When I was 10 (1971) I had a paper route. On the route, toward the end, was a house with a couple of guys who were in their late teens/early 20's. Oscar and Pete. They were big basketball fans. I used to park my bike and spend half an hour or so playing hoops with them. After a bit, we got around to cards and initially, the deal was that I'd go buy those big Topps basketball cards and trade them for baseball cards from the 50's. You could get both the 70 and 71 cards from the guys in the ice cream trucks back then, depending on the truck. I have no idea how many Wilts, Alcindors, Haviliceks, Maraviches, etc. I traded for guys who weren't Mays, Mantle, Aaron, or Koufax, but it was a lot.
Ultimately, Oscar and Pete took pity on my vast ignorance and sold me three grocery sacks full of cards from 1955-1966 for $3. That was sort of the start of the obsession. For whatever reason, one of my favorite cards from that haul was the 1960 Covington card. My little brother and I used to play ball in the house, using our hands as a bat and an orange nerf ball as the ball, making out our lineup with cards, including those from that haul. My little brother was more into the 1971 cards, but for whatever reason, the 1960 set was my favorite. Covington was almost always in my lineup. RIP Wes. I never saw you play, but you gave me great memories nonetheless.
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