New England boasts Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics
By Ross Forman

In Boston, they love their New England Patriots, winners of two of the last three Super Bowls. They also really love their Boston Red Sox, the 2004 World Series Champions. So, it was no surprise Tristar’s New England Collectors Show – held Dec. 17-19 at the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough, Mass. – was a smashing success, arguably Tristar’s best show of 2004.
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Sometimes it's not who is signing but how they sign it
By Ross Forman

Paul Krause paused as he signed a helmet featuring fellow members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He offered comments about many of the players and then stopped after viewing Joe Montana’s signature. He paused again and re-examined Montana’s signature. “Who is that,” Krause asked. Joe Montana, he was informed. Krause was shocked, surprised at how unreadable Montana’s signature was.
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Tristar enjoys productive Houston event
By Ross Forman

There was Rudy Tomjanovich, whose autograph is simply “Rudy T.” There was “Mean” Joe Greene, who hasn’t added his uniform number (75) to an autograph in more than 20 years. Nor does he sign his nickname, though every other letter in his autograph is perfectly legible.
Then there was Juan Marichal, clearly one of the classiest show guests of all-time. He not only posed for photos with anyone who asked, but also stood up for almost every photo.
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Tri-Star attacts a crowd in New England
By Ross Forman

Featuring an autograph lineup boasting Hall of Famers such as Dick Butkus, Tommy Heinsohn and Phil Esposito, Tristar’s recent New England Collectors Show attracted an estimated 4,000 collectors. There were 34 autograph guests in all, including Gerry Cheevers, Milt Schmidt and Tom Johnson, as well as Walter McCarty, David Ortiz, Jim Lonborg, Casey Fossum, Brandon Lyon, J.R. Redmond, Ty Warren and 22 members of the Boston Bruins glory years, 1969-70 and 1971-72.
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Collectors vote yes to Tri-Star's Bay Area show
By Ross Forman

With California caught up in a sea of politics these days, it was clear at Tri-Star Productions’16th-annual Labor Day Weekend Collectors Show at the Concourse Exhibition Center in downtown San Francisco that Erubiel Durazo clearly is a conservative. At least when it comes to autographs. The Oakland A’s left-handed hitter was among 25- plus signers and on each autograph signed, he simply wrote: E DURAZO. No ERUBIEL. No period after the E. Just, E.
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Tri-Star officials push ahead with Atlantic City 3,000 strikeout show
Historic grouping features 11 of the 12; Walter Johnson is only deceased club member

Roger Clemens wants at least four, maybe five, of the commemorative photo-collage posters being made – and given away free to the first 5,000 attendees – for Tri-Star Productions’ Salute To The 3,000 Strikeout Club Show, set for January 10-12, 2003 at Bally’s in Atlantic City, N.J.
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Boston hockey fans turn out for Ray Bourque
By Ross Forman
October 6, 2002

There’s a special place in the hearts of Boston hockey fans for Ray Bourque, the longtime Bruins’ defenseman who left for the Colorado Avalanche during the 1999-2000 season and, a year later, won the Stanley Cup in dramatic, Hollywood-esque fashion.
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Tri-Star San Fran show busy for everyone
By Ross Forman
July 5, 2002

Richard Tsai drove about 50 miles from his home in Saratoga to the Cow Palace in San Francisco for the inaugural Tri-Star Productions’ Memorial Day Weekend Classic. He attended Saturday only, and for only one reason. Actually, Tsai had 35,000 reasons for his visit.
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Tri-Star Productions concluded its five-show bobble head give-away promotion at the annual San Francisco Collectors Showcase, held Feb. 15-17 at the Cow Palace. They gave away a future Hall of Famer, Jerry Rice (in his Oakland uniform), and clearly voted the promotion of similar status.

More than 1,000 collectors lined up Saturday for the rare collectible, produced by the Shop At Home Network, given to the first 100 collectors on Friday, the first 250 on Saturday and Sunday.  Click here to read more.

Don Dishaw had a golden opportunity January 27^th at the 16^th-annual Tri-Star Productions’ Houston Classic.  The 58-year-old father of three was center-court, literally, in front of several hundred fans for a game of HORSE against Rockets’ superstar Steve Francis.

