Expert: Gene - 9/30/2004

Question
My boyfriend has a book with Norm Van Brocklin and George Shaw on the cover. Below their picture it says Minnesota Vikings Illustrated Record Album. Below that Sounds of the Vikings narrated by Dick Enroth. It is purple and yellow. We are unable to find any information on it and we would appreciate anything you can find. Thank you for your time.

Answer
Teresa,

Thanks for writing.  These albums must be popping up out of sheetrock or something.  This is the second time I have had a question about this particular piece of Vikings memorabilia.  Maybe your boyfriend is the same guy, but either way...weird.
I actually have a scanned picture of the album and I dug and dug and dug and called people over people over people on this item.  Here is what I found:
- The Vikings office has an archive director and I know that he was familiar with it but that their copy disappeared when they moved offices.  
- I know it is rare and that it was a locally done thing.
- I know that the companies involved with producing it and putting it together no longer exist...except for the radio station Dick Enroth used to work at...WCCO in Minnesota.  When I called them, they could be of little help.  Only thing they could tell me was that they knew Enroth had done sportscasting for the Vikings early on.
- I know that Dick Enroth was in the armed forces and a good Christian man and well respected by everyone in Minnesota.
- I can not give you any idea of its worth.  I can base any figure I give you on many different factors and that would just widen the range (if you were looking to sell it).  Best thing to do is to put some "feelers" out on newsgroups and message boards dealing with the Vikings OR contact football memorabilia collectors (they can be found in any "TUFF STUFF" magazine at your local bookstore) around the country and see what they woudl be willing to say woudl be a fair market price for it.  Beckett.com may also be another good avenue as they have authentication services and  ateam of experts working for them to help grade different cards and memorabilia.
- I wish I could hear it.  I really wanted the guy who emailed me first to see if he could get it burned to a CD or make a tape of it so I could listen to the old radio calls from back then.  That would be cool.
Anyway...congratulations on you and your boyfriend's "find".  Treat it well and know that you do hold something rare...valuable to some...history to others.
Let me know of what other assistance I can be on this.
Until next time, I'll see you on the field!

Gene "Norseman" Ramsay