Hello Rich! Yes, it is Mike Dugan in Hot Springs, the birthplace of Spring Training. I have visited this forum as a guest too many times to admit to and am amazed at the depth of knowledge held by it's members. I recently joined, probably to praise postings more than contribute vital information. By the way the bi-annual SABR Deadball Era Committee "Boiling Out in the Springs" meeting is this weekend here in Hot Springs National Park. As Rich can attest many if not most of the SABR folks that wrote the bios for the wonderful pair of book on players in the deadball era for both leagues usually attend. I am also excited about the new T206 book coming out this year, I love to find about the real personalities of the people on the cards. By the way also this week in Hot Springs Farm Bureau Insurance company is sponsoring a Deadball Era photo exhibition at our convention center. They have procured 25 seldom seen photos of baseball here during the heyday period 1900-20. Included are two actual action photos of Honus Wagner. They will be on display for about three months so if any of you are attending the big race between Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta next month you can take it in. By the way our A&P Commission issued two really nice collector cards of both horses yesterday. Sorry to ramble and get off track.

Please add 44 more years to the total. First purchased packs in 1966 as a 7 year old -- was lucky enough to buy Cracker Jacks, Goudeys and P2 pins while hitting antique stores with my parents. Have never really stopped collecting cards, although my focus shifted to memorabilia as an adult.

Greg

well... amount of experience on our forum
 

I am obviously biased but......I think anyone that says that this forum has gone down or there isn't a lot of experience on it, might look at this thread. It's really eye opening. I hope that in the future more of you guys that have been collecting for 30-50 yrs will chime in a bit more. Your experience is priceless. We all appreciate the wisdom that is shared. best regards

Bought my 1st pack of cards in the corner store @ 8yrs old--1948 Bowman and collected actively until I graduated HS in 1958. Into the cigar boxes they went and into the closet until I returned north in 1980 & dug them out again!

Been at it ever since collecting the same years of cards I started with and adding to them, so call it 40 yrs active or 62 yrs possessing the same collection.

I'll be 70 in July and bought my 1st T206's this past fall.

First cards were purchased as a 6 year old in 1979, and there's been no stop, so I guess this is Year 31 of the collecting bug...

I've been collecting for 20 years. I started in 1990 when I was 8. I did take about 2 years off during high school, when I found other interests. I kept all my cards though, and picked it back up right before I turned 18 when I found ebay. I've been collecting vintage for 2-3 years. Oh how I wish I had gotten into vintage back in 1994, which was the first time I went to a National. Oh well.

Since 1976
 

Put me down for 34 years. Found a stack of cards in a nearby lot in the summer of 1976. Stole some quarters from my folks and bought some 1976 Topps Packs and got the Kurt Bevaqua Bubble Gum Card. Hooked ever since. Really got rolling in 1977 when I put my first set together from packs. I still have all those cards in my collection.

Brian

Conservative tally--2204 years.....

I collected cards as a kid from 1960-64 (ages 8-13). From 1965-73 I'd buy 1 pack of cards a year to see what that year's design looked like. When I bought my 1973 pack (already in my 20's and working), the pack included a Clemente card. That's what got me back into collecting (and later selling as well) as an adult. I thought it was odd at the time that Topps would make a card of a dead man.

Started in 74 but took a few years off. I would guess at 25 years.

Rawn

First pack purchased in 1966 at age 5. Collected everything in sight as a kid through 74, took teenage years off and have had the collecting bug since 78.
8 years as a kid, 32 as an adult.

Quick story: I will never forget the owner of Zack's variety store in Watertown, MA switching 1969 Topps series on me as an 8 year old. I had all of the cards from the prior series and was relentless in asking him when the new series would be in. Well they finally came in and I only had maybe a quarter to spend as my allowance day was the next day. I purchased 5 packs of the new series and came back the next day with a dollar (yes, I spent every cent I had even then on cards) for 20 more packs. Well he still had the old series to sell and he switched them on me. After opening a couple I realized it, went back to the store to trade out and he would not do it. I mean really, you just don't do that do an 8 year old :(

It's a beautiful ride...
 

Super thread idea and I'd like to add my 33 years to the total.
1971-1980=10
1988-2010=23

Vintage (Pre World War II)= 22 as my Diamond Star Frankie Frisch was captured in 1989.

How many of us played (or still do play) APBA Baseball?
I used to play one of their "All-time Greats" seasons and grew to love the old HOFers. Once I saw a "real" card of some of the HOFers I rolled the dice with, I was hooked, lined and sinkered. (insider info: Who recognizes 66=1 ?)

What's really dumb is that I was collecting a HOF card every few weeks and boxes or packs of wax from Score/Donruss/Fleer/Topps and Upper Deck nearly every day in the late 80's. If wishes were fishes... I'd like the $$$ spent on that junk back or wish the money had been re-directed into my HOF collection.

Who can make that happen?