Beckett: Don West returns to his roots, selling memorabilia

DON WEST RETURNS TO HIS ROOTS, SELLING MEMORABILIA 

(SOURCE: Beckett Sports Card Monthly)

No matter the arena. No matter who is wrestling. Don West undoubtedly hears someone yell out one of his catchphrases.

“Gem Mint 10”

“The phones are locked up!”

Even though he works for TNA Wrestling hosting shows on the company‘s websites, West is known for the 10 years he spent selling trading cards and memorabilia late at night on the Shop at Home network with his aggressive style and gravelly voice.

West, 47, is getting back to his roots. As the face and voice of WildWestDeals.com, West is selling sports cards and collectibles once again.

“You don‘t know how much you miss something until you dabble in it again,” West said from his home in Nashville, Tenn. “I‘m glad to be doing sports card again. I love it. It‘s what I collect.”

The categories on WildWestDeals.com are like many other shopping sites such as Computers, Kitchen and Gadgets.

But the newest and fastest growing category is Collectibles, which the company is pushing more toward.

Even though collectibles is new to WildWestDeals.com, West is getting calls from former contacts who he says are excited to get back into business with him.

Once you watch one of West’s videos, it’s hard not to think he ever left the business when you see the passion in his clips. Collectors can find autograph items from Ted Williams, Oscar De La Hoya, Willie Mays and Tom Brady. There are baseball card sets such as the 2010 Tristar Obak rookie set that was only found at the National Sports Card Convention in Baltimore this year.

Mr. Gem Mint is quickly at it again.

“I always wanted to get back involved, but I was looking for a good way to do it,” West said. “The Internet felt like the perfect place to go.”

West started collecting baseball cards when he was in college. Think of him as one of the original flippers. He didn’t want to ask his parent for money while in school he would go to mall card shows with some top stars such as Pete Rose and Willie Stargell. West would put the cards in a fish bowl and sold them for $10 a piece.

“Those baseball cards kept me alive for a while,” he said.

Once West got onto television, he became a cult hero. It wasn’t just the items West sold, but the way he sold them.

West shouted at the television and with his partner Eddie Lewis. He was animated, using his arms and his entire body when he sold.

At its height, the Shop at Home network was in 60 million cable homes and was one of the highest rated overnight programs.

West’s passion for his items made an impact on viewers whether they were buying or just insomniacs.

There is one night West will never forget.

As he was doing a live show, he looked over at a muted television and saw Will Farrell imitating himself on Saturday Night Live. The skit involved selling Shaquille O’Neal plaques (Shaq plaques), which was the item West sold the week before.

“To look up and see someone imitating you is just tremendous,” said West, who used the Beckett Price Guide as a selling tool on his show. “That to me was one of the greatest feelings - other than getting married.”

For years, West has been looking for a way to get back into selling. It was something he fell in love with, but when the Shop at Home Network changed ownerships in 2001, he and the company parted ways.

But working at Shop at Home Network took its toll on West. He worked from midnight to 6 a.m., four nights a week. He became sleep deprived and his blood pressure rose.

In 2002, he took a job with TNA Wrestling as a color commentator through August 2009. Two months later, he reappeared on TNA as Amazing Red’s manager.

Now, he hosts many wrestling shows on TNAWrestling.com and sells items on the website as well.

Even though he has been doing that for eight years and has turned from heel to face to pitchman, West is constantly recognized from his days selling collectibles.

“I’m on TV every Thursday night. I do 200 cities a year,” West said. “More people come up to and tell me how they remember my Shop at Home days.”

WildWestDeals.com president Kenny Barrickman met West about a year ago. Barrickman used to watch West overnight and recalled his memorable sales pitches.

The two teamed up to figure out the best way to get West back into selling.

Having a website like WildWestDeals.com allows West to be his animated and boisterous self, but without the challenges that came with working a late-night shift. West can record videos any time and at his own convenience.

Plus, his fans get to watch anytime they want.

“I was in college in the 1990s and I would be up all night until sunrise,” Barrickman said. “I used to watch Don sell stuff. It‘s great to bring him back into sports memorabilia and card collecting.”

West doesn’t just sell collectibles, he’s also a huge collector. He has autographed pieces of sports figures such as Mohammed Ali, Willie Mays and Joe Montana. He and his wife Terri, who is also a big sports fan, are into collecting memorabilia more than cards these days.

Even though West has bout 50,000 cards, he enjoys looking through his memorabilia more.

He and Terri recently re-organized through their memorabilia room, putting new items in place.

The two stood back and looked around the room.

“We’re just touching the tip of the iceberg,” West said. “Collecting memorabilia is really cool. I just love it.”