Do you recall your first card you got in a pack?

[GrayGhost]

This could be interesting. My first year I got packs was in 1969, Was only six at the seasons start, but my dad got me a couple packs, and I recall the famous Aurelio Rodriguez batboy card

They say memories should sometimes stay there, but I love em. Anyone else recall their first packs they opened and any of the players they got?

[rjackson44]

1971 topps reggie jackson ..i wanted all the as there uniforms were so cool ..the black borders were cool .. I cant imagine how many rookie cards i lost in the school yard flipping them roses munsons aarons omg ..hope all is well scott.

[drmondobueno]

At a dentist. The guy gave me a choice of suckers ( a dentist, I kid you not ) or a pack of baseball cards. Easy.

[btryin]

1970 Jimmie Hall

Still have it. This is the actual card ...

[zimp]

My first packs were from the early 50's but do not remember who was in them....in 1958 I was in the hospital and my parents bought me scads of 1958 cello packs....I still remember having at least 10 Clemente cards that day....had them all lined up in a drawer....had to be over 500 cards

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by drmondobueno

At a dentist. The guy gave me a choice of suckers ( a dentist, I kid you not ) or a pack of baseball cards. Easy.

Keith, the sucker wasn't the dentist. He was just trying to build a practice. The cards were a small price to pay for those who failed to take the bait.

[TobaccoKing4]

My dad got me a box of 1998 Topps. I was 7 years old.

[36GoudeyMan]

...Willie Mays (think it was #50).... thought I'd won the 1960s equivalent of Lotto.

[VoodooChild]

I remember my dad bringing me home some 1983 Topps baseball and football packs, but I don't remember any actual cards.

However, I vividly remember the first pack and specific cards that I actually bought for myself. It was also in 1983, but I bought a 1978 Topps Cello Pack from my local card shop. It had two of my favorite players, Rollie Fingers on top and Dave Parker on the bottom. There was also the Lou Brock record breaker card in there, and for some reason, I also remember Bake McBride and Sparky Lyle being in that pack. I still have them.

[Thromdog]

1981 Topps Paul Molitor.

[Eggoman]

An older kid gave me a 1968 Lou Pinella when I was in "Kinny Garden" and taught me how to flip cards at recess...

[obcbobd]

1967. I was five and took a walk to the corner store with my dad and 4 year old sister. He bought us each a pack of cards. Not sure what my sister got (Monkees?) but I got a pack of 1967 Red Sox stickers, three to a pack. Some how only one survived. They had been stuck on my Mickey Mouse Toybox.

[Rich Falvo]

Don't recall the first card, but I'm pretty sure the first pack was 1977 Topps.

[nat]

It was a pack of 1984 Topps. Only one card remains: Dave Dravecky. I don't remember who else was in the pack. But I still have Dave, even though he now looks like an elephant sat on him.

[nickedson]

My first card was a 1959 Topps Red Wilson, a backup catcher for the Tigers. My folks were both teachers and my dad was a coach. They made such a big fuss over me getting a Tiger in my first pack that it fueled my passion for collecting that I still have today, some 58 years later.

[kkkkandp]

Don't remember the specific first card, but it was from a pack of 1956 Topps Davy Crockett cards.

[steve B]

My first pack was also 1969. I only got one pack that year. The card I remember was Reggie Jackson. Dad and I sat in the car while I looked at the cards and he said "Hey this guy is pretty good". That card survived a few years in the toybox, and finally got taken out when I started collecting a bit more in late 73. I still have it, and probably a card or two from the pack but I don't remember who.

I also have the second one I recall, a 1971 coin of Danny Cater, also from the one pack I got that year.

Steve B

[bigtrain]

I don't remember the first card I ever got but I do remember the first baseball card I ever saw. I was six years old when my friend showed me the 1962 Topps Mickey Mantle card he got from his brother. I recently bought one just because it was my first baseball card experience.

[Tripredacus]

I have these memories
1. First football pack (and some of the cards) 1986 Topps.
2. Second baseball pack: 1988 Donruss, only have one card from it still, Mark Grace. I do not recollect my first pack, but I had a couple of 1987 Topps cards, so I can only guess the Donruss pack was my second.
3. First hockey pack. 1989-90 OPC. Do not know if I have any of those cards still.
4. First two cards purchased not relating to packs. 1989 Pro Set Football Chris Miller, 1988-89 Topps Hockey Scott Arniel.

[darwinbulldog]

The pack was 1986 Donruss. I have no idea which card was on top, but I could probably name most of the cards that were in there. My favorite was Johnny Ray because he had the highest batting average.

[smellthegum]

1971, I was seven. Only knew Red Sox players and was on the lookout only for them. My grandmother bought me my first pack and I remember getting George Scott and a Yaz league leader card.

