boys pride suckered you into this.
Bob knows that the time frame we're talking about is between Memorial Day 1990 thru Labor Day of that year.
The National was held in Texas that year.
To all you stalwart Vintage and devoted slabbers, the question and problem at hand was the alteration of the stuff you cream for.
We're talking high ended vintage cards that fooled some of your favorite dealers.
My involvement was $15,000 (alot of money in those days)on the toughest card of the T206.
When it sounds too good to be true, ..... it is.
I already had a real one, but I wanted this one to trade for the second hardest card in the T206, the Wagner.
BTW, there are more Wagners than what you think.
By the time of the National I had already gone through tons of T206's that had the Nat'l league designators on them. .... that plus comparing my real one with the altered ones.
I had purchased the card just before the Memorial Day weekend, and that's when I bumped into Lew and Beckett at a show in L.I. N.Y. ..... that's when Lew gave me the shocking headsup that the card might not be Kocher.
From that time on I was dedicated to searching for tell tale signs, and flaws I found.
Right up to the time of the National I was always in contact with my Lawyer and Mark MaCrae, always exchanging and compiling information on L'l Danny and friends.
As soon as I arrived in Texas, I went from my hotel to the National.
I met Mark where we were supposed to meet.
He was there with awell healed client of his, a nice kid with lots of family money with him.
The first thing that Mark tells me is that they had spotted a very nice Magie that had the possibilities of being of the Third Kind.
We went to the dealers table, a dealer from Denver that's still in business.
I politely asked to see the Magie.
After having looked at tons of Nat'l designators, this one was a piece of cake.
I thanked the dealer, I turned around and asked Mark where can we go and talk.
Mark found us an empty conference room where we discussed the situation, and we all agreed (including the nice kid with the Old Money) that we had to tell the dealer about his card.
To say that this dealer from Denver didn't want to believe us, is an understatement.
I don't know how we ever accomplished it, but deep down inside, I feel that the combined efforts of the Kid from Castro Valley in the West Coast, plus the quiet, mundane and easy going kid from the streets of Spanish Harlem in NYC, and let's not forget the nice kid carrying all that Old Money. ... Mark, what the hell was that kids name?
Anyhow, the dealer from the Mile High City was overmatched and saw the wisdom of telling us all.
As it turned out he had bought it from another dealer at the show.
This dealer, and I wont mention his name either is from Flint MI.
We told the dealer that we were going over to check the other dealers table and that we would be back.
We went there, and we found a very happy and smiling dealer, after looking at some of the stuff that he had on his table, we could see why.
The NYC in me told me to ask him if he had any higher priced tobacco cards. .... his answer was that his son
was flying in later with some more items.
Flint MI to Texas. ...... business is good.
We know that the Denver dealer got his money back.
The other night out of curiosity I asked Mark, "Did he ever thank you?"
"No he didn't."
"That makes two of us."
The rest of my time at the 1990 Texas National I spent talking to dealers and not only telling them about L'l Danny's art work, but pointing out the main flaw (singular) in his creation.
I kept one of the flaws to myself, knowing that by doing so it wont be printed for potential correction by our Diminutive Don Danny.
Speaking of El Nino.
In all fairness to him.
He is a pretty good artist, with a sense of humor, and lots of brass.
This Chihuahua is almost likable, but then again if you're not likable you can't be a good con man.
Bringing to mind what the biggest regret of this whole matter is.
We were discussing dealers at his Fantazia store and the name Alan Rosen (Mr Mint) came up.
Apparantly there was a running feud between the two.
He whips out from his counter a baseball card size cartoon, words above the caricature heads and all.
It was a perfect image of Rosen, and the cartoon itself was outstandingly funny.
I regret never having made that as part of the deal.
L'l Danny should not be taken lightly, he can destroy your hobby, he can be that good.
I got my $15,000 G's Back.
I gave alot of my time.
I didn't only fight my dinero, but I also fought for the integrity and credibility of our Vintage hobby.
The $1,500.00 for my counselor was worth every cent.
He didn't only know all the ins and outs of the hobby, he was also a great guy and friend to have on my side.
1. I can back up everything that I said with documents that I still have.
2. I have witnesses that can verify the time frame and the facts.
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OK Runny, now is your turn.
We all know that you were a Gigolo for baseball cards.
Now what else have you contributed to the Vintage world?