When it comes to one-of-one cards, be prepared to see a similar "patch card" on a parallel version.

TRISTAR Productions announced a new partnership with ESPN 97.5 FM in Houston. With this newly-signed agreement, the TRISTAR Collectors Corner radio show’s new home will be on Houston’s ESPN affiliate, with TRISTAR executives Jeff Rosenberg and Bobby Mintz joining Carl Dukes regularly on his “Put Up Your Dukes” show on weekday afternoons to talk about sports and collectibles. Rosenberg and Mintz also will take calls from listeners interested in the value of collectible items they have at home and talk about the many professional athletes who work with TRISTAR.

A mint condition 1948 Bowman George Mikan rookie card, the only one ever to be professionally graded as a Gem Mint 10, is expected to set the sports memorabilia industry on fire when it hits the auction block December 12th.  The card, authenticated by Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) has been consigned to Southern California-based Memory Lane Inc’s Hidden Treasures Auction with a minimum bid of $50,000. 

On Oct. 30, the 2009 Little League World Series Champion “Park View All-Stars” from Chula Vista, Calif., were hosted to an autograph signing session/pizza party at the San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum in Balboa Park. The event, orchestrated by Park View All-Stars League President Rod Roberto and the Hall of Champions, was a way for the team to get together after their momentous season to collectively sign a variety of items (photos, caps, baseballs, bats, etc.) for family members and friends who helped support them through their journey to baseball history, which culminated with a championship game victory in Williamsport, Penn., on August 30.

The following is the first of a three-part series with the top executives of the three largest card manufacturers in the industry, with the sole purpose being to provide our readers (and collectors in general) with the answers they need to stay on top of the hobby.

When collectors think of the name Ben Roethlisberger, they think of the word champion. Nicknamed “Big Ben,” the 27-year-old quarterback already reached a number of milestones, most importantly, two Super Bowl rings.
Drafted 11th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft out of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, Roethlisberger is usually compared to Eli Manning and Philip Rivers, who were drafted in the same year. Statistically, each player has experienced success in the league but neither of the other two have taken it to the level Roethlisberger has and you can’t refute his ability to win in the clutch.

Tuff Stuff asked our readers "If they could own any one collectible, what would it be?" We received a wide variety of responses and here is the third installment from the series. Look for a new features which asks readers "What's wrong with the hobby?" coming soon.

(Editor’s Note: As many in the hobby are already well aware, www.sportscardforum.com is one of the most popular collecting websites the Internet has to offer. Each month, Tuff Stuff’s Sports Collectors Monthly will share one of the best message board posts with our readers. This month’s topic explains how a trip to Cooperstown transformed a young man into a collector for life.)

Michael Vick is easily identifiable as one of the most tantalizing athletes in professional sports. Drafted with the No. 1 pick in 2001, he was a three-time Pro Bowler and was once recognized as the premier quarterback in the National Football League with the Atlanta Falcons. In 2006 he rushed for 1,039 yards, the most by a quarterback in a single season in NFL history.

In the end, fans will benefit from the restaurant war between Ozzie Smith and Albert Pujols in St. Louis. Smith’s business, Ozzie’s Restaurant & Sports Bar, has closed its doors and is auctioning off its contents, including the sports memorabilia on its walls.