Any National Updates?

[egri]

Originally Posted by Michael B

You won't know what is there until you go. Why take the advice of a PAM (pisser and moaner) who has not attended since 2018.

Fair point.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Yeah, I was of the "You won't know what is there until you go" camp. I kept going, and going...and nothing. For years. Other people I know shared the same experience. Mind you, this is strictly regarding autographs; I wasn't there for anything else.

I still have many colleagues who are forced to attend for the sake of business. They've continued to say the same thing as I have in their annual play-by-plays of the event. The good autographed material goes to the auction houses. The majority of this stuff is rehashed and familiar to anybody who has been collecting for more than a few years.

Don't get me wrong, there will come a show sometime in the future that will be great. That's just the law of averages coming into play. I'll surely regret not attending THAT show, but not knowing when it will happen, combined with all the ones where nothing happens except a lighter wallet, makes staying at home a much more desirable option.

Many people love the social aspect of the show. If I want to visit with any hobby friends or customers, I'll take a road trip and go see them. Much more comfortable and relaxed.

The money I wasted has earned me the right to piss and moan.

[mr2686]

Originally Posted by BillyCox3

Yeah, I was of the "You won't know what is there until you go" camp. I kept going, and going...and nothing. For years. Other people I know shared the same experience. Mind you, this is strictly regarding autographs; I wasn't there for anything else.

I still have many colleagues who are forced to attend for the sake of business. They've continued to say the same thing as I have in their annual play-by-plays of the event. The good autographed material goes to the auction houses. The majority of this stuff is rehashed and familiar to anybody who has been collecting for more than a few years.

Don't get me wrong, there will come a show sometime in the future that will be great. That's just the law of averages coming into play. I'll surely regret not attending THAT show, but not knowing when it will happen, combined with all the ones where nothing happens except a lighter wallet, makes staying at home a much more desirable option.

Many people love the social aspect of the show. If I want to visit with any hobby friends or customers, I'll take a road trip and go see them. Much more comfortable and relaxed.

The money I wasted has earned me the right to piss and moan.

I'm in your camp on this one. I'd still have a good time going (if only for a day or two) but it probably wouldn't be worth the money in the long run. One reason to go for me would be to get some of the newer hof'ers to sign my hof book or any other hof project I have started...although they probably could be obtained at the actual hof show in Cooperstown and I'd get to go to the museum too.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by mr2686

I'm in your camp on this one. I'd still have a good time going (if only for a day or two) but it probably wouldn't be worth the money in the long run. One reason to go for me would be to get some of the newer hof'ers to sign my hof book or any other hof project I have started...although they probably could be obtained at the actual hof show in Cooperstown and I'd get to go to the museum too.

Before I even finished reading your post, I was all ready to suggest doing what you concluded it with! They had a very nicely rounded lineup of signers this year, that's for sure. If next year looks similar, maybe go that route. Sounds like you think you'd have a better time in that environment, and I can't blame you one bit.

You never know who you're going to bump into during the festivities. In '89, I went specifically for Yaz. Seated on the lawn next to us was an older couple. It turned out to be Yaz' first ever manager in semi-pro ball. Got to spend hours with him and his wife. Great people. Met a few genuinely kind old HOFers who were signing for $2-3 each and waived the fee for me for no reason at all other than to be nice to a kid. 10 minutes later, I bumped into Tom Hume at the same card show. He was there as a fan and collector, just like the rest of us. Who knew he collected 1980's Topps Coins?!