1980 Card Show NYC

[JustinD]

I lived many states away, but I sure remember the prevalence of rubber banded cards at shows like this...boy was that a crap idea. At least I was a Velveeta box kid, lol.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

What's the old story about the Velveeta boxes damaging one edge of the cards because their size was a touch too short?

I've never had Velveeta in my life. It is not popularly used in Canada, although I've seen it for sale in stores. Nobody that I've ever talked to up here has once mentioned it, or using it. Just Americans. (Although I suspect I've unknowingly eaten it many times in U.S. restaurants.) I've always meant to buy some, but never have!

It's like Mott's Clamato to most Americans. They've seen it at the store, but have no idea what its purpose would be! I learned this firsthand when introducing an American bar and my friends there to Caesars (no, not the salad!). A Canadian staple that most Americans haven't heard of unless they've spent a bit of time north of the border. (Vodka, Clamato, a dash of Worcestershire with a leafy celery stick. Kinda like a Bloody Mary but far tastier.) I was surprised that every American pronounced "Clamato" to rhyme with "tomato". To every Canadian, it's Clamahto. I got several, "So that's what this stuff is used for! I've seen it for years and didn't know what it was!"

ETA: Clamato: A Dan Quayle joke waiting to happen.

[akleinb611]

I was at both of the shows referenced in this article. I'm convinced I must be in the background of at least one of the photos - possibly the one with the very young kid in the foreground going through a large carton of cards. I MAY be the guy directly behind him, looking a bit like a young Eugene Levy. I won't swear to it, but that is what I looked like back in the day. And I did attend all the District 65 shows in 1973 (they were monthly), as well as the Armenian Church shows in 1980. The photos do bring back a lot of memories.

Is it just me, or did card shows have a LOT more stuff available back in the day?

[Hankphenom]

Imagine what you could find there, and at what prices! That was a bad recession year, and I wouldn't be surprised if the smell of fear had some of those dealers blowing stuff out. Good time to be buying, though!

[WillowGrove]

I think I did that show! Does anyone know if there was another show there in 81 or 82? If not I may be in that back corner. Regardless of which year that was the show where I sold 4 1915 CJ commons for $100. The buyer reached down to his sock, removed a wallet that wrapped around his leg and handed me 5 20s. When you're 15 you remember stuff like this.

[brunswickreeves]

Originally Posted by akleinb611

I was at both of the shows referenced in this article. I'm convinced I must be in the background of at least one of the photos - possibly the one with the very young kid in the foreground going through a large carton of cards. I MAY be the guy directly behind him, looking a bit like a young Eugene Levy. I won't swear to it, but that is what I looked like back in the day. And I did attend all the District 65 shows in 1973 (they were monthly), as well as the Armenian Church shows in 1980. The photos do bring back a lot of memories.

Is it just me, or did card shows have a LOT more stuff available back in the day?

Plastic graded holders take up a lot of space….

[Lobo Aullando]

Maybe they're selling it for fish bait. Trout love that stuff.

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

What's the old story about the Velveeta boxes damaging one edge of the cards because their size was a touch too short?

I've never had Velveeta in my life. It is not popularly used in Canada, although I've seen it for sale in stores. Nobody that I've ever talked to up here has once mentioned it, or using it. Just Americans. (Although I suspect I've unknowingly eaten it many times in U.S. restaurants.) I've always meant to buy some, but never have!

[Seven]

Oh to be around in the show circuit back in the day. Never mind the added bonus of the cards being a little more reasonable, I would've loved to been able to meet DiMaggio, Mantle and Williams in person at a signing back then.

We always want, what we can't have. In my case it's a time machine!

[akleinb611]

I met all three. Be VERY careful what you wish for...

[Seven]

Originally Posted by akleinb611

I met all three. Be VERY careful what you wish for...

Oh I've heard plenty of stories about the three of them. I've had some good experiences with former players in the modern day, and bad ones. To get their autograph in person is an incredible feeling though, even if they are a bit of a jerk.

[oldjudge]

The only one I met at a show was Joe DiMaggio at a Gloria Rothstein White Plains show. He was impeccably dressed in a nice suit and tie and wasn't rude, just quiet. I spent an evening with Mickey Mantle at a customer event I hosted. He also was quiet in the beginning, but after he had a drink or two he became very friendly and was fun for all the guests to be around. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to meet Ted Williams. I tried to hire him for a different customer event but neither his price non his conditions were reasonable. In all fairness, his son John Henry was doing the negotiations for his dad and his terms may have reflected his dad's lack of interest in doing this type of event.