How to start a child on card collecting

[ValKehl]

To interest a kid in collecting bb cards, IMO It takes BOTH:

(1) A keen interest in the game of baseball, usually developed from playing it

AND

(2) Being born with a collecting gene (as Barry and others have mentioned).

I got interested in baseball because it was the only sport my dad cared about - he played catch with me (he says he thought I'd never learn to actually catch the ball) and made me watch the ball until it hit the bat. And, I am grateful for the times he took me to old Griffith Stadium to see our Senators (Runnels & Vernon were my favorites) play.

As a youngster, two uncles first got me into collecting stamps, then coins. Collecting bb cards followed when I began playing baseball. If someone gave me a jar of buttons tomorrow, I'd probably become a button collector! I won't bore you with the other things I collect as an adult.

An interest in math & statistics also helps. My favorite bb cards as a youngster were the 1957 Topps, because they showed a player's stats for each year! I would spend hours reading the stats on the backs of those cards!

I have 3 grown sons. Was I able to interest any of them in collecting bb cards? Nope! They like sports, but don't have the collector gene!

Best Wishes for 2010 to the Net54 collecting community!
Val