45 HOF Signatures and Counting: Basketball History at the Philly Show
Card shows are full of exciting discoveries — but every now and then, you encounter something special. At the 2024 Philly Card Show, a certain item took center stage: an original Hall of Fame sign being signed by living legends. Collectors Miguel Rodriguez and Paul Gesualdi embarked on a mission to get every living Hall of Famer’s autograph and I was fortunate enough to witness their memorable encounter with Julius “Dr. J” Erving.
Being a frequent card show attendee I’m accustomed to seeing your regular show staples: cards from various eras, sports memorabilia, a few celebrities present to sign autographs for fans, etc.
I went into the Philly show with high expectations knowing that it’s become one of the larger shows on the east coast, but I wasn’t expecting to see one of the most unique sports memorabilia items I’ve ever encountered.
I’d met Miguel Rodriguez at the National this past year – if you go to enough shows you start seeing a lot of the same folks. Running into him again wasn’t out of the ordinary, but this time he was carrying a massive sign that read “Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame” with what appeared to be dozens of signatures and inscriptions.
Miguel Rodriguez with Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Sign at the Philly Card Show December 14, 2024 / Author Photo
I came to find out that this was the original sign of the Basketball Hall of Fame. When the Hall of Fame moved in 1984 the old signs were discarded and recovered by someone from the maintenance team. At least one was refurbished and stayed in someone’s collection for years until it resurfaced on Craigslist years later. Miguel acquired the sign ultimately kicking off his journey with this incredible relic.
Encountering this relic alone was memorable, but being there to see the next chapter of its story is something I’ll always carry with me.
In January 2024, Miguel and his friend, Paul Gesualdi, began a journey to get the sign autographed by every living hall of famer. The autographs I’d noticed were from 44 of the hall of famers they’d been able to track down over the course of the year.
It wasn’t a coincidence that they too decided to attend the Philly show. They were on a mission to get autograph number 45.
Like most shows, there were a multitude of current and former athletes present for autograph signings and pictures, but there was a special one in attendance this year, basketball great, Julius Erving.
I was fortunate enough to be there when Miguel and Paul presented the sign to Mr Erving. You could see the surprise in his face to be presented with something other than the standard picture or basketball to sign. I watched as he stood up and inscribed right in the center, “Julius Dr. J Erving HOF ‘93”. There it was – number 45.
It was obvious that this was an emotional moment for Miguel. Not only had they acquired the signature, but Miguel and Julius Erving had been able to connect as alumni of the same university. You could tell – this one hit differently.
Every show has its highlights, but witnessing this moment between Miguel, Paul, and Julius Erving was truly special, and a reminder that sometimes the stories behind the items are more significant. I’m excited to follow their journey to see how the story unfolds.
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