4 comments about The Encyclopedia of Professional Wrestling: 100 Years of History, Headlines & Hitmakers (Encyclopedia of Professional Wrestling).

1. For all the wrestling fans out there, this book is awesome! great facts and details.



2. I was looking for a book that would be a complete history of wrestling, but there doesn't seem to be one out there. This book has lots of good photos, including memorabilia such as ads & publicity photos, but there's a lot missing here. Only the briefest of bios are provided (I wish it included at least year of birth, height, weight), some major wrestlers are omitted entirely, & there's no index. Unlike a "real" encyclopedia, most of the book is not arranged alphabetically (only the "Slamographies" section is alphabetized), so an index would be useful. I'm mostly a fan of 1950s - 1960s wrestlers, so I wanted to find information on the old stars, but this book misses some of the biggest attractions of that era (like Haystacks Calhoun). A worthy addition to your wrestling reference library, but will somebody please write a definitive encyclopedia on this subject?



3. This book is pretty good. It has a lot of really neat picture and tons of good facts and stories. Any wrestling fan should own it. There are several spelling mistakes, however, which make the bok seem like an amateur effort. Overall, still worth reading and owning



4. The authors of "Professional Wrestling", Kristian Pope and Ray Whebbe have outdone themselves with this one. If you are a wrestling fan, young or old, long time or new, there is something in this book (actually a whole lot of things), to keep you interested for a long time to come. My favorite chapters were the "Ring Beauties" and "Slamographies", the former because there is not a lot of press about the ladies around and over the years they have had a profound influence on the "sport" both in the ring and behind the scenes. The last chapter "Slamographies" tells you every thing you ever wanted to know about every wrestler that has made some sort of impact on the sport. I am going to test my wrestling fan friends with the info presented here and maybe pick up a few bucks in the process. Great Stuff - Thank you Kris & Ray

No comments about Bowl-O-Rama: The Visual Arts of Bowling (Recollectibles).

No comments about Fishing Collectibles: Identification & Price Guide.

No comments about Tuff Stuff's Baseball Memorabilia Price Guide (Tuff Stuff's Baseball Memorabilia, 2nd Ed).

3 comments about The Fred Arbogast Story: A Fishing Lure Collector's Guide.

1. Scott Heston's THE FRED ARBORGAST STORY: A FISHING LURE COLLECTOR'S GUIDE is for any avid collector of fishing lures: it surveys both cataloged and uncataloged lures, providing good-sized color photos of both lures and packaging and blending design history insights with values. Any sports or fishing collectibles collection will want this.



2. Excellent book, has lots of great info about the Fred Arbogast Company and the lures and items that are collectable. The print quality of some of the pictures could be better, especially the color charts, but that aside, thanks to Scott Heston for putting it together.



3. This has to be THE best collectors guide I have ever purchased on ANY collectable, EVER! Even better than his book on Ohio fishing lures. I am so glad I bought this guide. I recently found an old tackle box full of old lures at a yard sale, one of the lures were still in it's box, both in incredible condition! (not gonna mention which lure...but it is valued at $200 in the box)...this guide helped me to recognize what an outstanding deal these lures really were at the price...I paid only $5 for the lot and was able to make quite a tidy profit off of them on eBay. The eBay tips on picture viewing (or in my case, taking) helped me to show the lures off to their best advantage...Thanks Mr. Heston!!!

1 comments about Heddon Catalogs 1902-1953: Over 50 Years of Great Fishing.

1. I read through this at the library. The Heddon heritage is kept well alive with this book and any fisherman or collector would be missing out if they don't read about Heddon's legacy. Because of the Heddon family, we now have a $30 billion dollar recreational fishing industry supporting over 300,000 jobs.

No comments about Collectible Golfing Novelties.

5 comments about Sign This.

1. This was a fascinating book to read as it is a sports book about the real personalities of sports personalities. Specifically, how a collection of professional athletes behaves when asked to make paid personal appearances and autograph material. How they react to unscheduled requests for autographs is also included in the analysis. There is a top ten good guy's list:
   
   *) Brooks Robinson
   *) Harmon Killebrew
   *) Lee Roy Selmon
   *) Otto Graham
   *) The Famous Chicken
   *) Monte Irvin
   *) Billy Williams
   *) Muhammad Ali
   *) Alan Trammell
   *) Dale Murphy
   
   They are people who always go out of their way to be polite and helpful. The only name on the list that surprised me was Ali, it appears that the loud mouth attitude that he projected was an artificial one. There is a companion top ten jerks list:
   
   *) Willie Mays
   *) Rickey Henderson
   *) Errict Rhett
   *) Mike Schmidt
   *) Darryl Strawberry
   *) Reggie Jackson
   *) Joe Dimaggio
   *) Pete Rose
   *) Gaylord Perry
   *) Denny McLain
   
   I cannot say that there were any surprises in this list.
   One hundred other sports celebrities are also ranked and there is a chapter devoted to Mickey Mantle, the most popular athlete. The author organizes sports celebrity appearances, so nearly all of the commentary is based on the author's personal experiences. It is indexed based on the athletes' name, so if you are interested in a particular figure, then this book will provide you with accurate information.



