One of the ornate ballrooms inside the ground floor of the Embassy Suites by Hilton in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Ill. was bustling with activity. Collectors packed the room, many of them lugging around black or silver cases loaded with slabbed cards. Others were laying their cards on the large round tables eager to trade or make a deal.
This get-together, advertised ahead of time as a “Trade Night” featuring Hall of Fame outfielder Andre Dawson, was an extension of the opening day of the Chicago Sports Spectacular June 16-18. An entire afternoon of perusing tables and lining up for autographs at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center across the street had given way to an even more casual setting featuring some 100 collectors, their cards and a few beers.
Most collectors can recall childhood memories when recess was a time for trading cards. These days, many have continued this tradition of selling and
