CONCEPTS - Vintage Wrappers

There's just something about vintage design.  The simplicity.  The colors.  The "off-centered"-ness of layers.  I love it.

Things that house that vintage feel in this hobby that I've really taken notice of in the past include goalie masks, card designs and now.....wrappers.

Recently it was reported that Topps has decided to celebrate the vintage-ness of their baseball wrappers by making limited edition prints available to the public.  Every single Topps baseball wrapper from 1952 through 1989 will get the art treatment.

Tell me this doesn't look just absolutely stunning.  In the immortal words of J.J. Walker.......DY-NO-MITE!!!!!

Now if you want to collect all 38 prints, it'll cost ya'.

The 10"x14" (numbered to 99) cost $29.99 each.  You can also buy decade sets, measuring 5"x7" (numbered to 49 copies) cost $49.99.

I am so struggling with what to do.

And at the same time, I pray they don't do the same with hockey.  (ok...yes I do).

In fact.....the last time I went to the Toronto Expo, I saw some gorgeous looking vintage wrapper art.  Right up my alley.

These pieces come from The Hockey Nut and look really nice in person.  Vivid colors, cool designs and reeking of vintage.

Currently there are about 10 different wrapper designs available.  Measuring 16"x20" and presented as a canvas wrap, they bite the wallet at $99.00 plus shipping.

Now these don't have the OPC logo in full so I'm guessing that there's some sort of grey area with regards to copyright.  Whereas the Topps baseball ones are made and sold by the company itself.

And then there are those who go for the real deal all the way.

Lovely.....simply lovely.

I never appreciated wrappers back when I was a kid.  Maybe other than the smell of the addictive bubblegum and the card locker redemption....but that's it.  But I would have loved to have kept some of the oldies for posterity.

It's amazing to see what some of the old offerings go for online.  Which might be part of the reason why I enjoy them so much.  If they were a dime a dozen, I don't know if I would be as captured by them.

At the end of the day, this throw-away piece of sports card collecting is now anything but.  And with the production of new vintage offerings, I don't see the trend slowing down anytime soon.


So, do you have any wrappers in your collection?  What are your favorites?  What do you think of old becoming new once again?  Do these new prints turn your crank at all?  Why/why not?

ARTICLES - Million Dollar Mask

I love goalie masks.  There's just something about them that I am totally drawn to.  For years I have considered the mask the single most important innovation in the history of professional sports.  It literally changed the game back in the 60's and the rich history of this piece of equipment is celebrated to this day.

Goalie mask cards are a staple in the industry.  Once a fringe insert, they have become a yearly tradition for many collectors - including myself.  I enjoy seeing the new additions, cool looking photos and of course the killer lids.

I love masks so much that I would spend hours upon hours searching for close-up photos of goalie masks.  All eras, all players.  I loved learning more and more about the history of the mask.

With my profession in television, I was determined to create a documentary series on the subject (that's how much I wanted to celebrate it).  Of course, that's when I was pretty green in the industry and I ended up running around in circles as opposed to focused in one direction.

Think about it though.  A five-part series on the 50+ year history of the goalie mask.  From it's glorious (and crude) introduction back in 1959 all the way up to today's artistic masterpieces.  Who the key players were both on and off the ice.  What the most popular and recognizable masks are.  Who's careers were influenced by the mask.  And the stories....like folklore.  Mmmmmmmm.  Them's good eats.

But sadly it did not come to fruition.  And as the years have gone by so has the focus on the project.  I still think one day someone might carry the torch and put together one heck of a killer sports doc series.

One can dream.

So where am I going with all this?

Well, with my recent collection cleaning, I came across some neat articles on the goalie mask that I collected and kept.  Some have great photos, others some detailed information.

I found a couple single page items from magazines that I scanned and I just needed to share with you.


Jacques Plante - THE GUY when it comes to the start of the goalie mask story.  He was the first goaltender to regularly wear this protective equipment.  He had been using it in practice, but it wasn't until Andy Bathgate nearly took off his head with a slapshot that he put on the mask for good.

Teased for years after, he was pegged as a sissy, a wimp.  Can you believe it took years before a second goalie decided to regularly wear a mask.

Jacques was so influential and innovative that he eventually designed his own masks.  He then started to market them to the masses.  Here's one of his famous advertisements.

If that doesn't catch your eye....I don't know what will.