Luckily for Dishaw, Francis had a good heart … and the NBA All-Star also was affected, no doubt, by a less than straight rim. 

Francis couldn’t, or maybe we should say, didn’t answer Dishaw’s first three shots, leading to speculation that the greatest upset in HORSE history was about to unfold. 
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14 years and 1,000 guests later, Tri-Star reigns
By Ross Forman
January 11, 2002

Jeff Rosenberg, president of Tri-Star Productions Inc., was set to take Joe DiMaggio to the airport after a 1992 card show appearance in Houston, but the Baseball Hall of Famer said he first had to go to the bathroom.  So, The Yankee Clipper excused himself … for 30 minutes.

When he returned, Rosenberg asked, “Is everything OK?"   Click here to read more.

If you offer bobble head dolls, they will come.  To stadiums and arenas across the country, we have learned over the last year or so.  And now, to card shows, too.

The 14^th-annual Labor Day Show in San Francisco, held August 31 – September 3 at the Concourse Exhibition Center, featured free, limited-edition Barry Bonds bobble head figurines to the 100 or 200 guests per day.

That meant lines.  Long lines.  Click here to read more.

He didn’t look like “The Beautiful” Harvey Martin we once knew and loved, the Harvey Martin who captured co-MVP honors in Super Bowl XII (with Randy White).  A former Dallas defensive end, the 6-foot-6, 265-pound monster who was selected in the third round of the 1973 NFL Draft, Martin is now a shadow of himself … a cancer victim.

But that didn’t stop him from attending a late-August card show in Arlington, Texas, even if the Arlington Convention Center was too cold for him and he instead sat outside on a hot and humid afternoon.

The heart was still there, so too was the love, devotion and dedication.   
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NOT SO long ago, the Bay Area was a hotbed for card and memorabilia shows.

You couldn't turn around without finding local action of some sort, at Moscone Center, at the Cow Palace, at San Jose Convention Center and the Concourse Exhibition Center and malls and halls all over Northern California.

Not anymore.

But Tri-Star is successfully swimming against the tide.   Click here to read more.

Mike Tenay to comment on WCW at card show appearance
By Ross Forman 
(from 1wrestling.com)
August 20, 2001

Mike Tenay will make his first public comments about the sale of WCW to the WWF in early-September, and the former WCW announcer promises he “won’t pull any punches about anyone within the wrestling business.”

Tenay will appear September 2, 2001, at Tri-Star Productions’ Labor Day Weekend Card Show in San Francisco (Concourse Exhibition Center), which traditionally is one of the nation’s biggest trading card shows of the year.  Tenay will discuss his memories of WCW, what led to the downfall of WCW and what led to the sale, among other subjects.  He also will answer questions from fans and host a “Stump The Professor” trivia contest.  Click here to read more.

Large turnout for Houston Tri-Star Show
By Ross Forman
August 19, 2001

HOUSTON - Lance Berkman signed free autographs for 2 ½ hours, even though he was only scheduled to sign for one hour.  And he easily could have signed for another 2 ½ hours, except he had to be at Enron Field for a game against the visiting Chicago Cubs.  Berkman posed for pictures with fans, personalized autographs and never once complained.

His parting gift from the show: a pizza.  And also, of course, a debt of gratitude from his faithful fans and show promoter, Houston-based Tri-Star Productions, Inc.  Click here to read more.

Making the rounds at SportsFest
By Ross Forman
August 19, 2001

ROSEMONT, Ill. – At about 3 p.m, on Sunday, I heard the worst possible news at SportsFest.  Not that there was only an hour remaining in the 3^rd-annual collectibles extravaganza, held here at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, August 2-5.

“Sorry, we’re sold out … of ice cream,” the vendor said.

So much for one of the true show pleasures – soft-serve ice cream (preferably, a twist cone) – after walking for six hours-plus.

There were plenty of other notes from this year’s second major summertime show.  Anyway, here’s more of what I saw, heard, and observed over four days:  Click here to read more.

David Terrell: Ready to make some noise in the Windy City
David Terrell was an autograph guest at Tri-Star's Kansas City event in June 2001.
By Ross Forman
August 3, 2001

David Terrell, the rookie football player, slowed approached Don Larsen, the retired baseball great.  Terrell knew few facts about Larsen and/or his career, mostly just that the former New York Yankee pitcher threw a perfect game in the 1956 World Series.  Larsen was signing photos from the magical moment in the backstage area that mid-June afternoon at a card show in Kansas City promoted by Tri-Star Productions, Inc.

