Your Favorite Local Shows, Past and Present.

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by spec

I remember well that BC High show when Russell ended his policy of not signing autographs. Waiting outside for the show to open I got to chat with another autograph guest, Moose Skowron, who was a great guy.
No compendium of local shows would be complete without mention of the Bishop Guertin show in Nashua, NH, which was New England's semiannual show in the 70s and 80s. Bill Dod and his baseball team ran this show in the high school gym and cafeteria with tables manned by most of the region's leading collectors as well as dealers. The material that changed hands in Nashua still boggles my mind.
Bob Richardson

Bishop Guertin was a great show. You would have pretty much every hardcore collector from the Boston area make that drive up Rte 3. Being right off of the highway was a bonus. You would not only get some of the dealers who did the Greater Boston show there were also those who only did shows in NH and VT.

I liked the VFW show in Braintree. That was a fun Saturday show. I remember buying a beautiful 1950's 5x7 photo of football HOFer Bob Waterfield signed in fountain pen at one of those shows for $3.00.

Big Billy Hedin also ran some decent shows. I think he did the Mansfield show.

[spec]

[QUOTE=Originally Posted by Michael B
I liked the VFW show in Braintree. That was a fun Saturday show. I remember buying a beautiful 1950's 5x7 photo of football HOFer Bob Waterfield signed in fountain pen at one of those shows for $3.00.

Big Billy Hedin also ran some decent shows. I think he did the Mansfield show.[/QUOTE]

Michael,
That Braintree show was run by Bob Polio, a longtime collector who I heard was still running it until a year or two ago. Though small, it featured top dealers Ron Johnsen, Paul Longo and Art Andersen, from whom I bought some wonderful cards over the years.

[t213]

I've been attending Nick Shoff's shows in Tyson's Corner, VA; Silver Spring Armory; and now Annandale, VA for 30 years

Andy

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by t213

I've been attending Nick Shoff's shows in Tyson's Corner, VA; Silver Spring Armory; and now Annandale, VA for 30 years Andy

Nick's shows in the 1990s were fantastic for Senators collectors, maybe 10 dealers with all kinds of vintage Washington stuff, not to mention the chance to connect with the handful or so of other hardcore Nats nuts you had become friends with. Sadly, they're all gone now. Nick knew how to run a show, too.

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by spec

Michael,
That Braintree show was run by Bob Polio, a longtime collector who I heard was still running it until a year or two ago. Though small, it featured top dealers Ron Johnsen, Paul Longo and Art Andersen, from whom I bought some wonderful cards over the years.

Bob ran a nice little show. When I first started going I did not own a car, but figured out I could get there via the Red Line. That was especially nice if I was going to hit the record stores in Kenmore Square after. No need to worry about parking and dealing with the SE Expressway.

[spec]

Originally Posted by Michael B

Bob ran a nice little show. When I first started going I did not own a car, but figured out I could get there via the Red Line. That was especially nice if I was going to hit the record stores in Kenmore Square after. No need to worry about parking and dealing with the SE Expressway.

I, too, relied on the T to get to the Braintree show (as well as BC High), but hated that you had to walk several blocks out of your way to get to the VFW because the folks in Braintree didn't want anyone cutting through their neighborhood to get downtown.

[tedzan]

From the late 1970's to 1992, the greatest Sportscard Show on the East coast was in WILLOW GROVE, Pennsylvania at the George Washington Motor Lodge.

Furthermore, a 2nd Show alternated at the George Washington Motor Lodge in the Valley Forge area.

Alternating between these two Shows from March thru to December were these 4 shows, and this was an amazing experience. The best dealers in the hobby
back then (and some of them still now) were a real delight to deal with.









TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by tedzan

From the late 1970's to 1972, the greatest Sportscard Show on the East coast was in WILLOW GROVE, Pennsylvania at the George Washington Motor Lodge.

Furthermore, a 2nd Show alternated at the George Washington Motor Lodge in the Valley Forge area.

Alternating between these two Shows from March thru to December were these 4 shows, and this was an amazing experience. The best dealers in the hobby
back then (and some of them still now) were a real delight to deal with.









TED Z

T206 Reference
.

Ted Funny to think about how the more things change, the more they stay the same, in regards to great shows being located in the Valley Forge Area!

And to everyone, keep all the stories coming! I love to hear them.

[tedzan]

Here is a 1983 Willow Grove Show program. 1983 was the 1st year that I set-up at this fabulous Show. This program contained
several pages of very worthwhile information pertaining to the Dealers, Showroom layout, events regarding the Hobby, etc., etc.
On the back cover of this program was an advertisement for the tremendous Seafood Restaurant (only a short distance from the
Convention Center). The BOSTON SEA Party was a very popular restaurant in the 1970's - 1990's. It was a consistently excellent
franchise, as I can attest to, having eaten at this one, also in Carol Stream (IL), Cherry Hill (NJ), and Denver.



. .


TED Z

T206 Reference
.