[Dub24rollin]

Me I started in 1989 it was by accident. I found a 1960 Carl Yaz Rc in a walmart parking lot and gave it to a friend of mine. He in return sold that same card for 150.00 and tried to give me the money. I told him to keep the money and tell me why you collect. He said its not for the money but it was a way to keep track of his favorite players and the stats and come closer to the game. Then I made the decision to collect as well. I also played baseball in Jr High and High School but my grades were not high enough to send me to college so I went into the work force then one day the Braves came to Snyder TX in 1995 for tryouts and anyone could try out. So I packed my gear to try out then the boss came by my rental house and asked me if I could work for he had an emergency call to one of the Hospitals we supplied oxygen too. At that point I had to make a hard decision take the money in front of me ( and I needed it badly) or try for the future not knowing if I could or could not.
When I got to the hospital they were on back up reserves and some doctors, nurses and staff helped me unload the truck and got everything hooked up. I had to make 3 trips that day. No telling how many lives were saved for not following a selfish act but I look at it that it was the right choice to make and I must admit I wish I known how the tryouts would have gone for me but have no true regrets in my decision and now I work with you but I bet you didn't know that side of me did you?

No sir I didn't lol. Pretty neat story though!! And now your looking at the collecting HOF....we all have to have idols for whatever we do...in my baseball days it was Chipper Jones...now in my collecting days its Wayne Alger! Lol

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Long-time members of this site have heard this before in similar threads.

I started in 1970 when a Willie McCovey card fell out of my Corn Flakes box into my cereal bowl. Little did I realize it then but that was a life-changing moment for me. I liked the 3-D background and was showing it off to my cousin and he said he had some cards. When he got around to showing them to me, he had five cards that he gave to me and my younger brother. He gave us each two cards and ripped a 1969 Tom Dukes card in half and gave us each a half. Those were my first Topps cards.

I saved my allowance and bought packs for 5 cents each at the neighborhood convenience store and bought enough to complete the 1970 Topps set. The last card to complete the set was a Tony Conigliaro that I got in a swap from someone in my Cubs Scout pack.

My brother lost interest early on and I obtained his few cards to go with all I had accumulated and I have never looked back. 44 years of collecting this year. I have had my card collection longer than most everything else I own. The only thing I've had longer, besides my relatives, is a horseshoe magnet that I got at the age of five for being a good boy for a entire week. Not an easy task at the time.

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Another neat story! Seeing everyone with their high end cards and huge collections is just inspiring to me. I get a regular Auto or Relic and I'm stoked! I know that will wear off over time but I don't see this hobby losing my interest any time soon!