Does Lou Lampson Exist?

[stkmtimo]

Yes, this is a strange question. However, I think it's worth asking.

Has anyone on this forum ever met or seen Lou in person? I know many of us have questions for him and who knows whether or not they'll be answered. At this point, I was wondering if Lou even exists? It's impossible to contact him and anyone who tries to establish such contact is given the runaround. The only picture I've ever seen of him is the one on 100% Authentic website (who knows if that's really him?) Does anyone have evidence of Lou actually existing or is he simply a creation?

Tim

[trsent]

Yes, this is a strange question. However, I think it's worth asking.

Has anyone on this forum ever met or seen Lou in person? I know many of us have questions for him and who knows whether or not they'll be answered. At this point, I was wondering if Lou even exists? It's impossible to contact him and anyone who tries to establish such contact is given the runaround. The only picture I've ever seen of him is the one on 100% Authentic website (who knows if that's really him?) Does anyone have evidence of Lou actually existing or is he simply a creation?

Tim

Tim, I am pretty sure Lou and Kaiser Souza have nothing in common.

[indyred]

So your saying we may have our own Tony Clifton character in this field?

[trsent]

So your saying we may have our own Tony Clifton character in this field?

I didn't say that, but it looks like Tim is and I'm pretty sure Tim is wrong. This guy exists, he is just hard for the average Joe to find.

Now, Tony Clifton, he could show up anytime, anywhere and you never knew if it was really Andy Kaufman behind those glasses.

1721

http://andykaufman.jvlnet.com/core.htm

Ok, maybe it was Bob Zmuda.

[sportscentury]

This guy exists, he is just hard for the average Joe to find.

For the average Joe? As Warren would say, puhhhhlease.

Reid

[dafivehole]

I used to deal with Lou quite extensively back in the mid-late 90's. I bought a ton of USFL stuff from him... it was all good but he was set up at the '94 National in Houston and he had Flutie and Walker Generals jerseys that were very questionable:rolleyes: He had auctions in the SCD all the time back then... but he sort of vanished in the late 90's...

Roger

[trsent]

I used to deal with Lou quite extensively back in the mid-late 90's. I bought a ton of USFL stuff from him... it was all good but he was set up at the '94 National in Houston and he had Flutie and Walker Generals jerseys that were very questionable:rolleyes: He had auctions in the SCD all the time back then... but he sort of vanished in the late 90's...

Roger

Ok, we have a Lou sighting.

Tim, I think we can now assume he really exists.

I have been told by people who have worked with him that no one in the industry knows more about vintage football than Lou. I do not know if this is true, but he has a flock that admires his football knowledge.

[BoneRubbedBat]

I have also questioned the reality of "Lou". To have all of the credentials and the substantial collection as advertised on the 100PercentAuthentic website, you would have thought that someone here would have dealt with him as a buyer/seller, or at a show. I talked to the curator at the Texas Sports HOF, and they said that Lou may have helped on a few items years ago, but does not remember seeing him personally, and that he does not have any affiliation with them currently.

When you think about it, it would be easy for a well-know entity in the hobby to start promoting an individual as a memorabilia "guru", when in fact that "guru" is a figment of someone's imagination. I will use SCDA as an example since they do not exist any more. Let's say SCDA needs a cash cow. Build up the name of a fake person and set up a separate "company" for this "person." SCDA only claims an "affiliation" with the new entity, thus superficially appearing as a separate company. Items can be submitted through SCDA as a middle man only, thus sheltering the ghost authenticator. The ghost authenticator does not leave any contact information, thus making it nearly impossible to call him out, even though he doesn't exist anyway. The people at SCDA can tell everyone that they can pass on information to him, and if he doesn't respond, there's nothing more they can do.

The concept is actually brilliant, except that speculation was bound to escalate over time without contact information. I would have at least set up a cell phone account so I could put a phone number on the letters. The answering message would sound official, and I would pay my brother-in-law to be the voice and face of the ghost.

Conspiracy theory?........maybe not that far fetched.....

