Baseball Card Show Nostalgia

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Posted By: Mark Macrae

I was at the show....attended most of those during the 80's when Willow Grove was the best show in the hobby....better than the National.... the 'ballpark supper' was not much to write home about..... overcooked hot dogs like you'd find at AM/PM at 3AM, but the selection of material on the floor was great. If you were lucky enough to get invited to the private rooms, the quality was better... Saturdays at Willow Grove were packed like no other show I've seen , before or since. Every major collector on the East Coast attended,from Maine to Florida , as did representation from all parts of the country. I cemented a number of long-time friendships there, a few of whom post on this board . The GW Lodge still had a restaurant & was actually a decent place to stay until about '87. A lack of maintenance turned the place into a dump... The promoters secured many former Philadelphia A's & Phillies players to come out and sign autographs over the years, which did bring in a lot of walk-ins from Philly metro. Those who attended the Willow Grove shows will never forget them, those who didn't will never know the fun, anticipation and excitement they missed.