[Vintagevault13]

Great thread. My best memories are from 1974 when I was 8 years old and just beginning to collect baseball cards. This is a special memory because I kept them at my grandmother's house (so my little brother wouldn't bother them!). I can remember spending countless hours sitting in the floor at her feet going through the cards and absolutely absorbing the stats on the back. On Saturdays she would take me with her shopping and buy me some packs at the local Woolworth's store. I still remember the anticipation of getting back to her house to open the packs to see what I got. This was a time of pure collecting innocence as I had absolutely no idea that these cards held any value to anyone other than me. It wasn't a business or an investment, it was just a wonderful hobby that let a small boy from Georgia visit ballparks and meet players in my imagination. To this day I almost feel like I personally know the players from the mid-70's because of what I learned about them from these cards. My grandmother passed away last year and these "baseball card memories" have provided me with a wonderful connection that I will never forget.