Byline: NED McINTOSH Correspondent
PRINCESS ANNE - There is a new ``coach'' in the Bull Pen, the sports card collectibles store on General Booth Boulevard. It's Tim Sparks, known locally as ``The Plaque Man.''
Since buying the store recently, Sparks has broadened the product line with an imaginative collection of sports plaques.
``I'm considering changing the name of the store,'' Sparks said, ``since bullpen is a baseball term. But I don't want the many baseball card collectors in this area to think that we aren't handling them any more. I would rather persuade them to throw away those shoeboxes that we all used when we started our card collections and use more visible ways to display their collections.''
He can give fans a baseball plaque that will have a framed trading card of each of the nine players in the starting lineup of their favorite team. The cards would surround a signed action picture of their favorite star or a batting helmet in the colors of the team.
Sparks uses the slogan, ``Let your wall say it all,'' in encouraging collectors to display their favorite memorabilia.
``Eighty percent of my customers are women who want to buy something unique for their husband or son, relating to his favorite team and/or player,'' he said. ``When their eyes light up, as I show them the finished design, I know they know the person who receives the gift will think it's awesome.''
The prices of plaques range from $79 to $99.
Sparks often will incorporate a clock into the design. Then he adds titles - ``Air Time'' for basketball star Michael Jordan; ``Passing Time'' for quarterback Dan Marino design; and ``Receiving Time'' for receiver Jerry Rice.
There's even a design for local personality Clai Reed of Eagle 97 ESPN Radio.
``I have a collection of 5,000 trading cards I started as a youngster,'' Reed said, ``and I'm always coming into Tim's shop to either buy, sell or trade. I have signed cards of Jerry Rice and Barry Sanders, and my prize item is the rookie card of Ken Stabler.''
Sparks, 42, lives with his wife, Teresa, a registered nurse, son, Tim Jr., and daughter, Tiffany, in the Indian Lakes section.
He is originally from Dayton, Ohio. He settled here after 20 years in the Navy.
``I actually started my plaque business as a moonlighting venture while I was in the Navy,'' he said. ``After my Navy service, I became a vendor at the Washington Redskins' stadium and did kiosks at shopping malls, including Lynnhaven and Greenbrier locally.''
Sparks' right-hand man is Chuck Rudy, another Navy man. He is known as ``Mr. Beckett,'' because of his vast knowledge of the value of sports memorabilia, as listed in the ``Beckett Catalogue.''
``We're all sports nuts who enjoy talking sports, as well as doing business together,'' Sparks said. ``It makes working fun for me.''
CAPTION(S):
TIM SPARKS, left, shows an Art Monk plaque to Sterling Washington. Sparks says items such as this are a best-seller at the Bull Pen, his shop in the Farm Fresh shopping center on General Booth Boulevard. Plaques can include a picture, sports card and clock.
PHOTO BY
NED McINTOSH
