Exhausting First Day of the National

I labored tirelessly for a number of months pricing playing cards in preparation for the Nationwide. When Dave fell sick in June, I knew I used to be going to have much more area. I priced and priced playing cards, anxious I might not have sufficient playing cards to fill the 20-plus show circumstances I deliberate to carry to the Nationwide.

I gave up pricing playing cards on Sunday night time and simply chilled out on Monday. I arrived on the Stephens Focus on 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. I used to be in a position to drive into the constructing and get about 30 toes away from my sales space. Unloading the automotive was a breeze.

I wandered across the constructing to seek out the sales space the place I may receive my badges and parking cross. My preliminary commentary was that this 12 months’s present was completely enormous. I bumped into Tony Schaefer in the principle room. He had a pleasant spot. Tony directed me to the correct sales space for the badges.

I had two cubicles this 12 months in the very same location I used to be in in the course of the 2023 Nationwide in Rosemont. I took 3/4 of the sales space and gave 1/4 to my buddy Scott Ziegert, who I wanted to assist watch the sales space.

Within the months main as much as the Nationwide, tons and tons of individuals requested to share my area as Nationwide cubicles are extraordinarily tough to amass nowadays. I in all probability would have given out some area had not a brand new administration group arrived final 12 months and positioned some new guidelines together with a ban on sharing area. I do not need to lose my sales space, so I’m not sharing with anyone however Scott. Seems I wanted all the additional area anyway!

I principally laid out each cubicles the identical method Dave and I had our one sales space in Cleveland final 12 months. I had 16 toes of desk area alongside one aisle then I made a U in one other aisle permitting for an additional 23-feet of area. I introduced out 20 show circumstances on Tuesday then noticed I had area for extra, so I introduced out 4 extra circumstances on Wednesday, for a complete of 24 show circumstances.

I used to be amazed that I used to be in a position to fill all 24 circumstances with classic playing cards. I truly may have crammed 27 or 28 circumstances as a result of I used to be initially unable to get all of my playing cards out. I discover that it’s higher to overprepare than underprepare.

I spent most of Tuesday cleansing my show circumstances and inserting the playing cards. I used to be actually pleased with my arrange however knew it was going to be awfully unusual to arrange with out Dave. Now we have been establishing on the Nationwide collectively since 2008. He was like a safety blanket. I used to be severely uncomfortable with out him there.

I used to be up brilliant and early Wednesday morning to satisfy my pal Al Lavine, who had signed on to assist me for the primary day of the Nationwide. As has turn out to be my custom on the primary day of the Nationwide, I finished off at Chicago Bagel & Bialys in Wheeling, Illinois, for some corned beef sandwiches.

We parked within the Stephens Middle parking zone and made the lengthy trek to my sales space. I basically have the final sales space within the constructing however it labored out nice in 2023 as a result of of us arriving from the parking storage had been funneled down an escalator close to by sales space. 

Sadly, no such luck this 12 months and the crowds close to my sales space had been noticeably lighter than final 12 months… which labored out nice. It was good to have respiration area all week as loads of patrons nonetheless discovered my sales space and gross sales far exceeded expectations.

Upon arrival on the sales space Wednesday. I sat down and ate my sandwich whereas Al took off to roam the present.

We had some down time till the VIPs had been allowed entry round 3 p.m. I took my time establishing the sales space, as I had locked every part away the night time earlier than.

Sharing the opposite aspect from my two cubicles was a big group from Texas. Within the aisle throughout the best way was a supplier I acknowledged from 2023 who had a bunch of sealed wax in tall show circumstances. Then on one other aspect was a bunch with a mixture of trendy and classic. On the opposite aspect was a bunch with trendy. Simply previous the group from Texas was the autograph pavilion.

Scott texted me round midday and I went out to the entrance of the constructing at hand over his badges to his dad Jim. On my method again in, I noticed a buyer I knew from Boston, who I met on the Strongsville present. I gave him my sales space quantity and he quickly arrived prepared to purchase. He pulled out a bunch of playing cards and began my showcase proper! It was good to have just a little money kitty lengthy earlier than the VIP’s entered the present.

Then one of many trendy card sellers from Texas gave me a pleasant deal on a 1957 Topps Frank Robinson rookie and a Rocky Colavito rookie. Boston man was nonetheless at my sales space and drooling over my purchases. Down canine, down!

I had a gradual group of consumers up till the VIP’s arrived and gross sales had been robust up till 8 p.m. Al got here again at 3 p.m. when issues had been gentle. I informed him I didn’t want him till 4 p.m. Turned out that I actually wanted him at 4 p.m. as I used to be a lot busier than anticipated.

Final 12 months in Cleveland, gross sales had been actually gentle on the primary day. What a distinction a 12 months makes. I used to be extraordinarily busy and had glorious gross sales.

I noticed plenty of of us I knew and it was enjoyable to speak. Tim Payne was arrange close to by. I noticed former ESPN reporter Invoice Simmons stroll by. Possibly if I wore a Celtics jersey he would have stopped at my sales space.

Al and I had been exhausted at 8 p.m. when the present closed for the night time. I locked every part up and we made our approach to the parking storage, strolling with an enormous crowd. Once we lastly made it to my automotive, I used to be barely in a position to pull into the loopy lengthy line to exit the constructing. We sat in my automotive a very good 40 minutes and solely moved about 5 toes. We determined to park and go get one thing to eat within the sq. behind the parking storage that’s crammed with eating places.

I parked just a few toes away from the place I initially parked that morning and we walked within the warmth and humidity to the sq.. As soon as within the sq. it began to rain. We went from restaurant to restaurant and none had any tables accessible. Ugh!

We went again to the parking storage and noticed the road to exit had decreased significantly. We hopped again into my automotive and had been on the highway to my home in about 20 minutes. 

We had been exhausted!

I used to be hungry. Al did not need to cease for meals. So we simply went to my home and he drove off again to Milwaukee. I munched on some leftovers and handed out.

Day 1 full!