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THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 28. 1992
4B
Cards, from 1B
Gordon.
I got out of the Air Force in Au
gust 1975 and went to work in my
current job on the base in the
Avionics Directorate," he said.
The baseball card industry boomed
in the late 1980's but has slowed in
recent years. Niederkom’s said the
reasons for the slowdown were the
downturn in the economy, mistakes
made by card companies and a shift
in attitude on the part of card
sellers.
"People started shifting the em
phasis on baseball cards from col
lecting to investment. The card
companies started selling box sets,
which defeats the purpose of going
out and hunting for cards to com
plete a set, it reduces the thrill kids
have in opening a package of cards
to see who they've gotten and it
changes the attitude of people han
dling the merchandise. Now you
see a lot of fathers telling their sons
to be careful how they handle the
cards and the cards arc being treated
like fine china. It supposed to be
fun, and die investment attitude has
taken a lot of the fun out of it.
The companies have learned the
hard way that they’re hurting
themselves by saturating the
markets. Collecting is about
supply and demand. A baseball card
show is capitalism in its purest
form, it's unlike anything I’ve ever
done," Niederkom said.
Niederkom built his collection us
ing the principle of paying half of
the Beckett Guide’s listed card
value. Baseball cards arc valued ac
cording to the status of the player,
the age and condition of the card and
availability. A player's first year,
or rookie card, is generally the most
expensive of his series.
Niderkom advises anyone thinking
about beginning a baseball card col
lection to follow a few simple prin
ciples.
"The first thing is to go slow.
Don't go out and buy everything in
sight right away. If you can't af
ford a rrxikic card, buy a second year
card, it's usually much less expen
sive and it's a good start. Be pa
tient, cards that are real hot always
cool off. People get the altitude
they have to have the hottest card
right away, but if they wait they
can find a better price. The third
thing is focus on a particular topic.
Collect pitchers, or a certain team
or MVPs. Stress the idea of build
ing a collection of something,
hunting to find a certain card is
what makes collecting fun. And
once you've collected a set of
something, pick a new topic,"
Niederkom advised.
Estimates on the total gross na
tional product for the baseball card
industry run from $l5O million to
$1 billion.
Niederkom said his interest in col
lecting stems not from the money,
but the enjoyment he gets collect
ing and interacting with kids and
oilier collectors.
"I don’t like haggling. I have a
sign that tells the price I'll sell for
and the price 1 buy at, it eliminates
a lot of questions and it helps my
wife and my sons when it comes to
fixing a price. I really enjoy
teasing kids and helping them get a
card that they want. If a kid only
has 80 cents and the player he
wants is a $1 we can usually work
something out, 1 11 throw in a few
free ones and he has a great time,
that’s what makes it worthwhile,"
he said.
Niederkorn's regular show at the
Holiday Inn in Warner Robins has
been scheduled for today in order to
accommodate the Perry show next
weekend. Today's show will be a
benefit with all proceeds from the
gate going to the Christian Service
Center. Twenty two area churches
participate in the center's work, do
nating food and clothing.
Admission to the 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
show is SI or a canned good.
"A lot of people have been w-eeded
out of baseball card collecting
because they can't afford the prices
or they went into it looking for a
pro! it. I think you're seeing a return
to the attitude of collecting for fun
not investment," he said.
The show in Perry will have 15
tables of cards with dealers from as
lar away as Florida showing their
wares. The show will be open
from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, Dec.
6. There will be no cost for admis
sion.
DOC., from 1 B
County, Perry's basketball opener
will be Dec. 8 in Perry.
The originally scheduled Dec. 8
game against Macon County will
be rescheduled for later in the
season. Perry basketball coach Carl
Thomas said.
Part-time sports
reporter wanted
Have you ever wanted to be a
sporswritcr but haven't had time to
explore the field?
Here's your chance. The Houston
Home Journal is looking for part
time sportswriters to cover local
high basketball games and
wresding matches.
Journalism experience is not
necessary. Photography experience
is also welcome but not necessary.
The primary job requirements arc
a love for sports and an interest in
writing.
Part-time reporters will get paid
on a per game basis.
For more information, please
contact Brian Lawson, at the
Houston Home Journal 987-1823.
1 * I" | | ■ i j~| ■ |
li»r BUYS
USDA CHOICE
BONELESS USDA CHOICE BONELESS
ROUND SIRLOIN TIP
ROAST
| lb. ■ lb.
U.S. NO. 1 LEAN
SWEET BOILED
POTATOES HAM
JmMst loo »
for m I lb.
IzM SQUEEZE STAFF
B HUNT'S APPLE
KETCHUP 8 JUICE
§§2s|oo mtl s|oo
loan oz.h b 6«oz.
ValEße/ LIMIT a WITH SIO.OO PURCHASE LIMIT i WITH SIO.OO PURCHASE
HANOVER KRAFT DINNER JIFFY CORN
KIDNEY MACARONI MUFFIN
BEANS & CHEESE MIX
A H OO 3 H°° 5 H OO
OZ. I B7 1/4 OZ.I 188.5 OZ.I
LIMIT A W/SIO.OO PURCHASE LIMIT 3 W/SIO.OO PURCHASE LIMIT 5 W/SIO.OO PURCHASE
j
LIMIT. SEE STORE FOR DETAILS. QUANTITY RIGHTS RESERVED. NO CASE LOTS SOLD. NOjALESTO_DEALERS : _PRICESjFFECTIVE_NOV : _29THRU_DEC_I^_I992 : _
WHS Boys Box Scores
Tattnall Tip-off Tournament
Game 1
Westfield 84
Southland 66
Wcsficld (84)- Austin Abney 22,
Shane Hester 16, John Shipley 12,
Geoff Hill 10, Josh Williams 5,
Chad Evans 5, Lon Talton 3, Wade
Horsting 2, Phillip Rigdon 2, Troy
Nuss 1.
Southland (66)-Kcvin Hagerson 1,
Justin Reeves 14, Neil Kinnebrew
1, Kevin Reaves 2, Lloyd Turley 2,
Jed Strange 27, Rhett Simmons 3,
David McLendon 16.
Tournament Final
Westfield 82
Athens Christian 67
Westfield (82)-Austin Abney 22,
Geoff Hill 11, Lon Talton 17, Troy
Nuss 10, Shane Hester 9, Chad
Evans 8, Josh Williams 5.
Athens Christian (67)-Jason
Domincy 24, Larry James 22,
Justin Rogers 10, Greg Ingram 2,
Ray Graco 4, Jamie Wcllbum 2,
Kevin Blcadfcr 2.
Serve, from 2B
containing one tablespoon of salt
per quart. Also, use tomato juice
to finish filling the jar before pro
cessing.
For chopped venison, add one part
high quality pork fat to three or
foru parts venison before grinding.
Report, from 2B
Shell Point, Fla. - Hedtish and Speckled Trout are still biting
well on live shrimp. White Trout has been biting pretty well, but
winds have limited Grouper catches. Warmer weather is forecast
for the weekend.
- Reported by George Taft, Shell Point Marina
Suwannee, Fla. • Winds this week have slowed catches.
Redfish have been biting live shrimp. Drum and Sheepshead
are still biting shrimp fairly well.. Wind has prevented trout fisher-
I GO, from 1B
I also picked Sam Nunn for secre
tary of defense and I'm sticking to
that. If there are complaints about
my jinxing his chances I apologize.
Don't bet using my picks, but
watch, I'm about to break out of
my slump.