Ever since he was a boy, Jim Anthony has loved cards.
Not the poker variety, mind you. Sports cards, the kind that kids line the spokes of bicycles with and trade with the fervor of a 19th century marketplace.
But Anthony’s fascination extended beyond just finding a new flavor of bubble gum in a packet of Topps. He wanted to get real with the hobby, and he traveled across Oklahoma and Texas doing just that.
“When I was growing up, we used to go to these kind of shows,” Anthony said.
Anthony’s passion turned into a living, as he decided to use what he knew to make a successful living as a card dealer.
And now, with his own shows to run, he was looking for something different than he was used to.
“I wanted to put a venue on that was free with the autographs and free for admission,” Anthony said. “I’m the only one who does that.”
The formula seems to have worked, as Jim’s Sports Cards 9th Annual Cards Show was a rousing success Saturday at Heritage Hall in Ardmore.
On hand to sign autographs and meet fans were Sooner legends Rufus Alexander, Dewell Brewer and Demond Parker.
“For a lot of Sooner fans in the southern part of Oklahoma, there aren’t many chances to meet these guys,” Anthony said. “I wanted to provide that, so we bring them down.”
For Alexander, a head-hunting linebacker from 2003-2006 for Oklahoma before moving on to an NFL career with teams like the Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts, it was his first opportunity for this kind of experience and he raved about the chances to meet and greet with devoted Sooner fans.
“Just to give back and come back for fans that have shown a lot of support is just an honor,” Alexander said. “They sit out in those hot stands and make Norman a hard place to play.”
Brewer, who played running back in Norman for four years before graduating in 1992 and heading to the NFL, has done three of Anthony’s shows and enjoyed all of them.
“I get to meet some guys that I haven’t seen in a long time, other players that came after I finished,” Brewer said. “Meeting the fans and people who put together these shows, I didn’t realize how strong the support was until I got involved in it.”
While he may not always understand exactly why the fascination with cards have gripped him since his youth, Anthony still feels the lure even to this day.
“I collect for the pure fun of it,” Anthony said. “You see kids down there who’ve been coming to these shows for five years or more. It appeals to anybody of any age.”
Not the poker variety, mind you. Sports cards, the kind that kids line the spokes of bicycles with and trade with the fervor of a 19th century marketplace.
But Anthony’s fascination extended beyond just finding a new flavor of bubble gum in a packet of Topps. He wanted to get real with the hobby, and he traveled across Oklahoma and Texas doing just that.
“When I was growing up, we used to go to these kind of shows,” Anthony said.
Anthony’s passion turned into a living, as he decided to use what he knew to make a successful living as a card dealer.
And now, with his own shows to run, he was looking for something different than he was used to.
“I wanted to put a venue on that was free with the autographs and free for admission,” Anthony said. “I’m the only one who does that.”
The formula seems to have worked, as Jim’s Sports Cards 9th Annual Cards Show was a rousing success Saturday at Heritage Hall in Ardmore.
On hand to sign autographs and meet fans were Sooner legends Rufus Alexander, Dewell Brewer and Demond Parker.
“For a lot of Sooner fans in the southern part of Oklahoma, there aren’t many chances to meet these guys,” Anthony said. “I wanted to provide that, so we bring them down.”
For Alexander, a head-hunting linebacker from 2003-2006 for Oklahoma before moving on to an NFL career with teams like the Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts, it was his first opportunity for this kind of experience and he raved about the chances to meet and greet with devoted Sooner fans.
“Just to give back and come back for fans that have shown a lot of support is just an honor,” Alexander said. “They sit out in those hot stands and make Norman a hard place to play.”
Brewer, who played running back in Norman for four years before graduating in 1992 and heading to the NFL, has done three of Anthony’s shows and enjoyed all of them.
“I get to meet some guys that I haven’t seen in a long time, other players that came after I finished,” Brewer said. “Meeting the fans and people who put together these shows, I didn’t realize how strong the support was until I got involved in it.”
While he may not always understand exactly why the fascination with cards have gripped him since his youth, Anthony still feels the lure even to this day.
“I collect for the pure fun of it,” Anthony said. “You see kids down there who’ve been coming to these shows for five years or more. It appeals to anybody of any age.”
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