Frank,
Nice story, do you still have the cards in your collection? If so, I think you might be getting some phone calls.
My biggest regret in this hobby is that I jumped into pre-war so late. When my friends and I were kids and started collecting (mid-70's), we spent most of our money on mid-grade 1960's HOF'ers. I guess it could be worse, I could have a glutton of late 70's Topps laying around............wait a minute, I think I do.
Mike