Last night the 31st annual National Sports Collectors Convention started in Baltimore. This convention is unlike really any of its type as people fly in from across the world to attend this convention. As the website says “If you can't find what you're looking for at National, it probably doesn't exist!” I have read a few articles about National here and here, both from writers who I respect greatly and what I have learned from them is that first, don't expect to see many women (that's a shame), second be prepared to see all of the major people who collect as a drug, and third, be prepared to see anything, and try to keep moving to see everything.
Since I live outside of DC, and was raised outside of Baltimore, I'm planning to stop at National a few times over the weekend. It is probably a good opportunity to add to my eccentric collection, and take some photos for a few photo albums. I decided that since it seems to be extremely massive (the entire floor of the Baltimore Convention Center, which is huge), I decided to make a target list, to stay focused:
2) 2006 Mets Pennant or something
3) Any publication from 1976 featuring the Bicentennial Mr. Met
4) A University of Maryland Pennant featuring the old school style of Testudo
2) Cheapest Oliver Perez Autograph out there
3) How many Pete Rose Autos on Checks can I find
4) Very Odd Pieces of Mets Memorabilia
5) Strange Strange Pieces of Shea
6) Baseball Autographs on Religious Items
7) Political Autographs on Baseball Items
8) Game Used Uniforms of Hated Mets
Also, as many of you know, although by training I am a Physicist, I am generally enthralled by sociology and pop culture studies*. I am sure there will be many moments while at the convention that I will be making notes about the merchandising side of sports and the cultures that have developed since then.
* I have given one talk near this subject