A million bucks.  In 1971 that would be a ton of cash.  And check out how much he was selling those lids for.  Hindsight.

What's interesting is that while the masks would reduce the stitches one would take to the face, it created a new problem - blowout.  Rather than cut you open, it would absorb the puck's force in such a way that it would explode your cheekbone upon impact.  Yikes.

There's a reason why the fibreglass masks were phased out in the 80's.

What a great piece of hockey history.


The second item also comes from a magazine.  When I saw the photo I thought it would make a great addition to the Ed Giacomin story.

I love this pic.  I picture him sucking on a towel to ease the numbness in his mouth.  Or maybe he's got a couple missing chicklets.

In all actuality, it's probably just a little slobber wipe.  Still.....

And it does say that he took a slapper from the feared Hull (Dennis).  So maybe there's some legitimacy after all.

Regardless, this is a keeper.  Part of my goalie mask collection/research. Something that I'll have with me for many years to come.

ARTICLE(s) - Some Wicked Wagners And A Backup Butler

A couple of big news items this past week with regards to a pair of 1906 T206 Honus Wagner cards.  After reading about the 'Holy Grail' of cards last month, I've been kind of keeping my eye on the news regarding this treasured piece of cardboard.

The first article talks about how a copy of this card, dubbed the "Jumbo" Wagner (because of its larger border area in comparison to the "Gretzky" Wagner) recently sold at auction for $2.1 million.  I just missed out on being the winning bidder.....but realized at the last moment that the auction house was expecting real money and not Monopoly dough.

The "Jumbo" Wagner, while a lower grade (PSA 5), might now be considered the most sought after Wagner after the second news story came out this week.

Bill Mastro, the self proclaimed "King Of Memorabilia" and a key player in the history of the "Gretzky" Wagner, admitted to trimming the corners of the legendary card.  What's amazing is that the card's value is likely to increase (mostly due to the incredible history and almost mythic-like lore that the card has endured).

What I want to know.....how reputable will PSA become in the future now that it has been linked to grading a compromised card?

I'm sure it won't be the last time we hear about an Honus Wagner T206 card.


Now on to another great story from this evening.

The Vancouver Canucks were in town visiting the lowly ol' Flames.  Scheduled to start in net for the Nucks was Cory Schneider (as per usual).  But he came down with an illness so it was Roberto Luongo to the rescue - not a bad backup plan IMO.  Anyways, it was decided that Schneider would not be the backup.

Signed on as an emergency backup was a guy named Dustin Butler, a 25-year-old goalie playing with the University of Calgary Dinos.  Talk about living out a childhood dream.

He did have some WHL experience (and was actually teammates with Canucks forward Jannik Hansen) but this was a huge jump...one I'm sure he never expected.

Here's some video of him during the Canucks pre-game and warmup.


With the Canucks scoring a pair of goals in the third period to go up 3-1, it would have been awesome to see Butler get some ice time (even if it was just the final shift of the game).  But I'm sure riding the bench was more than enough to make for a fantastic story when he gets older.

Now all that's left is waiting to see if he's gonna get one of these?

It's probably too late to squeeze him into this year's Between The Pipes offering, so maybe for the 2013/14 release.

Or how about one of these?  Now that would be sweet.  Definitely a lifetime reminder.

ARTICLES - Leaf CEO Brian Gray

Lately I have been listening to Cardboard Connection Radio on the web.  With 2 episodes a week focusing on all things sportscards, it seems like something that would be right up my alley.

While the majority of the subjects are non-hockey related, there are still some interesting topics, good guests and all in all it's a fun hour and a half show.

Recently, there was a sportscard industry summit in Las Vegas.  This get together of card companies, store owners and influential people in the hobby is a yearly tradition and this year Cardboard Connection Radio was doing some broadcasting from the event.

Subsequently, they posted an hour-long video of Leaf Trading Cards CEO Brian Gray and his presentation to the crowd.  Basically it's a company update, what's going to be coming down the pipe in 2013 and quite a bit of Brian's philosophy towards the industry in general.  There's also a Q&A session where he really lays out his thoughts on where he thinks the industry is at.


Just a heads up, there is the odd bit of profanity (not too much though).

At first I had the video playing while I was doing some work on my computer, but after about 20 minutes I found myself just engrossed in what he was saying. It was a fun watch and if you have the time I'd recommend taking a look at it.

