Reflections on 30 years of the Philly Show

[bh3443]

I first attended and set up at this legendary show in 1981 with my friend and veteran hobbyist Bob Thing. I loved the Friday night auctions and I always won a ton of items to bring back to my store in Framingham, Mass.
Bob and Ted were great hosts for this event. I even liked staying at the run-down George Washington Motor Lodge! the best dealers in the country were set up offering great material everytime. What a great time it was to be a hobbyist in those early Willow Grove days.
The day a guy was trying to peddle all those fake Pete Rose Rookies sticks out in my mind because he wanted to trade a bunch of them to me for a 1933 Goudey Lajoie card I had on consignment.
I remember the deal made by MVP plastic sheets of Ohio to sell massive amounts of sheets to my pal Bob.
Some of the best memories I have in the hobby center around the Willow Grove shows.
In my opinion it was the people that made this show so much fun. Everyone from the organizers, dealers to the collectors helped put this event on the map. It was an amazing show in so many ways.
I went to the other locations, but for me, the magic was gone.
I miss those days and in particular those shows.

[barrysloate]

Ted- you haven't told us why you are no longer setting up. If you had a good show, with several walk-ins, I would think that would be the incentive to keep doing it.

[tedzan]

Barry and Jay

1st....the Valley Forge show has become an autograph extravaganza. This show really does not need any BB card dealers.

Why I did better this weekend ? There were considerably less vintage card dealers, therefore less competition. There are
more Auction Houses set-up than vintage card dealers.
Also, for unexplainable reasons, quite a few Net54 members showed up; and, I gave them some nice deals.

2nd....the cost of an 8-foot table booth is twice the cost of the shows when Bob Schmierer ran the Philly show.


I will continue to set-up at the National's (East of the Mississippi) with Mark Macrae.

And, I will continue to set-up at the Cooperstown Show every Summer during HOF weekend.


Best regards guys

TED Z

[judsonhamlin]

Wow - I'm sorry to see that you're done with the show. You've been its biggest booster on this forum and I, for one, have always enjoyed talking to you when I go.
I agree that the show bears little resemblance to the Willow Grove or Ft. Washington years, when it was worth the annual EPSCC membership fee to get in an hour early on Friday and not have to stand in the long lines that snaked out the doors.
The show will likely stumble on with fewer vintage dealers each show - but, I suspect, without many of us on this forum watching it atrophy.

[sox1903wschamp]

Originally Posted by tedzan

I will continue to set-up at the National's (East of the Mississippi) with Mark Macrae.


TED Z

So you will be in Chicago next year for the National? If so, great!

[barrysloate]

Ted- I certainly understand, and as I often say, nothing lasts forvever. The shows have changed drastically over the years, and I think for many a lot of the fun is gone.

[vintagecpa]

I'm still trying to get past the $25,000 Gretzky Wagner. Makes me feel a little better about selling a Gretzky rookie for $10 before the price took off.

[curch]

I went to the show for the first time ever this year. As stated in another thread, I though 90% of the dealers wouldn't give me the time of day. And I would say most of the cards can be purchased cheaper on ebay. But it was a fun time and would go back again if I were in the area.

Joe