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Memoroboblia.com Interview - Bob Downing
Many of our loyal readers are avid collectors of Cubs memorabilia. For some, tracking down that hard to find item is a
time consuming and often frustrating pursuit. CBB has found the guy to help such collectors. He is Bob Downing,
president of Memoroboblia, a Park Ridge based sports memorabilia company specializing in vintage Cub items.
CBB caught up with Bob recently at a local watering hole where he discussed among other things his upcoming autograph event with
Carlos Marmol, his love for the Cubs, and Memoroboblia.
Bob, tell us a little bit about your company Memoroboblia.
Bob Downing - I founded Memoroboblia in 2001 with the goal of providing memorabilia collectors with a large array of collectible
items; anything from 50 cents to $5000. I've been able to develop a great network of manufacturers and I currently carry the
full-line of autographed items from Schwartz Sports, football and baseball helmets from Riddell, and all brands of
unopened boxes of sportscards from companies such as Topps and Upper Deck.
But my real love as a collector has always been vintage Cub items, so my niche is to provide collectors with Cubs baseball cards
going back to the early 1940's, publications such as Sports Illustrated, Sporting News and Sport magazine featuring Cub players on the cover.
My company is one of very few that covers the entire gambut in terms of collectibles so that's what sets my Ebay store and
website (www.memoroboblia.com) apart from others.
You also promote autograph appearances by professional athletes.
Bob Downing - Yes that's true. We've promoted events over the past few years with players such as Aramis Ramirez, Fergie Jenkins, Andre Dawson, Pete Rose and Dick Butkus. On July 11th from 6-8 PM we will have Carlos Marmol appearing at Around The World Cigars in Park Ridge.
Why in the world would a guy like Marmol appear in a cigar shop of all places?
Bob Downing - Well, I've been selling memorabilia at Around The World since 2003 and we've held the Ramirez, Rose and Butkus apprearances there with great success. We also sell sports items at Cigars Plus in Norridge and Frozen Ropes, a baseball training facility, in Chicago.
So how long have you been a Cubs fan?
Bob Downing - I was born into a family of die hards. I remember my dad telling me stories about listening to the 1945 World Series on the radio. His favorites were Andy Pafko and Hank Sauer. I've been a fan for as long as I can rememeber. Growing up I was one of those kids that would get home from school as fast as possible to catch the last few innings on TV with Jack Brickhouse and Jim West.
And have you passed your love for the Cubs on to your children?
Bob Downing - Yep. My daughter (Isabella Grace Downing, age 6) loves watching her favorite player Aramis Ramirez and loves to play 3rd base on her t-ball team. My son (Ryne Sandberg Downing, age 4) loves talking about the trip that we took to "coopertown" to see the real Ryne Sandberg and my other daughter (Nyah Addison, age 16 months) doesn't talk yet but we're working on her already!
CBB thanks Bob Downing and and appreciates his time. Make sure to visit the Memoroboblia booth at the annual National Sports
Collector's Convention at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont from July 31st - August 3rd. For more information
about the Carlos Marmol autograph event, log on to www.memoroboblia.com.
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