[ChrisCavalier]

I have also questioned the reality of "Lou". To have all of the credentials and the substantial collection as advertised on the 100PercentAuthentic website, you would have thought that someone here would have dealt with him as a buyer/seller, or at a show.
In order to end the speculation, let me say that I have personally met Lou and have spoken with him a number of times. In fact, prior to Lou's recent move, I had the privilege of going to his former home and seeing his collection. I will tell you that his collection is absolutely incredible and, from what I could see, there are probably few people in the hobby with as much knowledge about football jerseys in general.

As for his accessibility to the collecting community, that is a question Lou will have to answer. However, I can tell you he is indeed an actual person and has an incredible amount of knowledge about football jerseys.

Sincerely,
Chris Cavalier

[stkmtimo]

Thanks for clearing that up Chris. And no, Joel, I wasn't trying to fuel any type of conspiracy theories. It just seems a little strange that a guy who claims to have a tremendous knowledge of game worn jerseys is completely inaccessible to anyone, especially when he's called out for a mistake (of which there are plenty).

It appears that most of Lou's mistakes are made on areas outside of his football expertise, with the Ripken St. Patty's day green jersey coming to mind most prominently. With that said, you would wonder why Lou doesn't just focus on football. Has anyone seen or talked to Lou in the past year or so? Again, thanks for clearing this up.

Tim

[SteveHHMD]

Hi. My dad is Charlie Hennigan. Some years ago, he met Lou Lampson at a convention of some sort. Lou talked him into selling him 2 jerseys and a football (his 101 reception football). One of the Jerseys was a Houston Oiler Jersey, the other an AFL all-star jersey (which I had gone trick-or-treating in as a kid).

Lou apparently decided to sell the all star jersey on Grey Flannel auction site. I bought the jersey back for twice what he paid dad for all of the above. With the jersey came a note from my dad to Lou, as well as pictures of all of the other stuff the he had acquired from dad. Dad remembers him well and says he was a really "great guy."

I was disappointed that dad had let go of these things. Have been trying to find Lou ever since to see if he might be willing to sell them back to me at a profit.

I too have not been successful at finding contact information. (Whatever contact info he had given dad, my dad had lost.)

Anyway, indeed I can say that he exists. That he acquired some stuff from my dad and authenticated it. The all star jersy that I bought back from the auction was the same one that I had gone trick-or-treating in, down to the pine resin on the front used to make the fingers sticky.

As an aside, dad got 8 or 10 game balls that he gave to us kids to wear out playing football in the neighborhood. Oh, to have just one of those balls.

Steve Hennigan

[allstarsplus]

I was disappointed that dad had let go of these things. Have been trying to find Lou ever since to see if he might be willing to sell them back to me at a profit.

I too have not been successful at finding contact information. (Whatever contact info he had given dad, my dad had lost.)


Steve HenniganNo doubt he exists but the problem is the only people that seem to have his contact info is the auction houses. I suggest you email one of the auction houses that uses his services and maybe they will be kind enough to put him in touch with you.


Lou apparently decided to sell the all star jersey on Grey Flannel auction site. I bought the jersey back for twice what he paid dad for all of the above.

My good friend John Paluck has been in search of anything he could find of his father's from College at Pitt or his playing days for the Redskins in the 1950's and 1960's.

He found 1 jersey that an employee of the laundry company had in his possession for over 40 years (this was back in 2003). The guy wanted a top value for the jersey but after hearing his father had just recently passed away (2003) he sold him the jersey for a more reasonable price.

Steve, sorry to hear you had to pay top dollar for the jersey and double what ALL the items originally sold for to Lampson, but maybe Lampson will re-consider and give you back the remaining items if he in fact was the consignor to GF and made all that profit.

I think there has been some threads on here about giving/selling items back to the players or players family.

I for one, hope you get the other items back!

[Lokee]

Here is a link to a few youtube videos of SCD's Chris Nerat interviewing Lou. Some very interesting insight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMxAcuuLM34

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yTCq2gkygw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOBedmMIDzw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxCvGurfWB8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL6MHD94chs

[Steeler4Life]

Mr. Lampson does exist. I had saw him and several others speak at the PCCE Conference in Chicago in 2008. I have also met him and spoke to him at different shows. He was very nice and easy to talk to. Was very helpful with questions I had as I was just getting into this part of the hobby.

My experience with him at those times have been great and he seems to be just a down to earth guy. This is just my take on the few times I have met him.