The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
NSCC offers unique, wacky memorabilia
Those heading out to the National Sports Collectors Convention in search of some of the wackiest, most unique memorabilia won’t be disappointed.
I certainly wasn’t when making the rounds Aug. 2 among the reported 650 dealers at the I-X Center for the Aug. 1-5 convention.
Sure, there are thousands of sports cards from all eras, and just about every mainstream piece of memorabilia for sports fans of all ages.
Those who look long enough will spot items not seen every day. Here’s a sampling: Dealer Kenny Depalmer of Unique Sports Memorabilia in Westchester, New York, definitely had a unique item with his original “Rocky” frame on display. It included five pictures from the 1976 film within the large frame, but the standout was Everlast boxing shorts similar to the ones Sylvester Stallone A game-worn Carl Fair Browns uniform on display Aug. 2 at the National Sports Collectors Convention at the I-X Center.
wore in the film’s final fight. On it were stains of blood. I asked Depalmer if the boxing shorts, signed by Stallone, were the actual movie prop and if the blood was real? “Nah,” said Depalmer. Hey, you won’t know unless you ask. His asking price is
$2,000.
There was a time in our society when the dangers of smoking weren’t public to the masses, and pro sports teams and some star players cashed in on the habit. At one exhibit, a dealer had on display
countless numbers of ashtrays Major League Baseball teams produced during the 1970s and ’80s, including one from when Cleveland hosted the 1981 All-Star Game. Old-school baseball fans/smokers in your life might appreciate one, and they’re affordable.
Oldschool sports fans love Strat-O-Matic board games, but there were a bunch of others that caught my eye, especially “Challenge The Yankees” from 1964. One player controls the Yankees’ 25-man roster, and the other a group of 25 all-stars. Perfect for any Yankees lover/ hater.
Horse racing wheels were popular in the early to mid-1900s, and Newport Beach, California, dealer Todd Tobias had on display one manufactured by H.C. Evans in Chicago. Ten lithographs comprise most of the wheel, with five random numbers for each. There are several ways to bet using a horse racing wheel, but it’s too darn complicated to explain. Tobias had me lost after about 15 seconds of explaining. Even more when he said his asking price was $8,500.
Baseballs used in the 1850s and 1860s were called lemonpeel. The dark leather used back in the days makes them look more like a week-old banana in the shape of a baseball. Also courtesy of Tobias, the one he had on display had an asking price of $800.
Spotted high atop one dealer’s shelf was a gameused Browns No. 42 jersey with “Fair” on the back. Congrats if you guessed Carl Fair, who had a cup of coffee with the Browns in their 2001 training camp. Fair was a running back from Alabama-Birmingham who didn’t make it out of camp. Asking price for die-hard Fair fans is $160.
And my favorite of the show:
Imagine a Michael Myers Halloween jumpsuit costume, only in red with the iconic Phillies “P” stitched on the left chest pocket. Asking price is $150. I was half-tempted to try it on right then and there — mostly because it was “obtained from a member of the hot pants patrol,” according to the price tag.
Podolski can be reached at mpodolski@news-herald. com. On Twitter at @mpodo.