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Indianapolis Star
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
Steps from IMS, a vintage memorabilia store sells pieces of Indiana sports history
Show Caption Vintage Indy Sports, a sports memorabilia store, recently moved to Speedway from the Glendale area. The store has memorabilia from a range of sports -- baseball, basketball and of course racing as well as many others sports. Owner Scott Fitzgerald started collecting baseball cards when he was five. That blossomed into a love for sports memorabilia. A few blocks away from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Scott Fitzgerald sells pieces of history replete with stories from that iconic sports oval. Photos of every Indy 500 winner since the 1960s. Official IMS signs. Helmets worn by IndyCar drivers. You name it, there's a good chance Fitzgerald has it for sale somewhere in his two-story store. Or, if not, he knows where you can find it. In mid-April Fitzgerald, 64, moved Vintage Indy Sports, his 30-year sports memorabilia business, from the Glendale area to 1450 N. Main Street in Speedway — just in time to open for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500. About a week after he opened, Fitzgerald made a trip to Cincinnati to buy a truck load of racing memorabilia that he planned to sort through and set up a special sale throughout the month of May. Though Fitzgerald hopes to capitalize on the Indy 500 fanfare, only about 15% of his collection is racing collectibles, he estimates. Over three decades, he's amassed memorabilia from IU basketball, Notre Dame football, Indiana high school basketball, the Indiana Pacers, the Indianapolis Colts and even some remnants of the city's once-proposed Major League Baseball team. Now, he's slowly buying Indiana Fever collectibles to sell. As a lifelong sports memorabilia collector, Fitzgerald always saw Speedway as an attractive home for a store given its well-known sports landmark and the town of about 13,000 people who support it. When Fitzgerald began looking for a new location last summer to expand his footprint, he stumbled upon the empty former Main Attraction Antique Mall on the town's Main Street. At 4,000-square-feet, the Speedway storefront is nearly eight times larger than his previous location off the corner of 56th Street and Keystone Avenue, where he had been since 2020. For dedicated sports collectors and casual Indianapolis sports fans alike, the emporium is a veritable treasure trove. That's the way Fitzgerald feels every day he opens the door. "It doesn't feel like work. It's a passion. It's something I've been doing since I was five years old," Fitzgerald said. The Speedway store is unassuming from the outside, tucked away off the main street in what Fitzgerald calls "the busiest alley in the world." A sandwich board sits out front, directing people to the back alley and the store's yellow awning. Inside the store, there are file cabinets filled with pins, bins of cards, boxes of programs, game-worn jerseys on hangers and shelves full of books waiting to be searched by a fan looking for that elusive item. On a recent rainy Tuesday morning, the phone rang over and over as collectors called to ask where the new store was located or whether Fitzgerald was open to buying. In a billion-dollar industry where dealers travel across the country and gather in convention centers to sell and trade baseball cards on the weekends, physical shops like Vintage Indy Sports have become rare. The rise of the internet has fueled an era of online sports of that phases Fitzgerald. "I believe that a lot of racing fans are going to be coming in," Fitzgerald said. "So far, I've sold more racing stuff than I have any other sport. Being in Speedway, I think it's just natural, people are coming in looking for racing." From a five-year-old baseball fan to a lifelong sports collector Ever since he was five, Fitzgerald has collected baseball cards. Then came card grading in the early 1990s. Card grading attaches a number from 1-10 based on the quality and condition of the card. Higher grade cards usually go for more money. Card grading took the joy out of baseball card trading in Fitzgerald's eyes. He said he felt the value attached to cards was too subjective and he lost interest. After that, he looked for another way to continue his hobby. "I had a very good friend that was into game-used memorabilia, and he opened my eyes to that and to own a jersey that somebody had on their back, it was very appealing," Fitzgerald said. "And to meet those athletes and sometimes get things from them, it was a whole new world for me." He still sells cards in his store and the first level of his store has a table for customers to sit and comb through baseball cards. Some of his oldest cards date back to 1886 when baseball sets first began and were known as "tobacco cards" since they were sold in packs of cigarettes. Ask Fitzgerald where his love of sports began, and he'll say his first love was the Cincinnati Reds, when the Big Red Machine dominated Major League Baseball. Over time, he's learned to love Indianapolis sports teams and athletes just as much. He grew up in Muncie and graduated from Muncie Central High School, whose basketball team has recorded eight state championships. There, his affinity for Indiana high school sports grew alongside his growing interest in collecting. And Fitzgerald still remembers watching the red-white-and-blue basketball spinning in the air on television back when the Pacers played in the American Basketball Association. In the Speedway store, Fitzgerald displays his personal collection for visitors, including his pride and joy: a game uniform worn by Indiana Pacers superstar Reggie Miller in 1999. But now Fitzgerald has a far more expansive pride and joy: his store in the racing capital of the world. Vintage Indy Sports is open at 1450 N. Main Street in Speedway from 10 to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Indianapolis Star
06-05-2025
- Business
- Indianapolis Star
Vintage Indy Sports opens in Speedway with wide variety of collectibles
Scott Fitzgerald looks at a Indy 500 Champions banner at his new sports memorabilia store, Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar A sign points the interested to Vintage Indy Sports store in the alley behind Main Street, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Its actual entrance, though with a Main Street address, is in the alley behind. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Scott Fitzgerald shows the most valuable trading card at his new sports memorabilia store, Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. This is a rare 1960 Mickey Mantle Post Cereal Baseball Card. Cards found at the store are anywhere from a couple dollars to $15,000 in value. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Board games, including the Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle Baseball Games are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Scott Fitzgerald takes a closer look at a photo, of Michael Jordan after one of his championships, seen at his new sports memorabilia store, Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. In the Jordan photo, his father stands behind him. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Owner Scott Fitzgerald shows baseball cards at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Baseball cards found at the store are anywhere from a couple dollars to $15,000 in value. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Scott Fitzgerald, owner of Vintage Indy Sports, shows his personal collection Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at his new store in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. This Reggie Miller game-worn uniform is one he says will be passed down in his family for years to come. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Local game-used football jerseys are for sale at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar George McGinnis memorabilia is part of Vintage Indy Sports Owner Scott Fitzgerald's personal collection seen Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. McGinnis was a boyhood hero for Fitzgerald. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Scott Fitzgerald shows his new sports memorabilia store, at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. Included in the mix are some of his own collection. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Scott Fitzgerald shows his new sports memorabilia store, at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. This pinball game, at left, is like one he played on when he was a child. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Bobbleheads are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Keeping the historic bobbleheads in the original boxes increases the value of the collectible. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Bobbleheads are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Keeping the historic bobbleheads in the original boxes increases the value of the collectible. Caitlin Clark items bobbleheads are now more valuable than other sports greats, like Bob Knight and Larry Bird. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar An IU camouflage jersey worn in only one game is seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar A Borg-Warner Trophy poster is seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar This is a trophy given by fans to former baseball player 'Sudden Sam' McDowell, seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Wheaties sports boxes are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Hank Aaron Baseball Games are among the board games found at at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar A signed jersey from former Colts long snapper Matt Overton is seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Overton sells cards online, and Vintage Indy Sports owner Scott Fitzgerald bought some. Overton sent this signed jersey, from when he was with the San Diego Chargers, as a thank you. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar A Forbes Field seat from 1970 is seen at Vintage Indy Sports, a new sports memorabilia store, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The baseball park in Pittsburgh closed on June 28, 1979. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Signed baseballs are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Signed and worn Joe Niekro baseball shoes are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Bobbleheads are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Baseball mitts are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar This is the current entrace to Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently. The store has a Main Street address, but is open behind in the alley. Signage is not up yet. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar
