Reflections on 30 years of the Philly Show

[tedzan]

Kevin

As you know, Spring Garden was the very 1st Philly Show. Bob Schmerier and Ted Taylor created a neat 49-card set of 1948 Bowman-like cards
that were available at the following year's show. I'll show some of these cards in a future post.

The featured guest at this show (or the 1976 show) was hobby pioneer George Moll.....who was the major force behind all the Bowman Gum Co-
mpany sports & non-sports cards (Play Ball's, Bowman BaseBall & Football, and non-sports sets like the famous 1939 Horrors of War cards).

This show is a monumental tribute to this hobby's early beginnings.


TED Z

[Leon]

This 1976 Trading News had a bit about the Phili Show so thought I would post it. It's about 3 yrs after I quit collecting (as a youngster). Pardon the scan size. I did the best I could. regards

[mets41]

I remember these shows well. The 1st card show I ever attended was the last one at Spring Garden College (9/77) before moving to Willow Grove. When I started setting up there, my friend Ted and I wound setup next to each other. The Willow Grove and Ft. Washington locations were good for me--15 minutes from home.

[cfc1909]

wow phat dealer list with the Barnings,Lipset,Lerner and Halls Nostalgia-thanks for sharing that list-in 81 I was 16 and only knew about Topps...

[tedzan]

"Wow, what dealer list with the Barnings, Lipset, Lerner and Halls Nostalgia...."

It certainly sounds like a "Who's Who" list in the hobby, back in the 1970's and 1980's.

The hobby was very new in 1981, and if I were to detail all the various "walk-ins" that we saw (and acquired), it would take 100's
of posts on this thread.
Dan, I am sure you'll recall this one. A guy comes in with a brown bag full of sports cards (1950 - 1959). I looked at them, there
were several 100's of Bowman and Topps BB & FB cards. I gave him and offer and told him to walk around and get the "best offer"
for them. Four hours later, he returned to our table and I bought them.

I kept the BB cards and Dan took the FB cards. Back then FB cards were not selling at equivalent prices with BB cards. Danny
stashed away the FB cards for several years; and, when FB cards began to increase in value, Dan started selling these FB cards.
He did better than I did with the BB cards. He still gloats about this, when he feels in the mood to "rub it in" to me.


TED Z

[tedzan]

I just read your offer in your post #38......
"I would also like to extend an invitation to Ted Z to come out of retirement, especially if he would be so kind as to accept the offer
of a free booth at Oaks."

I have already signed up for your April 1911 show in Oaks, PA. Levi B. has my contract. I signed up for an "L" shaped (corner) booth.

Please email me directly regarding your offer at........
tedzan11@comcast.net


And please, no PM's.

Thanks much,

TED Z

[oaks1912]

Ted....I know its hard to end a tradition, but as you & I have discussed many times , there have been many changes since we met at Willow Grove in the early 80's, and not all of them are positive...... As you recall I stopped coming East after the first Fort Washington show in the early 90's, when the first round of changes were happening..... I know that it wasn't the facility (GW Lodge), as I could write a book on my experiences with the facility , but something about the cramped conditions gave the place a sense of excitement, unless of course you were located on the aisle with Rich Altman & Lou Avon on either side of you... The Chilean miners are about the only ones who could relate to you in that case..... The roof of the place had 'old swiss cheese' shingles, and if you didn't have a leak over your table, the smell of musty, heavily trafficked carpet competed with the greasy, St Patrick's Day style (Green) hot dogs that stayed on the grill until they sold, or disintegrated, whichever came first..... Of course, if I could go to a show like those great ones ('82-'86) and pick up what I did buy in the day, the smell of moldy carpet, the teacup saucer mattresses, the mystery meat covered with lumpy gray gravy served at Martha's Restaurant (until the health department shut it down), the irregular hot water, or running water at all, nor the non insulated rooms without heat for the December and March show.... none of these.... would stand in my way from going back there again, although this time I'd be better prepared with a fully insulated haz-mat suit, and a box of granola bars to cover me for a few days..... Great to hear that you're doing the 'new' show, and don't be surprised if you see someone from 3000 miles away pop in...

[mets41]

Originally Posted by tedzan

"Wow, what dealer list with the Barnings, Lipset, Lerner and Halls Nostalgia...."

It certainly sounds like a "Who's Who" list in the hobby, back in the 1970's and 1980's.

The hobby was very new in 1981, and if I were to detail all the various "walk-ins" that we saw (and acquired), it would take 100's
of posts on this thread.
Dan, I am sure you'll recall this one. A guy comes in with a brown bag full of sports cards (1950 - 1959). I looked at them, there
were several 100's of Bowman and Topps BB & FB cards. I gave him and offer and told him to walk around and get the "best offer"
for them. Four hours later, he returned to our table and I bought them.

I kept the BB cards and Dan took the FB cards. Back then FB cards were not selling at equivalent prices with BB cards. Danny
stashed away the FB cards for several years; and, when FB cards began to increase in value, Dan started selling these FB cards.
He did better than I did with the BB cards. He still gloats about this, when he feels in the mood to "rub it in" to me.


TED Z

I remember this well. By the way, Ted, thanks for those football cards (1958 & 60 sets--10 cards short of the 2 complete sets). You're ok!

[bbcard1]

I am sure most people will not consider the failed CSA venture a Philly show, but I went to two, sold a bunch of stuff, and made some big trades with Ted. Will probably always regret trading the AB Gandil to him, but I know it make it to a nice home and I am proud to have contributed a card to Teds collection as he contributed quite a few to mine.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by mets41

I remember this well. By the way, Ted, thanks for those football cards (1958 & 60 sets--10 cards short of the 2 complete sets). You're ok!

Great recollection, Dan.

Please email me.


TED Z