2. This book is a must have for anyone who spends Mondays cleaning black sharpie marker off their hands. You definately have to check out the Jerks and Good Guys lists to see if your favorite signers are there, and who you should not even try to get (unless you want to get yelled at).



3. I'm not a sports fan in the least, but I enjoyed Sign This immensely. Tom's stories about hundreds of his experiences are placed in an editorial column format, giving you just the information you need to know and usually containing a witty side note. If you ever wanted to know how our sports heroes from the last 4 decades really act, this book is a must read.



4. "Sign This" is a must read for any true sports fan. Unlike other books about sports personalities, Tom Bunevich cuts the fluff and tells it as it is when your heros are behind closed doors. I'm the kind of guy who needs to hear it straight from the horses mouth and in "Sign This," Bunevich seems to be the perfect horse. I don't think you could ask for a more fair and honest appraisal of sports personalities than from an author who has obviously danced with the greatest names. If you want to find out if the personality of your hero dims as the camera lights fade away - read "Sign This."

   The stories are fair to all. If a guy's a jerk, Bunevich lays it on the line and says so. But in fairness, "Sign This" certainly acknowledges those stars whose personalities off the field shine as brightly as their accomplishments on the field. Find the story on Dale Murphy and see if that still happens in todays era of autograph collecting!

   Bunevich also provides a great history from when autographs were just a hobby to the indusrty it is now. Check out Bunevich's first autograph guest in the mid 80's - a young New York flamethrower named Dwight Gooden - and see what an autograph ticket cost back then. You also might want to get a calculator to check what you could have saved by reading what Mickey Mantle charged for an autograph 15-20 years ago.

   Raed "Sign This"- I hope Bunevich's next project will be as honest and insightful as this one!!!




5. A really great book. I bought one for my brother who has always been a sports nut. I remember him following the careers of many of the people mentioned in the book. The stories about the players were interesting and enlightening. Most of the stories about the 10 bad guys confirmed my opionion. Same for the 10 good guys. You don't really have to be interested in collecting sports memorabilia to enjoy this book. I am sure everyone will find the stories interesting and enjoyable. It is definitely a book you will want to read and share with friends. Better yet, buy two, one to keep and one to give away.

3 comments about 19th Century Fishing Lures: A Collector's Guide to U.S. Lures Manufactured Prior to 1901.

1. Arlan Carter's 19th Century Fishing Lures is outstanding both as a collector's guide and as a fisherman's general reading reference. Chapters document lures manufactured before 1901 and provide color photos and histories organized by manufacturer. A 'must' for the avid fisherman, and a nice gift package.



2. This is an outstanding book for anyone who is interested in early metal, "spinner" type lures. Up until now, metal lures have been a largely overlooked and under-rated area of tackle collecting. In his book, Mr. Carter combines a wonderful collection of pictures with detailed information. This is a real gem of a book and should definitely be added to every tackle collector's reference library.



3. I've read them all but this book is the best. Not only does it offer values and great illustrations it also provides a snapshot of the lure maker. You will be amazed at what you didn't know about these ancient lures.

5 comments about The Barry Halper Collection of Baseball Memorabilia.

1. If you're a die-hard baseball fan, then you'll love this auction catalogue featuring Barry Halper's unique collection of baseball memorabilia. If you can't make it to Cooperstown, this book is full of some of the most incredible pieces of baseball history short of the Hall of Fame. From the first baseball ever used, to Babe Ruth's last will and testament, each page brings you closer to baseball heaven. The ultimate guide to baseball lore and a must for the "can't wait till spring training" baseball fan.



2. This is filled with great photos of some of the most amazing baseball memorabilia that you'll ever seen. The book can be really, really expensive, so try to find it used.

   Andy.




3. Very nice indeed. Photographs of sale items, which have distinct value. What I loved most was the inclusion of lot numbers and their final sale prices. Millions of dollars spent on what, at that time, were just some trinkets and a hobby.

   Very well presented and I really like what I continue to see.




4. This collection is a history of the great game of baseball. The Babe Ruth collectables alone are stunning, add in the Joe DiMaggio and all of the photos! Wow! To spend a few hours browsing this set of books is magic! I can't say enough (can you tell).



5. This book is great. The pictures are beautiful, the descriptions informative--an all around great piece of work for sports lovers. It's well worth the money.