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ScottI started collecting with 72 Topps... One of my fondest memories was/is collecting 73 Topps as an 8 year old and wanting to have a "complete run" of the playoff and world series cards.. I remember having the darndest time getting World Series game 4 (Gene Tenace was on the front?).
I must have bought over 100 packs at the darned drug store and had almost given up until one summer day the good humor truck came through our neighborhood and I decided to buy yet one more pack of cards rather than spend my money on ice cream and I finally pulled that card! (I doubt many ice cream trucks carry baseball cards these days but the one that came through our neighborhood did back then)...
While I have found memories of the cards I collected as a youngster I'm probably one of the more lucky members here as I also connected with vintage cards at an early age with my father. We were lucky enough to come across a hoard of Tobacco and Candy cards many of which were stored in original Piedmont and Sweet Cap boxes that I had the priviledge and excitement of opening as a 9 year old.
As Scott B. alluded to, the connection was probably enhanced by the fact that I was already pretty well read (at least at that age) in baseball history and statistics and knew the likes of Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Cy Young, etc...