Autograph Signers Announced for Beckett Media VIP Party and  Legendary Auctions Sneak Peek

The National kicks off on Wednesday, July 29 with both the VIP Reception (open to all attendees who purchase either the week-long SuperVIP or VIP Admission Package) and the 30th National Sneak Peek. As has been the tradition, free autographs will be available at both events.

The VIP Party is hosted by Beckett Media. The party is open to all VIPs and will be  held in the I-X Center Ballroom from 2:30-4:30. Refreshments will be served and folks from Beckett Media will be on hand to greet the VIP attendees. Two special free Autograph Guests will sign from 3:30-4:30 as a bonus to VIPs. Former Indian and Cubs superstar Andre Thornton will sign. Thornton, Thornton is a member of the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame and still ranks among the Top Ten in homers for the Tribe. A respected member of the Cleveland community, Thornton won the Roberto Clemente Award, given to the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement, and team contribution in 1979. Joining Thornton will be NFL Hall of Famer Charley Trippi. Trippi, inducted into the Hall in 1968 is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. A member of the last Chicago Cardinals team to win an NFL Championship, Trippi also won the Maxwell Award in 1946 given to the outstanding college player each year.

Both Trippi and Thornton will also be signing at the 30th National Sneak Peek which opens to the public at 5PM on July 29. VIP attendees receive free early (4:30) admission to the Legendary Auctions Sneak Peek as part of their package. General Admission attendees will enter at 5PM. Joining Thornton and Trippi to sign free autographs at the Legendary Auctions Sneak Peek will be former Ohio State great Craig Krenzel. Krenzel was the signal caller for the Buckeyes last National Championship in 2002. A two-time Fiesta Bowl MVP, Krenzel played briefly in the NFL for the Bears. All autographs will be one per person as time permits. Click here to buy tickets for the 30th National. 

Tickets for 30th National on Sale

Tickets for the 30th National Sports Collectors Convention  at the International Exposition Center in Cleveland Ohio, July 29-August 2, 2009 will be on sale beginning Monday March 2 at Noon EST. General Admission as well as VIP and a new SUPERVIP ticket will be available. Once again attendees will be able to print their tickets on their home computers immediately after purchase. In addition, the service fee per ticket has been reduced to $1 per ticket. To purchase tickets, click here

New Autograph Guests Added

Tristar Productions continues to add guests to the already spectacular 30th National Autograph Pavilion. The most recent additions beef up the number of football Hall of Famers appearing at the show. Lynn Swann, former Steeler great, James Lofton(Packers, Bills And Raiders) and Barry Sanders, 10-time Pro Bowl selection are among the names recently announced. Other members of the NFL Hall of Fame who will be appearing at the 30th National in Cleveland, July 29-August 2 at the I-X Center are Y A Tittle, former Giants and 49ers great as well as Billy Shaw, outstanding pulling guard for the Buffalo Bills.

Several additional former Heisman winners have joined the signers. Gary Beban, UCLA quarterback who won the 1967 Heisman Trophy will appear. Johnny Lattner from Notre Dame and Hesiman winner in 1953 is scheduled to attend along with 1980 winner George Rogers of South Carolina. Recent Heisman winners Wisconsin's Ron Dayne (1999), Miami's Gino Torretta (1992) and Chris Weinke (2000) of Florida State will appear. That brings the total number of former Heisman Trophy winners to 17. Rounding out the newest additions to the lineup is former AL Cy Young Award winner Denny McLain. McLain is the last pitcher to win 30 or more games in a season, posting an unbelievable 31-6 record in 1968.

Dates and time schedule for all guest appearance as well as Autograph Tickets and Express Line Priority Packages are now available though Tristar's National web site at http://www.tristarproductions.com/National/tickets.html.     For additional information,  contact Tristar at 713-488-1101.