It would be very intersting to hear the same kind of presentation from the big wigs at Upper Deck, Panini and In The Game (yes there are other companies, but I'm listing only those who have a hockey link at this time).

If you do watch it, drop me a comment and tell me what you thought of it.

ARTICLES: Upper Deck Announces 2012/13 Cuts

Last week I posted some information about the NHLPA's decision to not include rookies debuting in the 2012/13 shortened season into this year's products.  Instead they will be part of a double rookie class for the 2013/14 product season.

Link to blog post

Well, today Upper Deck shared their plans for the remainder of the 2012/13 season.....well at least some of the plans.

Link to Upper Deck blog post

Gone are the following products for this year...

2012/13 NHL SPx
2012/13 NHL Upper Deck Series II
2012/13 NHL Ultimate Collection

I was surprised to see UD Series II take a hit, but I guess their Young Guns inserts would have been too depleted.  I was hoping for maybe some retro YG's or something.

Ultimate Collection is a hard-signed product so the turnaround to get that release together might have led to that decision.

What I am interested to see is how some of the content from those products is received by collectors when they act as inserts in other products.  Or will they be bonuses?

I'm also predicting that the Fleer Retro release will be a hit.  I don't know why...just a gut feeling.  I think the Jambalaya inserts will be a huge chase and a real throwback to old-style, long-odds insert collecting.  Curious too to see how the Metal Universe cards will be incorporated.

Fans of those 90's products will love the flashback I'm sure.

The one area that wasn't addressed by Upper Deck is the status of The Cup.  Normally a very late release (August/September), it will be curious to see how this product is taken to with the limited rookie inclusion.

I can't see UD canceling the release for the 2012/13 season....it's just too big of a product to halt.  But it will be a different beast for sure.

If I hear anything else, I'll be sure to update.

What are your thoughts on the "shortened" 2012/13 NHL hockey card season?  Has it affected your collecting?  If so - how?

ARTICLES: 2012/13 Lockout Affects Upcoming Products

There was an announcement yesterday by the NHLPA's Adam Larry which basically addressed the situation regarding the 2012/13 rookie class.

"After discussions both internally and externally, including with many stakeholders within the trading card industry, we have decided to restrict the rookie class for the 2012/13 product to those players who debuted between the 2012 All-Star Game and the conclusion of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals.  This means that all rookies who debut during the 2012/13 season will have their rookie cards appear in 2013/14 products."

Here's the link to the article on Beckett's website.

This basically means that there will be no new rookies appearing in any of the remaining products this season.  Only those who are currently in products (like Calgary's Sven Baertschi) will be the ones who represent the 2012/13 season as rc's.

Bummer for this year, but boy that could mean a pretty stacked rookie class next season with a double dose.

Sadly, this could really hurt the hobby in the sense that a lot of people have been anticipating some new product with a new crop of players.  Now they will have to wait an entire year before they get that wish.

I don't know how much this will affect the local hobby establishments as I can only imagine sales have dropped a bit since the lockout started.  With this announcement, a lot of returning momentum might have just been squashed.

And the news doesn't get much better....

Panini today announced their plans as a result of the NHLPA's announcement.

While they are excited about the double rookie class next season, they have plans to release only three more hockey products this year.

"...with one product launching shortly after the start of the NHL season later this week.  2012/13 Limited Hockey will be available at both retail and hobby stores in early February.  Limited will be followed by 2012/13 Rookie Anthology Hockey, available at hobby shops in early June.  The 2012/13 Panini America NHL/NHLPA product calendar will be rounded out with the highly anticipated return of Prime Hockey, which will be available at hobby shops in August."

Here's the link to the article on Panini's blog.

That means no Titanium, Dominion, Elite, Crown Royale, Contenders, etc.

Ouch.  That hurts.

While it will lighten the load a bit when it comes to the number of potential Linden cards I'm going to add to the wantlist this year, the complete cancellation of a number of products just can't be good for the industry.

I can understand some of the reasons for doing it though.  It would be near impossible to any sort of auto or memorabilia of rookies into the products with such a lightning quick turnaround.  Is it better to put the brakes on the products altogether or release what would surely be a substandard product.

People are patient, but I think this is the right thing to do.  It sucks for a lot of people but I can only imagine the buzz come this time next year.

Upper Deck has yet to announce their plans for remaining 2012/13 product.  What will they do with the Young Guns in UD Series II?  What will become of The Cup?  Will it be cancelled too?

