The Annual Tristar Show Is Almost Here!

The biggest baseball card show of the year in the San Francisco Bay Area is on deck. Before I know it, I’ll be buying my tickets, entering the hall, checking out cards and in general enjoying the experience. Right now card dealers from across the nation are coming to San Francisco looking to move some cards, and I won’t let them down. But first, I would be remiss if I did not thank on a group level my sisters Susan, Nancy and Jane for the generous gifts they gave me for my birthday, knowing full well that I would be saving the loot for just this weekend. Thank you, sisters! Now, about that show…

It’s a big deal. In addition to the dealers, Tristar will be bringing in retired players and sports personalities who will be signing autographs for a fee. There are some familiar names such as Joe Montana and Dwight Clark, who will be making his first public appearance after announcing last month that he has been diagnosed with ALS, also know as Lou Gehrig’s disease. I’m certain he’ll be flooded with well wishes, and his autograph will be a popular item. Mr. October himself, Reggie Jackson, will be signing, but in my experience you’ll get a nicer looking autograph if your sister bumps into him on an airplane than you do when you pay for it at a card show. Popular former San Francisco Giants players like Will Clark and Orlando Cepeda will also appear.

As a baseball fan who ignores the other sports, there are usually some people appearing whose names I don’t recognize. For example, Ray Borque, a retired Hockey player, is going to appear. He never played for the San Jose Sharks, but he’s coming anyway. James Lofton will be on hand, and thanks to the internet I learned he’s a former football player and coach. The world of wrestling will be represented this time around. For all of you Hulkamaniacs out there, Hulk Hogan is set to appear. Rickey “The Dragon” Steamboat will be on hand, and if you never saw him wrestle Randy Savage in Wrestlemania III it’s a good match. Former Boxing Heavyweight Champion of the World Mike Tyson will also be at the show.

I’ll be on the lookout for all sorts of things for myself as well as for a vast number of friends and trading pals. Serving as an undercurrent to all my present trading and collecting activities is a commitment a group of friends and I made to Bryan Stow. Our baseball-card fueled fundraiser for Bryan is back on track and I’ll be looking for unusual San Francisco Giants items that can be raffled off at a later date. This show is a good place to look. As for myself, I really want to finish off my 2010 Cards Your Mother Threw Out insert set. Maybe I’ll find a nice, autographed Tom Seaver item, too. That would make me very happy. If any non-sport dealers are around, I only need four more cards to complete my 1961 Topps Crazy Cards set. For my friend Clint I’ll be looking for Royals parallel cards. Mike is a big Red Sox collector, so he’ll get first crack at the ones I find, with Chip a big fan of the team but only a casual card collector getting the rest. I’ll be looking for some Oakland A’s cards for the Roth men, and I’m sure I’ll find some.

In sum, I’m super excited!