Early show promoter Bill MacTaggart has passed away

[IndyDave]

I recently became aware that early show promoter and long time hobbyist Bill MacTaggart of Grove City, Pennsylvania passed away in January 2022.

Bill promoted shows for several years in early 1970’s in Grove City (located near I-79 and I-80 in Western Pennsylvania). The first show I attended in 1972 or 1973 was hosted by Bill at his house. Dealers were set up in Bill’s living room and on his front porch.

When he moved the show to a hall, my brother and I started setting up as “dealers” – even though we were likely 14 and 11 at the time. We sold off our late 1960’s and early 1970’s duplicates – but mostly bought 1950’s and early 1960’s cards. It was a good show if we had $50 in sales.

My parents would drive us the hour or so from Youngstown Ohio to Grove City and enjoyed spending time with Bill and Jean. Over the years Bill would often buy cards for us that were available in Grove City but not in Youngstown and ship them to us. I remember him shipping us the 1973 Topps Candy Lids and the Sweet Williams discs.

Bill’s show in June and Jim Borgen’s show in late July at the McKinley Memorial in Niles Ohio were the show staples in our area in the 1970’s.
Bill ended the show somewhere around 1980 as shows became more prevalent in Pittsburgh and Cleveland.

Bill and I stayed in contact over the years, writing each other a few times throughout the year. Bill would always enclose some newspaper clippings or pocket schedules with each letter. As the obituary noted he was a baseball card collector and Pirates fan. I know he had sold many of his non-Pirate cards years ago. He loved the Buccos - in good and bad.

Bill had been in declining health for the past few years. His handwriting suffered and the letters became shorter. I did not receive a Christmas card last year – and probably should have searched for this sooner. But I really didn't want to find it.

https://obituaries.sharonherald.com/...art-1084253995