Reflections on 30 years of the Philly Show

WillowGrove · #1 12-08-2010, 05:20 PM

Grew up being driven down to the WillowGrove show from Brooklyn by my parents when I was about 12-13 in 1977/78. They would usually walk around with me for a bit then give me 20 bucks and they'd go off antiquing.

I distinctly remember buying 1934 Goudey Luke Appling for three dollars and fifty cents and being pretty darn happy. I also still have the Bob Gibson rookie that cost me two quarters and the 62 koufax that was $3.00.

I was just a kid but my memories were of seeing all this amazing old stuff at what seemed like table after table. MY eyes would bug out of my head. I remember staring at an Allen & Ginter Cap Anson for like 5 minutes straight until the dealer offered to let me hold it. It was in a plastic sheet that was cut down to size.

Bought a lot of cards, went to the show about 10 times. So special to me I made it my name on our forum.

Ted I didn't know I was buying from you at the national until I met up with some fellow Net54ers and they told me. Thanks for a fair price on a couple common t206's. Hope to see you east of the mississippi sometime.

peter

Leon · #2 12-08-2010, 06:10 PM

Thanks for sharing the memories, guys.

Bobsbats · #3 12-08-2010, 06:39 PM

My grandparents live in Willow Grove, so it is a safe bet to say that I didn't miss a show at the GW Motor Lodge. One of my earliest memories going to that show with my dad and seeing the Fire Marshall standing outside the front door ( that had a plywood ramp over the step ) with his "counter" letting him know how many people he has let in so far. The aisles were so narrow that you couldn't squeeze by some of them. The lighting was so poor at some tables, I remember taking cards to Levi Bleem's table to see condition because he had every light this side of the Mississippi on. That being said, the material that you saw at that particular show was unbelieveable....every show I saw a Wagner, N173 Cabinets...you name it, it was there. It's funny, when I take my son to the "new" Willow Grove show ( Valley Forge ) I have dealers that say to me and my father, that they remember me, when I was his age at the George Washington Motor Lodge.

Baseball Rarities · #4 12-08-2010, 06:53 PM

The show was really something else when it was at the George Washington Motor Lodge. The amount of deals that were done in the rooms prior to the show was really something else.

Weather seemed to always be an issue of some sort. I remember during one show when it was raining several dealers having to have small trash cans on top of their showcases to catch the water that was leaking through the roof.

tedzan · #5 12-08-2010, 07:07 PM

I think one of the first deals I made with you was selling you a bunch of Buchner Gold Coin (N284) cards.
I don't recall how many cards there were, but there were quite a number of them.

Those were the days !

Regards,

TED Z

tedzan · #6 12-08-2010, 07:25 PM

Gee, I remember that T3 deal as if it we did it just yesterday. That was at Ft Washington and I think it was the first time we met.

I have always tried to give a first-time customer a good deal.

Best regards,

TED Z

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Valley Forge Philly Show....Dec 4-6th....check it out	tedzan	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	48	12-10-2009 12:07 PM
Philly Show this weekend...	judsonhamlin	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	37	10-05-2009 10:12 AM
Philly Show	Archive	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	13	10-15-2007 07:45 PM
Reminder....Philly Show this weekend in Reading, PA	Archive	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	10	10-13-2007 11:11 AM
NAXCOM Philly show this weekend??	Archive	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	2	01-28-2005 09:14 PM