Baseball Card Show Nostalgia

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

I got a couple of these in an autograph lot I won on ebay recently - signed inside by Joe Astroth, but I thought I would show some of you Willow Grove guys - and I wondered how many (if any) of you guys were members of the Eastern Pennsylvania Sports Collectors Club? Any of you guys remember this show?

The best thing about this thing is an advertisement for Wayne Miller Cards that advertises 10 diff Ex-MT T206 cards for $49.00...also 100 different T206 w/5 hall of famers in EX condition for $385. Or you could opt for F-G for $125. $1.25 each????

What was I doing in 1983??? Oh yeah, that's right I was searching for that elusive 1983 Topps Traded Set with Darryl Strawberry.

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Posted By: jay wolt

Dan - I was a member.
The perks you got by paying you're yearly dues was free admission to the
Willow Grove shows, a meal on Friday night, usually a ball park supper
consisting of a hot dog, chips & a soda. And you could bid in their mail auctions.
Ironically the scan you show is probably when I picked up my winnings of
an auction lot of a Yankee Stadium seat. I won it for around $35 and it had to be picked up at the show dues to its size & weight.
And yes, I still have it! ...jay

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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.

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Posted By: B.C.Daniels

Smokey Joe's son Robert and Walter Johnson 111 were there!

I bought a E-145-1 CJ horizontal Matty for $325 in ex/mt then sold it to Alan Rosen for $600 who sold it in his yellow papered auction for $1750.00! Godd thing I purchased another from your friend John Spalding for $400 a few months later!

BcD

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Posted By: Joe Pelaez

Mark nailed every point.

It was where the Elite Meet to Eat, and seek out whatever you were looking for. ... it was usually there.

All the major names in Card World were there to deal out the cards.

It was at one of the shows that I picked up my O'Hara & Demmitt from Lew's table.
He had three sets of them.

Like Mark said, an invitation to the private room was an event in itself.
This was like going to an after hour club, only it was usually done right after the show.
Somebody would open up a suit case, and in it would be whatever you needed for your collection.
What a country!

What a show.

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Posted By: Alan

I used to go to that show too !!! Great show !!! For good or for bad, this was a time when there no grading companies or auction houses.

I'd have great conversations with Ron Oser at his table, Levi (707) at his table and so many others that I can't remember.

I do remember talking to Levi's wife about it was physically easier selling cards part time than the physical construction (?) work he was doing full time. This was before he became a full-time dealer.

Oh, I miss those days...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBAasek8NR4

Alan

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Posted By: Judson Hamlin

Didn't they raffle/auction/give away a section of that nasty carpeting after the last show? Anybody know who won that?
That was a great show- I was a member for a couple of years, just so i could get in an hour early on Friday.

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Posted By: barrysloate

I remember that charming motor lodge where I would spend the weekend...once I had ants crawling in my room, another time we had heavy rain and water leaked in through the ceiling. But I always went home with a briefcase full of great stuff.