Lots of news still to come I'm sure.  And without question will be a hot topic in the card shop and at the shows.

ARTICLES: How It's Made - Ryan Kesler Stick Card

For a couple of years now, Panini has been maintaining a blog dedicated to not just the cards and products they create, but to many others aspects of the hobby.  From collector features to signing sessions, box breaks to video tours, Panini has really been at the front of the pack when it comes to this aspect of social media.

I just finished watching a 10-minute video that I found so interesting, I thought I'd share it with you all.

This video shows the entire process (and I mean ENTIRE) of getting a Ryan Kesler stick card into this year's Dominion product.

Sit back and enjoy.


Thanks very much Panini for taking the time to document something like this.  As a person who is incredibly interested in the "behind-the-scenes" aspect of sportscard development, I found this video to be right up my alley.

If I could suggest a future video...I'd love to see some of the graphic designers in action as they develop the "look" for an upcoming release.

Now THAT I would completely geek out to.

ARTICLES: Panini Just Made Me Drool

Just a quick post as I get home from a long day of work (the first of a few).

Came across a cool post from Panini's blog site that made me grin, drool and ask "Why isn't there more 'stuff like this' about the card making industry?"

Now I have to determine which would be the 'ultimate swatch' to hit and which one would be the 'dud of the bunch' (early favorite would be lower right-hand corner piece from the Devils jersey).

It would be a bit of a downer (purely from a comparative standpoint) to land that slice.


Which jersey piece is your fave?  Which one would get immediately returned to Panini with a scathing note screaming of utter disappointment?

ARTICLE - Is The Hobby Dying?

This news story aired on CBS Sunday Morning recently and created quite a bit of dialogue within the collecting community.  Before I get into my thoughts, take a few minutes to watch the piece.



Now it would be impossible to accurately show the 20-25 year history that the sportscard industry has gone through in a 4 minute piece.  A lot of what was said just scratched the surface of what this hobby was, is and looks to become.

Some things that caught my ear....

"The youth are missing."  You know what - they are.  And why is that?  Is it because the industry has changed so much that it's priced the youth right out of the market?  Is it that the kids are just not interested in sportscards?  Or maybe they aren't 'missing', just smaller in representation?

I think it's a bit of all three with other factors coming into play.  At the end of the day, I believe this hobby is geared more towards the 16+ crowd.  I don't know if there is anything that can be done to capture the youth movement in huge numbers.

I don't think the card companies have done anything to help that 'concern' (if you could call it that) either.  After all, they do cater to those with a little deeper pocket than a 8 year old.

Case in point, this CW33 story (that Panini posted on their blog as a response to the CBS story and the notion that the 'hobby is dying').



To Panini, not only is the hobby not dying....it's radically transforming  for a new generation.

In my opinion, they're right.  Transforming for a new generation of people who can afford the cards.  Did you notice in the second story that all the footage of cards used were 'hits'.  I didn't see a single inexpensive card in the lot.

They say it themselves...

"Of the 60+ sports products Panini America produces in a year, 10% are targeted to kids.  This is no longer a wax/bubblegum category.  Males 18-55 drive the category."

So the youth are missing.

I'll admit, I was surprised to see Panini take such a stance against the CBS story.  They seemed almost insulted by it.  While I don't think the CBS story dove deep into stats and such, I do feel like a good chunk of what they said had some merit.

Again, it's a 4 minute news story....not an hour long documentary.

Panini even went so far as inviting the reporter to be a guest of Panini America at the upcoming National Sports Convention in Baltimore.  To me, a giant show like that is just as much of a misrepresentation of the health of the sportscard industry as the card show shown in the news story.  Giant annual shows are a beast that most people don't have the way, means or money to attend.  So how can these shows represent the broad cross-section of the hobby.

They can't.

Speaking of shows, in the CBS story, a comparison is made between a current day card show and a show that occurred in the mid-1980's.

First, I'd like to say that yes, sportscard shows just flat out aren't the same as they were during the boom of the late-80's/early-90's.  Did you notice that the current day show occurred on a weekday?  Attendance would surely be down for something like that.  Optically, it's going to look like night and day no matter what.

What I find most unfortunate is that I love card shows.  I love them even when they aren't busy.  Why?  Because I get to 'talk shop' face to face with other hobbyists.  Because I get to window shop for cards I'll never own.  Because I get to chase those cards still making a dent on my wantlist (holding out hope I'll find one).  But mostly because local monthly card shows are truly what's dying in the hobby.

