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Layups: Simmons Visits the National Sports Collectors Convention

Posted by Neil Paine on August 9, 2009

This isn't specifically basketball-related, though he did encounter his share of hoops memorabilia: Bill Russell's signed Converse All-Stars, a replica of Larry Bird's Wooden Award, this awesome collection of throwbacks, a copy of Dr. J. vs. Larry Bird in: One on One, old-school card sets like this and this, a 1969 Minnesota Pipers Schedule featuring Connie "The Hawk" Hawkins, a Robert Parish RC Cola can, and... a game-worn Keith Closs Clippers jersey. (Which one of these doesn't belong?) It was all part of ESPN's Bill Simmons' trip to the National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland, where he encountered what would be (for me) a bankruptcy-inducing amount of awesome items from years gone by. He wrote about the experience here, but the best part is this monstrous photo gallery chronicling all the cool stuff he saw during his visit. Is it just me, or is there something about old sports memorabilia that can turn even the most level-headed consumer into a crazed spendaholic?

2 Responses to “Layups: Simmons Visits the National Sports Collectors Convention”

  1. KneeJerkNBA Says:

    Ever seen the video of Keith Closs getting his ass whupped? Hilarious.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r4NSjE7jrY&feature=PlayList&p=876044FEE51F909F&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=33

  2. Neil Paine Says:

    I wonder what he said that prompted 20 people (not just guys either, I saw a girl take a swing too) to collectively jump him like that...