Sports Card Talk Show Has a Growing Collection of Listeners : Radio: After starting on a shoestring, host Terry Clanton has cashed in on Anaheim’s KORG.

Terry Clanton would be the first to admit he was gambling when he went on the air with a sports card collecting and memorabilia talk show on radio station KORG (1190) in Anaheim.

Clanton had one guest, three advertisers and a phone line equipped to handle five callers when the one-hour show debuted Sept. 3.

“It cost me money to put the first couple of shows on the air,” Clanton said. “Yeah, it was a gamble. Any time you start something new, there’s always a risk.”

But Clanton, a Whittier resident, believed in the show. He knew there were about one million collectors in Southern California and he felt there was a market for a show in which listeners could talk to experts in the field.

“All you had to do was look at the last national convention at Anaheim,” Clanton said. “They expected 60,000 for the three-day show, and over 100,000 attended. I knew the radio show would work.”

But even Clanton said he never expected the response he has received for his Big Time Sports Radio Network’s talk show that has zoomed to the top of the list among KORG’s 22 weekly talk radio shows.

“I was aware there was an interest in something like this because you can’t pick up a sports section without seeing an advertisement for a show each weekend in the county,” said Lou Salatino, operations manager at KORG.

“Something like this has never been done on radio before, as far as I know. No one knew what to expect. When Terry first came to me with the idea, my first thought was, ‘This is a great idea.’ The show took off like gangbusters.”

Barry Kuehl, owner of Hit-n-Run baseball card shop in Costa Mesa and one of Clanton’s advertisers, said there are several reasons for the show’s popularity.

“First and foremost, Terry is very knowledgeable,” Kuehl said. “He’s had a wide variety of guests who are not only experts on cards, but experts on collecting hats or even figurines.

“Second, his listeners are very knowledgeable. A few of his callers are novices who might slow things down, but for the most part, he’s got a very lively, informative show.”

Clanton also takes the show on the road, doing a live remote once a month from card shops throughout the county. Recently, he broadcast from 59 Innings in Fullerton, where he went head-to-head with Game 3 of the World Series.

The small shop was jammed with collectors, ranging from youngsters to serious investors. Clanton said the turnout mirrored the range of his listeners who jam the phone lines at his studio before he goes on the air each Tuesday.

Clanton receives about 20 telephone calls during the show. Some callers are youngsters but most are serious collectors and investors. He says there’s plenty to talk about.

“I’ve always got material because there’s a new product coming out virtually every week,” he said. “I try to target primarily baseball card collectors, but I also had a tip for the guy who collects the Maxx Racing (NASCAR) Card set.”

Among Clanton’s guests have been Al Rosen (Mr. Mint), who has sold $27 million worth of cards since 1981 and Jay McCracken, vice president of Upper Deck cards. A regular guest is 14-year-old Michael Flanders of Rialto, who gives collecting tips for youngsters.

“Michael’s great because he has a limited budget and buys most of his cards from the local 7-11 store,” Clanton said. “I think the kids can relate to him. He’s not a big-time investor with a serious cash flow, but a kid collecting cards.”

On the flip side, another of Clanton’s sponsors is Tony Galovich, owner of the American Card Exchange in Costa Mesa. Galovich has been involved in the card collecting business since 1972 and prepares portfolios at a minimum investment of $5,000 for about 1,000 clients.

Galovich thought Clanton’s show was a natural and encouraged him to go on the air.

“It’s taken a little time, but Terry’s show has grown slowly but steadily into a force in the sports collecting field,” Galovich said. “He’s come in at the right time. Collecting is no longer a hobby, but a major industry.”