I predict that in less than 10 years, monthly card shows (in most cities) will be a thing of the past.  Ebay, online forums and hobby boards have taken over the secondary sales element of this industry.  I cringe for the day when I no longer have a show to go to.

Sure, those giant yearly shows are still there (and will still exist), but not everyone can fly in from out of town to go hunting for hockey cards.

While I felt the CBS story was lacking in real teeth when it comes to the subject of sportscards, I was especially disappointed at one of the reporter's last comments.....saying the cards on the table were "worthless".

What a blanket statement to make.  They're worthless to Armen Keteyan (who I've got good money on that he's not a card collector).

All cards have worth.  Not all cards are worth something to everyone though.  To me, a Linden card is worth something.  To the next person, it may be worth nothing.  So who's right?  We both are.

Thanks for that 'objective' statement Armen.

The final phrase I was left with from the story was "kids don't care".  Again, I feel that's a bit of a blanket statement.  There are kids who do and kids who don't.  There kids who collect because it's fun and there are kids who collect because it's profitable (it's a business as opposed to a hobby).  Hey, they learn by watching the adults.

At the end of the day, I feel that the hobby is not dying.  The hobby is evolving.  This is my hobby and I'm not letting it control me.  I dictate how I want this hobby to work.  I buy what I want, I ignore what I choose to ignore.  It's up to me.

Just like it's up to everyone else when it comes to their own personal hobby enjoyment.

If the feeling that kids need to be attracted back into the hobby, then the card companies will have to work to make that happen.  But I just don't see that happening.

I could go on a lot longer, but I'll leave it for now.  I might come back to this subject later on down the road.  For now, I will leave you with this final thought.

To me, a news story is an opportunity to ingest some information about a subject and then come up with your own conclusion.  Don't believe everything you see and don't discard everything you see either.  News stories should create thought and create discussion.  They should help you form your own opinion rather than you just believe everything that is said as truth.

What are your thoughts on the news stories?  What are your thoughts on the health of the hobby?  Have you seen any other hobby related news stories/documentaries that made you sit back and think?

ARTICLES: "Cardbacks For Dummies"

Saw this great post over on Panini's blog site. Thought it would be of interest to some of you.

An often overlooked aspect of sportscard creation - the 'write up' - is almost as much of an art form as mocking up a design for a card front. I myself am a nerd for card creations and all aspects of design (even the boring text). So I found this article to be a unique look at an underappreciated talent.


How many of you take the time to read the backs of cards (ok...not ALL of them, but some)? These words don't grow on trees.

Have you ever tried to write up a card back yourself? It's not as easy as you might think.

To me, things like where the word appears on a given line, the length of the line in comparison to the others, the overall aesthetics, the font size, the descriptive words, the accuracy of the information....I could go on. It all plays a role in making the cards comfortable to look at and consistent from one to the next.

Thank you Panini for taking a moment to give the writers center stage.

STASHED IN THE CLOSET - Scotiabank Hockey News

A few weeks ago my sister had a 'house purge'/garage sale. It gave me a chance to get some of my old boxed up space fillers out of the basement....to make room for new space fillers.

I happened to come across a few cool items that I will show off here over the winter months.

Here's one item that I thought I had gotten rid of. It's a small, simple item but one I am very happy to still have.


This Scotiabank Hockey College News magazine is from January 1977. This magazine was put out by Scotiabank and was a 15-20 page release that had a simple variety of hockey. Call it a poor man's Hockey News.


This article made me laugh. Style, shmyle....just stop the puck. You tell 'em Tony.


And I love the drill at the bottom of this page. I remember hearing about Vladislav Tretiak using that one back in 1972 to increase eye-hand coordination as well as speed.


But the big reason I wanted this magazine was the article on Greg Harrison. He was (and still is in many respects) the number one mask maker in the industry. His work on fibreglass masks was revolutionary. And his introduction of the combo mask has turned goaltending protection into what it is today.


I really love the firebrand design in the bottom right corner. One mask that never made it into NHL play.

Snapshots of history like this can often go unappreciated which is a shame. I think these old magazines and old articles can lend to some great knowledge and entertainment.

If you ever come across one, take a moment to see what it has to offer.

COOL 'MHCO' PLUG FROM JEFF MAREK

Over the past couple of years that this blog has existed, I have seen the readership slowly grow.

