I was 5 in 1955 and did not open my first pack until 1957 ( my parents did buy me cards in 1956). I might have gone the Bowman route because of the color TV format. In retrospect it was unique, but apparently a bust because the set did not due well against the Topps issue. The problem may have been so few families had a color TV in that year. But in hindsight I think the TV concept may have intrigued me ( and I would not have known about all those umpire cards
)