[Rookiemonster]

1992 upper deck Ryan Klesco

[judsonhamlin]

1975 rack pack - Joe Lis. Just don't ask me where I need to be tomorrow

[sterlingfox]

My first baseball card experience was receiving a 1987 Topps factory set. This is really what got me started in the hobby.

My earliest memory of opening up a pack was pulling a Ken Griffey Jr. from a pack of 89 Donruss while in Myrtle Beach with my grandparents - it was traded away long ago.

A little off topic, but a friend of mine who was my father figure when I was a teenager (via the Jewish Big Brothers / Big Sisters program) took me to Cleveland Indians games back in the early 90s. During one game (April 17th, 1993 vs Blue jays) we had seats right on the first base line. A ground ball got near us and he tried hard to reach over and grab it, but toppled over into the field in the process of doing so. As the umpire got close to him, he tossed him the ball and apologized. The ump allowed him to stay in the ballpark (mind you, I was 16 at the time and terrified of the 20k+ people all staring in our direction). He ended up sending the ball to the dugout and it got autographed by the player who hit it (I believe it was Dick Schofield). Just recently, he said he wants me to have that ball. I'm very excited about this, as that day holds some incredible memories for me.

[CW]

Good stories, all.

Not only do I recall one of mine, I still have it:

[Al C.risafulli]

GREAT question.

My mom bought me my first pack of cards in 1977. I don't remember who the first card was, but I remember that there was a Rod Carew in the pack, and to my 8-year-old brain, Rod Carew was the GREATEST player in baseball. To this day, whenever I see a 1977 Topps Rod Carew, I still get that same childlike enthusiasm. As much of a prewar guy as I am, 1977 Topps is probably still my favorite set, because of how much it represents to me.

-Al

[emmygirl]

Now that I'm pushing 72 yrs young I remember clearly my first pack of cards bought in 1956. Was early spring and couldn't wait to pull back on the waxed folded paper holding the cards in the pack. Bottom card was Ted Lepcio of the Red Sox. I was thrilled. One of my hometown heros. My thoughts back then, if I get a Mantle trade with one of my school chums for a Frank Sullivan or trade a Yogi for a Jackie Jensen, I win every time. Oh you got an Ike Delock how about trading me for a Whitey Ford, great! Next day they all went to school with me in a old rubber band. The new 56 topps cards sailed beautifully up against the schoolhouse. Just hoping for a "Leaner" Won a few, lost a few, gosh those were wonderful days. Thanks for the memories Ted Lepcio and Net54. Happy collecting to all you collectors young and old, Jim

[JustinD]

My first cards were Halloween funpaks in my trick or treat bag that had close encounters of the third kind cards. I was hooked on cards from that pack on.

Wish they would sell funpaks again so I could hand them out, a great way to bring kids in.

[Jay Wolt]

Originally Posted by JustinD

Wish they would sell funpaks again so I could hand them out, a great way to bring kids in.

Make your own. Fill up a team set bag w/ various cards that you might have laying around.
It may make a kids day & it helps to get rid of any excess cards that mean little to you.

[nolemmings]

1966 Mankato MN, Ben Franklin at the Tempo shopping center. Rode my bike the 2 1/2 blocks, pulled a Sandy Valdespino in the first pack, although it may not have been the first card.

[uyu906]

1976 Topps baseball wax pack - I was 8 years old. I bought a pack at the drug store my older sister worked at. Got a card of my favorite player, on my favorite team - Brooks Robinson, Baltimore Orioles. I took it home and showed my dad. He thought it was cool too. I was totally hooked. I was so excited by it, that I gathered up all the money/change I had around the house and got my sister to take me back to the store the next day and bought as many packs as I had money for - probably about 10-15 packs. If I remember correctly the packs cost 10-15 cents each that year. I still have that 1976 Brooks and after everything else is sold off years from now - I will still have that particular card.

[rats60]

1965 Topps Giants Rookies. I am not sure if it was the first card, but I know my brother needed it for his set. I remember having a t-shirt covered with the iron-ons that were inserts in those packs.

[PM770]

The cards I remember from my first pack in 1978: Don Aase, Pete Mackanin and the Stolen Base Leaders card. Don't know why I remember those three.

The first non-pack card I ever bought was in the summer of 1983, I discovered in "downtown" Barberton something new. A card shop. A store that only sold cards. My dad thought it was the most absurd thing he had ever seen. I begged my mom practically all summer to take me. Around my birthday she took me and I bought my first non-pack card - 1976 Gary Carter for $1. Still have it.

[wondo]

1967 Topps Frank Howard, but I really wanted an Al Kaline. I didn't know about series then (just 6 years old). Opened a lot of packs, got a ton of Frank Howards, but no Kalines. The piles are still vivid.