First and foremost - thank you to all of you who stop by and read what I have to say.

I'm most proud that I have (in my opinion) kept this blog fun, I have talked about my interests and thoughts about this great hobby and that I have been doing a good job of not letting this blog drift into obscurity (I don't think I have ever gone more than a week or so without posting).

I get about 100 'hits' to my blog daily. While this might not sound like a lot, I think it is pretty amazing there are that many people who want to check out what I have to say. Thanks again.

Tonight, I was made aware of an article posted on Puck Daddy's blog. For those of you who have not checked out Puck Daddy, it is one of the top hockey blogs out there in my opinion. Great articles, great subjects and great opinions.

The title of the blog post is Hockey Guilty Pleasures: Jeff Marek, Rogers Sportsnet host.

Jeff Marek....the name sounds familiar right? He hosted the iDesk on Hockey Night In Canada. He since moved to Rogers Sportsnet this summer.

The 'guilty pleasures' concept features guest columnists who answer questions about hockey-related guilty pleasures.

Check out 7a.

I think it's kind of cool and felt like sharing.

Thanks for checking out the blog Jeff (that goes for everyone else too).


I guess I should thank Rogie as well (or at least his mug). :)

Article: COMING SOON...Card Photography

It's been a long time since I've done any writing for anything outside of this blog. I've been meaning to do some articles for one of the hobby magazines I subscribe to, but I always seem to push it down the priority list.

That's been bothering me quite a bit.

So I took the first step to change that this week by contacting someone I have been wanting to talk to for quite some time. I cold called him and asked if I could conduct an interview. He kindly accepted and off I went.

His name is Jeff Vinnick and he is the team photographer for the Vancouver Canucks. I've been a big fan of hockey photography and his work especially. He's taken some of my all-time favorite photos (including a number of photos from the night Trevor Linden played his last game).


I talked to him for about a half hour and I am planning on writing a 2-3 page article.

Should have it done in the next couple weeks. I'll be sure to post it up here once it has been published. Stay tuned.

Article: Enforcers Only

I enjoy writing. I know I'm not the best at it...but over the past year (almost) that I have been building this blog, I have been enjoying getting the thoughts out of my head and on paper (well, actually I type...on a screen).

I also enjoy hearing from others who have a real passion for the hobby. Any hobby for that matter. Cards, sports, music, culture...it doesn't matter. The passion and enjoyment the person has keeps me riveted to what is being said.

I've been wanting to do more writing for The Insider's Edge magazine (a collectibles hobby mag), but have found little to no time lately.

Recently though, I did talk to a person who has a strong passion for cards - specifically 'enforcer' cards. I asked if I could interview him and submit the article.

He agreed...and here it is.






Thanks again Richard for your help. I enjoyed the time.

Article: History of the Mask

Well, I completely forgot about posting this article back a few months ago. I guess better late than never.

Back at the start of November, we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the night the goalie mask was introduced into the NHL. Jacques Plante was the innovator who took a chance on being ostracized and ridiculed by his teammates, players in general as well fans of the game.

Confident in his decision, Plante donned the mask and forever changed the way the game was played and is a direct credit to lengthening careers and probably saving lives.

I wrote an article on the goalie mask for The Insider's Edge magazine and it was printed in the December 2009 issue.

Here is that article. Enjoy.





The Insider's Edge is a monthly sportscard magazine for collectors, written by collectors. For anyone wanting more information on the magazine, please leave a comment below and I will give you the lowdown. Thanks.

OUTSIDE THE BOX - Harlem Globetrotters Article

There are times when my collecting interests drift from that which is just hockey. I enjoy non-sports memorabilia and autographs and recently have acquired a taste for Harlem Globetrotters stuff.

The odd post from me may be a little 'Outside The Box'...I hope you enjoy.

Last April, I took my 11-year-old niece and 7-year-old nephew to go see the Harlem Globetrotters. The first time I saw them was back when I was 11. The memories of that game were buried back in the brain for quite some time, but after seeing them again this year, they all came flooding back to me.


Curly Neal was by far my favorite player and this card came from the program I bought back in the day. I've kept it all these years and it was the inspiration for a magazine article I wrote for a magazine called 'The Insider's Edge'.

I have asked for permission from the editor of the magazine to post this article on my blog. Thank you again Bruce and the guys at hobbyinsider.net.

For those who have a little 'free-reading time' - enjoy.