What Are Your Earliest Card Show Memories?

[dealme]

My first show would have been around 1987 at the Indianapolis convention center. I remember my dad took me and I ended up getting the 86 and 87 Topps sets. I also remember getting that particular month's Beckett which had Darryl Strawberry on it.

I got such a kick of walking around with my dad, looking at the cards from the 50s and 60s, and listening to my dad talk about the exploits of the older players on those cards. I'm thrilled that I rediscovered the hobby a few years ago after a bit of a hiatus.

Cheers,
Mark

[Laxcat]

Sitting on Hank Aaron's lap for a picture. I was like 5. I had my little kid glove with me and he tossed the ball back and forth with me for awhile too. Growing up in the hobby was great.

[DeanH3]

Once I got my license in the summer of '85, a buddy and I hit as many local Bay Area shows as we could. I remember buying many 60's Mantles and any other 50's-60's HOFer's I could find.

Just today I was going through a box of old family photos with my 6 year old daughter and ran across this. Made me chuckle and think of this thread. If I remember correctly, I picked up a really nice '56 Koufax and '56 Clemente. I had them graded by PSA a few years later and both graded an 8. I thought I hit the jackpot back then.

[skelly]

I guess my two main memories ( we're talking about 1987-1989ish ) would be that you really didn't see much as far as 50's-60's football and hockey. I remember someone had bowman football cards and I was just in awe of them. The other thing was if you saw something it seemed like you should buy it immediately back then. Stuff would sell quick. Today, yes deals are done, but a table's inventory doesn't seem to change much throughout the day. Back then, dealers seemed to be in a perpetual pattern of selling and restocking on the fly as the day would go on.

[CurtisFlood]

Originally Posted by skelly

I guess my two main memories ( we're talking about 1987-1989ish ) would be that you really didn't see much as far as 50's-60's football and hockey. I remember someone had bowman football cards and I was just in awe of them. The other thing was if you saw something it seemed like you should buy it immediately back then. Stuff would sell quick. Today, yes deals are done, but a table's inventory doesn't seem to change much throughout the day. Back then, dealers seemed to be in a perpetual pattern of selling and restocking on the fly as the day would go on.

That is correct. I remember people watching me make a purchase from a walk up, then approaching to see what I had put in my cases. Many times they would say: I'll take that one. They were like vultures circling a kill! Fun times.

[TCMA]

My first card show related memory was posing for the program cover of the 1984 National with my cousin in my back yard. Don't remember if I was actually at the show or not. I was 6 years old.

That's me on the left:

[Goodsport40]

My first show was at a very small mall in my hometown.

I remember buying a Post Yogi Berra because my Dad told me about him. Wish I had kept that one.

I also remember buying packs of 1981 Fleer(!) They were all the rage. Good times.

[Tony Gordon]

In 1978, I was 12, subscribed to SCD and was a card-carrying member of the Chicagoland Sports Collectors Association (long defunct). At the time, the CSCA put on three shows a year at a Holiday Inn in Hillside, Illinois. There was always a free autograph guest like a Minnie Minoso or an Orlando Cepeda. As soon as we got there, I would split from my dad who would spend the day in the dime boxes purchasing piles of Gene Woodlings and Walt Dropos. I would look for a card to get signed and get an auto. I would then purchase a few 8 and 9 pocket sheets and try and fill them with HOFers and stars from the 40 bucks my dad would give me. The room was always packed and it was tough to get at the tables. Cards were CHEAP back then. I always went home with a few Clementes and Aarons. After the show, we would drive to Downtown Chicago where my dad worked. On the drive he would tell me about the players he purchased, having seen them all when he was a beer vendor at both Wrigley and Comiskey from 1952 to 1962. The only drawback was I would have to spend hours sitting in my dad's office after the show while he worked all afternoon.

[oaks1912]

The shows in the Bay Area were among the best in the hobby in the early to mid 70’s. I attended my first around 1974, after meeting Jim Horne at a local flea market , where he told me about the first show in ’73 . Acalanes High School in Lafayette, St Alberts in Palo Alto, Bellarmine Prep in San Jose, the Veterans Hall in Santa Rosa and Sunset High School in Hayward were among the many locations. Usually 50-100 tables in size, most were on a Saturday and the advanced collectors of the day... Dick Dobbins, Jim Horne, John Spalding, Bill Weiss, Lou Chericoni, Don Hazelwood, Doug McWilliams, George Callahan, Don McPherson, and others were not only in attendance, they were very helpful to younger collectors. The first show I displayed at in 1976 cost $5 for the table. Plastic sheets were not popular (tough to find as well) and most people just put stacks of cards out on their tables. T-206’s and beat up Zeenuts were plentiful and under $1, Obaks and caramel cards (E-120/121) were a few bucks each, superstars of the 60’s were a dime to a quarter each (Mantle, Mays, Aaron) and flannel uniforms were $25-50 each. Still a lot of money for a teenager. Many long term friendships were forged during those years as well.

[Leon]

Just browsing around and saw an old thread....and saw Dick Dobbins' name mentioned so thought a card might be apropos.

