50 years ago in card Collecting

[bigfanNY]

50 years ago I was excited to attend my first card show in Pennsylvania. Spring Garden College was hosting a show that over time came to be known as the Philly show. Hosted by the Eastern Pennsylvania sports card collectors.
Here it is Sunday nite and I am looking forward to attending Friday. The show has moved several times but every time I go I run into a few folks that I have met at the show or set up next to back when. And more times than not I come home with something I am excited

add to my collection.
Attached is the postcard for the First Philly Show. I say postcard but it was handed out as you entered the show. As you can see the back is full of information and has no place for postage or address. I have programs from a number of the early Philly shows that I tried to hand off to Leon a couple of times but so far he hasn't traveled up to pick it up. Soon I am gonna have to find someone to carry this type of thing forward. Based on how popular the early Burdick guides are my hope is someone has interest in early card show material.
PS
How cool that the first guest at Philly show was the Founder of the Baltimore Colts and was GM for The Orioles!! So Bummed I didn't get my card signed.

[Gorditadogg]

Very cool. I would love to go back to a show 50 years ago and walk the aisles. There must have been some great stuff at Spring Garden.

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[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Wow, the same guy who signed George Earnshaw (1928 debut) also signed Dick Allen (1963 debut). Of course, many scouts had careers that spanned 35 or more years, but I just find it amazing that two players from such different eras share this common bond.

As to how the 1975 Philly show would have looked...I'm guessing there were more rubber bands in that room than at a Spinners concert.

[Griffins]

50 years ago I was a few weeks back from my first major convention, the Anaheim show at the Hyatt. I'd been to monthly meetings in Garden Grove, but this was the first one with sellers from all over the country.
By todays standards it was much smaller than the National, but had a large variety. I saw my first '51 Topps All Stars and Turkey Reds, was shocked how small Tatoo Orbits were, and got to hold a card that was almost 90 years old, an Old Judge.
I'd worked most of the summer at odd jobs, so was able to come home with handful of '50's Hall of Famers (I remember a '53 Topps Feller and '54 Bowman Campy), a few '58 Bell Brands and stack of '54 Redhearts that were a buck each. Splurged on a '55 Topps low number set and a box of '30's baseball matchbook covers. T206's were still under a buck and you could stumble upon a Bresnahan or Clarke for that price.
Condition wasn't really a thing, just eye appeal, and while some of the sellers were really pretty mean to kids many more were incredibly kind and generous.
As school started I was already counting the days until the '75 show, and building the war chest. '75 show was even better.

[Leon]

The Philly Show is one of the only shows, besides the National, I have ever flown to set up at. I had a great time with Dan M. and a few others the time I did it...I think I flew out to a Chantilly Show once and had a great time there also.

Originally Posted by bigfanNY

50 years ago I was excited to attend my first card show in Pennsylvania. Spring Garden College was hosting a show that over time came to be known as the Philly show. Hosted by the Eastern Pennsylvania sports card collectors.
Here it is Sunday nite and I am looking forward to attending Friday. The show has moved several times but every time I go I run into a few folks that I have met at the show or set up next to back when. And more times than not I come home with something I am excited

add to my collection.
Attached is the postcard for the First Philly Show. I say postcard but it was handed out as you entered the show. As you can see the back is full of information and has no place for postage or address. I have programs from a number of the early Philly shows that I tried to hand off to Leon a couple of times but so far he hasn't traveled up to pick it up. Soon I am gonna have to find someone to carry this type of thing forward. Based on how popular the early Burdick guides are my hope is someone has interest in early card show material.
PS
How cool that the first guest at Philly show was the Founder of the Baltimore Colts and was GM for The Orioles!! So Bummed I didn't get my card signed.

[BearBailey]

That first show was about 2 months before I was born, but I started going in 1987 and was a member of EPSC from 1989-1993. I still went to the shows as often as I could but in college it was no longer worth it to be a member. I still try to make at least 1 a year but many great memories and people met at those shows. Some great cards picked up over the years as well. I have quite a few post cards from those shows as well.

[oaks1912]

Anthony,
My first Anaheim show was in '75. Still have the flyer with a note from Jim Nowell on the back. I can still remember the layout of the ballroom. A VERY fun event. You & I would not meet for a number of years. I would not start venturing East until I attended a Willow Grove show in '83. It was the same type of energy.

Mark

Originally Posted by Griffins

50 years ago I was a few weeks back from my first major convention, the Anaheim show at the Hyatt. I'd been to monthly meetings in Garden Grove, but this was the first one with sellers from all over the country.
By todays standards it was much smaller than the National, but had a large variety. I saw my first '51 Topps All Stars and Turkey Reds, was shocked how small Tatoo Orbits were, and got to hold a card that was almost 90 years old, an Old Judge.
I'd worked most of the summer at odd jobs, so was able to come home with handful of '50's Hall of Famers (I remember a '53 Topps Feller and '54 Bowman Campy), a few '58 Bell Brands and stack of '54 Redhearts that were a buck each. Splurged on a '55 Topps low number set and a box of '30's baseball matchbook covers. T206's were still under a buck and you could stumble upon a Bresnahan or Clarke for that price.
Condition wasn't really a thing, just eye appeal, and while some of the sellers were really pretty mean to kids many more were incredibly kind and generous.
As school started I was already counting the days until the '75 show, and building the war chest. '75 show was even better.

[bigfanNY]

Amazing how many memories can be found in a small paper bag full of old pins.

ASCCA was the official name of the NYC card show run by the Ghallager Brothers. The first card I ever paid more than a penny was from Mr Ghallager at an Antique show in MSG. It was an E95 Cobb. Anyway these are mostly the pins they gave away on admission to their shows.
1974,75,76,77,78,79. Then a Philly show pin from 84 an Exhibitor badge from 81 and a Christie's badge from 93.

[jefferyepayne]

Great stuff fellas!

I'm sooo jealous of you guys that were going to shows in the 70s. I was collecting big time as a kid back then but my world was very small and the thought of traveling to go to a show was just not something my family I could pull off so I never even considered it.

I sure wish I had figured out how to get to even a local card show as that might have been the difference between me staying engaged with the hobby instead of taking a 25-year break before returning. Oh, the cards I would have today if I had stayed engaged! Instead, my buddy and I occasionally went to flea markets and local antique shops looking for things without a huge amount of success. I did leave my childhood with a few beat up T206's and some 50s-60s baseball and football cards but that was about it pre-70s.

I guess I'll just have to live vicariously through your stories about these great early shows.

jeff

[rats60]

Originally Posted by oaks1912

Anthony,
My first Anaheim show was in '75. Still have the flyer with a note from Jim Nowell on the back. I can still remember the layout of the ballroom. A VERY fun event. You & I would not meet for a number of years. I would not start venturing East until I attended a Willow Grove show in '83. It was the same type of energy.

Mark

I wish I had known about these shows. I lived about 10 miles away and was buying a lot of cards from Card Collectors Co., Wholesale Cards and Larry Fritsch Cards.

[bigfanNY]

I can honestly say I enjoyed my visit to the 50th Anniversary Philly Show. If couse the First show was more full of Wonder. But the hobby is still full of great folks sharing their passion for cards and Memorabilia. I was especially happy to see Hello Kitty items coming back strong. I helped my daughter with her collection 25 years ago.