[wondo]

1967 Topps Frank Howard, but I really wanted an Al Kaline. I didn't know about series then (just 6 years old). Opened a lot of packs, got a ton of Frank Howards, but no Kalines. The piles are still vivid.

[pawpawdiv9]

Not sure which came first:
Garbage Pail Kids or
the complete TCMA/Immortals Album set(w/ binder) ---STILL HAVE IT!!

[kmac32]

1970 Lou Brock and I wanted Ernie Banks

[Bill77]

My 1st pack of cards was probably Return of the Jedi. 1st Football was 1987 Topps and I'm sure there was one of the many Al Toon 1000 Yard Club cards that I still have in there. 1st Baseball was 1988 Topps, too many packs to count and found out last summer I still have most of them.

[Sean]

My dad bought me my first pack in 1965, when I was eight. I remember that I got a Gary Bell card among others. The reason that I remember Bell is that I started buying one pack a week, and every damn pack had another Gary Bell. I think I got five of them before I opened a pack without him.

[stlcardsfan]

My mom bought me my first pack in 1972, age 6. I think I remember a Chris Chambliss card in there. The all star rookie trophy must have got my attention. I have the '72 set with the Chambliss in it.

[trdcrdkid]

I first started collecting cards at the age of 9 in 1975, but I don't remember anything about my first pack because I got into it gradually. I collected the Topps MVP set that year because I liked the pictures of old Topps cards on the fronts, presaging my interest in vintage. One of the neighbor kids stole them from me ("hocked" them, as we said), and I don't think I had them all again until I bought the 1975 Topps set about 15 years ago. I do remember that year when my dad brought home some packs of cards for me and my brother, and one of us got Jackie Brown, who had a big chaw of tobacco in his mouth on that year's card.

I bought more cards in 1976 and made a good run at the set, but didn't come close to finishing it. I also bought one Topps card from each year, 1952 to 1975, starting my collection of non-current cards. To represent 1976, I picked a random card from that year out of my collection, which turned out to be Duffy Dyer. In 1977 I decided that I was going to collect the set, and I further decided that the first card I saw in my first pack of the year was going to go into my run of consecutive years of Topps cards. That first card from that first pack of the year, which I bought at the 7-11 at Butterfield Road and Park Boulevard, was John Montefusco, which I still have. In 1978 I did the same thing, and my first card that year was Pablo Torrealba. I'm blanking right now on who my first card of 1979 was, but in 1980 it was Don Money.

Edited to add:
Here are images of those first cards I got in 1977 and 1978 (not the actual cards from my collection):

[Mark]

It was the winter of 63-64. I saw some cello-packs in a convenience store and recognized a Pirate in one of them. Thanks to my dad for buying it -for me. The card was Johnny Logan, and that is how I remember my first pack. I suppose I was 5? Not my first cards, though. My mom had been cutting out Post cereal and Jello cards for me for a year or so before that. (I still have them, and it is not difficult to tell which ones I cut out for myself).

[CMIZ5290]

Still have it, 56 Topps Mantle in NM-MT condition.....

[sb1]

Not my first as I bought 68 Football, but for the 1969 Baseball, it seemed like Al McBean was in every other pack of the 1st series when it came out, must have had 20 of them! Of all the cards it sticks out the most from early memories.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by sb1

Not my first as I bought 68 Football, but for the 1969 Baseball, it seemed like Al McBean was in every other pack of the 1st series when it came out, must have had 20 of them! Of all the cards it sticks out the most from early memories.

I've heard this type of story a lot, with variations on the player. But I've never heard anyone say "I got a Mantle in every pack"... or Mays or Koufax. Somewhere some kid must have had this happen.

[JeremyW]

My grandparents moved to Florida in the late seventies & were season ticket holders for Bucs. Here is the 1st card I remember. My collecting habits have turned more than 180 degrees since then.

[Rickyy]

I think it was in 1969. When I was still living in Japan, and my dad who was in the Navy bought a pack for me at the PX. I don't remember all of the cards, but for some bizarre reason one of them was Max Alvis of the Indians.

Ricky Y

[bmattioli]

Nice to see you Scott.. I have no idea of my first but I distinctly remember the Hostess cards from my day camp days and the '72 set from the magazine inserts..

[pokerplyr80]

I don't remember the cards I got but I remember riding my bike to the local pharmacy and buying a pack of 89 Donruss hoping to find a Griffey RC. I didn't find one in that pack but did eventually.

[Shoebox]

First pack was 89 Donruss. My brothers and I each got a pack. My pack had a Ryne Sandberg. My brother had a Dwight Gooden in his.