Baseball Hall of Famers Added

Several Baseball Hall of Famers have been added to the roster of guests signing at the National Sports Collectors Convention July 29-August 2 at the I-X Center in Cleveland. Former NY Met and Cincinnati Reds Superstar Tom Seaver will sign. Seaver is a member of the exclusive 300 Win and 3000 Strikeout Clubs. Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1992, Seaver received the highest percentage of votes ever recorded.  Joining Seaver is former Cubs, Cards and Braves closer Bruce Sutter. Generally thought of as the first true closer in the Hall of Fame, Sutter finished his career with 300 saves and a 2.83 ERA. These Hall of Fame greats join previously announced Future Hall of Famer Craig Biggio another member of the 3000 Hit Club. Keep checking the web site as additional autograph guests are confirmed. (Due to a commitment with the San Diego Padgres, Tony Gwynn will not appear at the National).

Also just announced as signers for the 30th National are local favorites Hall of Famer Bob Feller and former Indians 2B Roberto Alomar in a rare appearance. Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers joins the growing list of Baseball Hall of Famers appearing in Cleveland this summer.

Initial National Autograph Signers announced by Tristar Productions

Former Heisman Winners Added to Pavilion

Tristar Productions, host of the Autograph Pavilion at the National Sports Collectors Convention for the 4th straight year, has announced the first group of celebrities appearing at the National.

 

2009 NFL Hall of Fame Inductee Bruce Smith will be on hand. Smith, a member of the Buffalo Bills teams which played in four consecutive Super Bowls, will be enshrined at Canton during the weekend following the National on August 9. Also slated to appear are other members of the NFL Hall of Fame including 4-time Super Bowl Champion Joe Montana. Also a 3-time Super Bowl MVP, Montana was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000. Cleveland Browns great Jim Brown will appear. Brown, a member of the last Browns NFL Championship team in 1964 was a 3-time NFL MVP and a 9-time Pro-Bowl selection.

 

Others appearing at the 30th National include NFL Hall of Famers Marcus Allen, Earl Campbell, Joe DeLamielleuere, Eric Dickerson, Jim Kelly, Jack Lambert, Troy Aikman and Gale Sayers. Former Heisman Trophy winners Bo Jackson and Eddie George and 2-time Heisman winner and Ohio State Great Archie Griffin will sign. Other former Heisman winners appearing include Billy Sims, Eric Crouch, Jason White, Mike Rozier, Steve Owens and Johnny Rodgers. Wrapping up the first group announced will be Craig Biggio, one of the newest members of Major League Baseball's 3000-Hit Club.

 

Tickets and Line Priority Packages will be available though Tristar's web site beginning May 29, 2009. Tristar will be adding more names to this list. For additional information,  contact Tristar at 713-488-1101. To receive updates as names are announced register at www.TristarProductions.com/National. 

29th National Ends on High Note

The 29th National Sports Collectors Convention closed on Sunday August 3 with a solid Family Day crowd. The Family Day activities along with the week-long Kids Free program sponsored by NFLRush.com made for good activity for dealers up to the last hours of the show on Sunday afternoon. Entertained by a professional DJ, face-painters, a balloon artist and even Spiderman himself, attendees enjoyed all aspects of the National. At 2PM several drawings were held and sports memorabilia was awarded to the large crowd gathered in the Family Sports Arena at the National. Exhibitors reported solid sales on late Sunday as the result of the Family Day crowd which was also bolstered by over 50 members of Upper Deck's Diamond Club. Diamond Club members also enjoyed a Meet & Greet photo opportunity with guest signer Bo Jackson earlier in the day.

Tristar's Autograph Pavilion saw heavy activity for the entire week. Appearances by several Super Bowl MVPs including Joe Namath, Bart Starr, Randy White, John Riggins, Franco Harris and Terry Bradshaw created large crowds. Sunday's guests included hockey greats Gordie Howe, Phil and Tony Esposito and Chriss Chelios as well baseball Hall of Famers Whitey Ford, Lou Brock, Rod Carew, Bruce Sutter, Ralph Kiner, Bob Gibson, Stan Musial and Red Schoendienst.

The 30th National Sports Collectors Convention will be held July 29 to August 2, 2009 at the International Exposition Center in Cleveland OH. Details on the event will be posted on this web site shortly. Limited booth space is available for Cleveland. Please call the National Office at 866-323-NSCC (6722) and select Extension 104. You can also download a 2009 Contract on this web site. Click here for Dealer Information on the 2009 National.

 

 
 
 

 

 

  

  

  

   

 

 

 

 

  

Copyright 2005 The National Sports Collectors Convention