Terrell, 22, politely asked Larsen to sign two autographs, both on 16X20 pictures.  One was, naturally, for him, which will be framed and hang near his Mickey Mantle-signed baseball.  The other was for former University of Michigan quarterback Drew Hensen, now in baseball’s minor leagues.  Larsen obliged, without hesitation, offering a personal message for both.

Terrell smiled like a youngster on Christmas Eve when Larsen, moments later, returned the signed photos.  “My pleasure,” Larsen said.

“No,” Terrell answered quickly. “This really is my pleasure to meet you.”  Click here to read more.

KC show a hit, while Clemens has signing
By Ross Forman
July 25, 2001

Click here for photo highlights from the Tri-Star Collectors Show in Kansas City, June 2001.

Stan Musial had his fabled harmonica and, of course, played it for the fans.

David Terrell had a Sharpie pen and pictures, and he wanted other sports superstars to sign autographs for him.

Jerry Lawler had his lovely wife (Stacy, aka, The Kat, formerly of World Wrestling Federation fame) sitting to his right, and his regal crown was on the table in front of him.  The veteran wrestler is, of course, nicknamed The King.

This was the annual Tri-Star Collectors Show in Kansas City, held June 15-17, at the Overland Park International Trade Center.  About 4,000 attended the three-day show.

But not Jeff Rosenberg, president of Tri-Star Productions.

He was, instead, about 1,000 miles east, in New York, for a private signing session with New York Yankee sensation Roger Clemens.   Click here to read more.

If you were unable to make it to the 22nd National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland, read about the sights and sounds from the viewpoint of industry veteran Ross Forman.
The sights and sounds of yet another National extravaganza
By Ross Forman
July 25, 2001

CLEVELAND - It’s amazing what you see, hear and think wandering through the 22^nd-annual National Sports Collectors Convention, which started its four-day run here at the I-X Center on June 28.  My reporter’s notebook was new when I arrived; now it’s just a blur of baseball cards, autographed paraphernalia and friendships renewed.

Here’s what I experienced… 

·                     It was kind of strange seeing collectors walking around with beers in their hands.  Even stranger to see a full-bar on the show-floor.  Not that I see anything wrong with it, mind you.

·                     As usual, nothing beats those soft-serve ice cream cones.  Click here to read more.

Wrestling fans flock to WWF AXXESS
By Ross Forman
May 1, 2001

When the doors opened to the public, the fans ran – or better yet, sprinted -- to autograph areas around Reliant Hall (formerly Astrohall).  They didn’t know who was signing or for how long.  Yet for most fans, it didn’t really seem to matter.  Unless “The Rock” or “Stone Cold” Steve Austin was signing at another autograph area.  Then they sprinted to those areas.

The World Wrestling Federation’s annual AXXESS: The Fan Festival, held here March 30-April 1, was a pro wrestling smorgasbord with autograph sessions, interactive areas and numerous match-used relics on display.  And when the WWF does it, it’s first-class, nothing less.

Where else can you see an actual bus that had been destroyed on a show?!  

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Show them a sign

Nothing turns a grown man into a little child faster than an autographed card or a ball from a sports hero. How else to explain all the hubba-bubba and big bucks in the sports memorabilia game?

It was at 12:45 p.m. on Aug. 6 that Marc Bonham was instantly transformed from a Metro bus driver into a very large little boy.

Buster Dean / Chronicle

It happened just after he had shelled out $150 to catch a single pass thrown by Joe Montana, who was making an appearance at a memorabilia collectors show in Houston. Montana, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and recent inductee into the Football Hall of Fame, looked trim and relaxed in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts as he threw a perfect spiral right at the waiting bus driver.

One thought went through Bonham's mind -- "Please don't drop it. Please don't drop it" -- as the pass sailed through the air. The football struck the stocky 28-year-old in the chest, right where a pair of designer sunglasses dangled from his shirt front.

The shades cracked loudly, but Bonham held on to the pass. And he couldn't stop beaming, even though he knew the fancy glasses were done for.