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

Fun thread...I'm sure there are lots of new members here (like myself) that haven't seen this older thread.

I don't have an overly exciting story, but my first card shows in my memory were during the bubble years in the mid to late 1980's.

I grew up in Salina, KS (fairly small town about a three hour drive away from KC) but occasionally there would be someone at a local show signing autographs. At my first show, it was Danny Tartabull. If you were a Royals fan in the 80's, you remember him. I think he went on to play with the Yankees too.

I still have my 1987 Topps card that was signed by him that day.

My second memorable experience that same year was my dad taking me to a live auction at the 4H hall in town. I remember having some money and bidding on a 1986 Donruss Rookies set. I was in a bidding war with some older guy across the room and the price got past my budget and I was ready to admit defeat...but my dad put in a few extra bids and we won the set (dad covered the amount over what I had). I remember being thrilled at the excitement of that live auction. Dad passed a few years ago, but that's a cherished memory.

I love this hobby.

[basesareempty]

1983? Pikesville Armory Show in Baltimore. I was 13 and couldn’t believe all the cards and dealers. My big purchase that day was a 1978 Topps baseball vending box. I remember I got the Murray and used this as a starter set to put together the 78 set. It was here that I met Dan McKee’s father. I was in awe of the cards he had and even though I wasn’t collecting pre war cards at the time he was willing to show me cards and talked to me about cards. I ended up buying a low grade 1935 Goudey 4 in 1 Jimmy Foxx from him because I knew Foxx was from Maryland. I would see him at other area shows and I always made it a point to stop and say hello.He was always nice to me and I always remember that. He was a credit to the hobby.

[Promethius88]

Some show at a hotel in Chicago in 1980. Just got my dad interested in cards, before it turned into a business for him a couple years later. Remembered getting the price guide and always watching he 52 Topps and the price in the guides had been going down. Always had been like $1500 low $3500 high. Anyhow, we ran across one that was mid grade and it was $700. Really wish we had picked it up. From what I remember, there was a room with auctions. We did get boxes of 52 Topps with lots of high numbers. I don't remember buying anything at tables at the time, but I remember going thru those 52's when we got home.

[The-Cardfather]

The year was 1976 or 1977, and I was 14 or 15 years old. I was attending one of the semi-annual card shows at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan (New York City). It was late in the afternoon and I had developed a bad headache. I was sitting in the lobby, where they had plenty of plush chairs and sofas.

I probably had my face in my hands when I was approached by an older gentleman who inquired if I was okay. I told him that I had a bad headache. He asked if I was staying at the hotel. I explained that I had attended the card show and was waiting for my headache to subside before taking the subway home to Brooklyn. (I'm paraphrasing. I don't think I used the words "attended" or "subside" at age 15.) He asked if I had taken any aspirin, and I said that I had not. He then walked away, only to reappear within two minutes with aspirin and a paper cup of water. I took the aspirin and thanked him before he walked away.

A few months later, I attended a smaller card show. (I don't remember where.) I ran into the aforementioned gentleman there. Much to my surprise, he was signing autographs. His name was Cal Abrams - former Brooklyn Dodger.

[ALBB]

great topic great storys

mine was an mid 70s.. the hot thing was the error cards.. collectors would go nuts for error cards. I had very little money and would buy the rough shape Mays Mantle Aaron cards..probably a couple bucks each back then

[Buythatcard]

Back in 1970, my best friend's father bought and sold baseball cards. I told her that I still have all my cards from the mid 50's to early 60's (included many Mantle & Maris cards, since I was a big fan of them). There were over 1,000 cards. In addition, I had scorecards from Yankee & Met games, all their yearbooks, and many other publications.
She said that her father would like to come over and see my collection. Well, he came over and told me my whole collection was worth $250. Since his daughter was my best friend at the time, I trusted whatever he said. He offered to buy the whole collection on the spot and I said yes.
Shortly after this transaction, I heard that there was a card show at the local mall. Since, I never went to a card show before, I thought this would be cool to check out. There were about a dozen tables set up. Guess who had a table?
Yes, it was my friend's father who bought my collection. I went over to take a look and see what he was selling. The first thing I saw were all of my yearbooks. He had price tags on some of the yearbooks for as high as $250. I also saw many of my cards (recognized them due to tape and damage on some of them). He had high price tags on those also but I don't remember what the prices were.
I don't know whether he actually got any of those prices but I do know that he ripped me off big time.
That was my first card show and it certainly left a bad taste in my mouth. Almost 50 years later, I am still pissed off.

[The-Cardfather]

Originally Posted by Buythatcard

Back in 1970, my best friend's father bought and sold baseball cards. ..........he came over and told me my whole collection was worth $250. Since his daughter was my best friend at the time, I trusted whatever he said. He offered to buy the whole collection on the spot and I said yes. ...........I do know that he ripped me off big time. ........Almost 50 years later, I am still pissed off.

Some people just don't have a moral compass.

I'm wondering if you ever told your best friend about what her father did, and if so, what did she say/do?

[jakebeckleyoldeagleeye]

My first show (around 1978) I was collecting 1948 Leaf's thru the mail but picked up an ex. condition Joe DiMaggio for $20.