"I can't believe I caught a pass from Joe!" Bonham said, breathing as hard as if he had just climbed five flights of stairs. "This is great. I think I am the biggest kid here right now."

Hovering nearby were two Houston businessmen -- Jeff Rosenberg and Bobby Mintz -- who make their living organizing this and other collectors shows that bring together fans, dealers of sports memorabilia and celebrity athletes like Montana, Pete Rose, Willie McCovey and Herschel Walker.

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Baseball cards still hottest ticket for collectors at convention
By Ross Forman
Special for USA TODAY

The National Sports Collectors Convention, which began Thursday and runs through Sunday at the Anaheim Convention Center, is making a return appearance in Southern California.

In 1991, the annual event was held in Anaheim and attracted 100,000 collectors. The first convention was held in 1980 in Los Angeles.

''This is the show to attend, to buy, sell and trade. It's a great marketplace,'' says Jeff Rosenberg of Houston-based Tri-Star Productions Inc.

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Larry Allen, now in his sixth season with the Dallas Cowboys, has come a long way. Just consider:

• He was the 10^th offensive lineman selected in the 1994 NFL Draft, grabbed in the second round (46^th overall) out of tiny Sonoma State, a Division II non-scholarship school about 45 minutes north of San Francisco. Allen was the first player ever drafted from Sonoma State and the first time since 1981 that Dallas had taken and offensive lineman that high.
• He attended different high schools each of his four years of school, finishing at Vintage High in Napa, Calif.
• His father left and his mother raised him on welfare. Click here to read more.

Make that, his country.

Nguyen (pronounced WIN) is the first Vietnamese pro football player.   Click here to read more.

He hasn’t worn a pro uniform since 1968, his last of 11 NFL seasons, yet John David Crow is still sought after for his autograph.         Click here to read more.

NOT SO long ago, you could find a card show anywhere in the country just about any time you wanted.

You often have to look hard now to locate one in a changing sports memorabilia landscape in which a lot of business is moving away from shows, shops and live auctions and on to sites on the Internet.

By most accounts, the recent National Sports Collectors Convention in Atlanta was a bomb, in everything from attendance to attitude. And some blamed the intrusion of the Internet into the commerce of cards and collectibles for that.

But Jeff Rosenberg of Tri Star Productions, Inc., one of the few remaining major promoters in the nationwide market, said:        Click here to read more.

Joe Perry was there. Danny Darwin was there. Tom Candiotti was there. And they weren't even scheduled attendees. The Tri-Star Productions Phoenix show - March 6-8, at the Civic Plaza - attracted several sports stars among its near 6,000 attendees.... Click here to read more.

In an exclusive interview, former Upper Deck executive/Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, talking with Ross Forman, reflects on his time at the California-based card company, his future in the card industry and his plansnow that he's returned to the card show scene on a more regular basis... Click here to read more.

TRI-STAR Productions' Jeff Rosenberg is on the move again. Rosenberg is splitting his twice-a-year Bay Area sports collectors shows. His February show will remain at the Cow Palace, but he is shifting his Labor Day show to the Concourse in San Francisco... Click here to read more.

Somewhere between the Princess Di Beanie Babies ($139), the Venezuelan-made Willie Mays baseball cards ($70) and the cloth Betty Boop dolls in black lingerie ($20), collecting frenzy reached a fever pitch. The Cow Palace on Saturday provided ample reasons for Bay Area residents to come in out of the rain, with three collectors shows offering the finest in sports memorabilia, Beanie Babies and dolls... Click here to read more.

HOUSTONIANS had the chance to rub elbows with sports celebrities like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Roger Clemens at the 12th annual Tri-Star Collectors Show in the George R. Brown Convention Center.

But hundreds of the estimated 15,000 people that attended the show over the weekend breezed past the autograph signing and sports memorabilia trading to look at the hottest collectibles in today's market -- Beanie Babies... Click here to read more.

Before I even start this, you gotta know back in the early 80s, I used to live in Houston. A good buddy of mine, Big Rick, and I were bartenders, as usual, having too much fun. Since then, Rick's moved to Dallas with his wife Cindy and his two beautiful babies. So, when I heard I was heading down to the Twelfth Annual Tri-Star Collectors Show... Click here to read more.