1978 Topps Baseball Forum

I was born in '78 so any cards I ever got from that set were well after their release. My father (RIP) wouldn't let me even open packs until '85. But in '87 he started letting me keep the cards from packs I opened. I only wanted the Cardinals cards and would try to trade the others for more Cardinals, even with him. It was the 1989 set before I was buying my own packs. It expanded from there into other brands and other sports and then non-sports and so on. I've never really been a set builder, so I don't know what was the first set I completed. I'm guessing somewhere around 1992. Even with still not being a set collector, I have dozens of complete sets across multiple sports and some non-sports ones too.

The first cards I collected were 1988 Donruss, then 88 Score. I spent the whole Summer loading up on Score cards. I must have hit 50 different stores during that time. No exaggeration. I would pick up a friend, who was living at a local college, and that's what we did with our Summer eves. I didn't start collecting until the ripe old age of 19.

Mine were 1984 Fleer and 1984 Topps, getting packs at Acme and 7-11

I believe, in a previous thread, I mentioned that 1962 was the year I first "discovered" that Post cereal came out with I guess was the second years edition of baseball cards on the back of their boxes and I ate more Alpha-Bits that year (and ever since) and was hooked until a hiatus during the Seventies and most of the Eighties but have since rediscovered the habit/passion/etc.

For me it was 1967 was the first packs after going to my first baseball that same year. The first set I completed was the 1970. Looking back the 1978 was the last set I completed as I started college the next year and didnt have any money for cards. I used to complete my sets everytime we went to visit relatives I took my doubles and would trade with my older cousins. They did something back then that would be tragic today in that if a player got traded they would draw lines thru the team name and write in the new one. 

In 1968 I began playing baseball, and continue to play baseball.  Sunday afternoon will be my 52nd Opening Day (Space Coast Baseball League) and I have been assigned as the Starting Pitcher, with my Son as my Catcher.  I am so excited!!  Then in April, both Jason and I get to go and play baseball for Bernie Carbo at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, Alabama:

http://www.berniecarbo.com/baseball-fantasy-camp/

Collecting Baseball Cards began in 1972 for me.  It was the 1973 Topps Baseball Set that captured my attention, althought I vividly remember the 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1972 Topps Baseball Cards as well.  For me, that 1973 Set is my favorite and also really like the 1975 Topps Baseball Set.  Definitely still collecting those 1970's Baseball Cards more than the current year cards.  This has been a fascinating Forum to read and reflect on for me . . .

Yours in Baseball Card Collecting Affinity - Felix

1966 was my first year of collecting cards, as a ten year old. It is still my favorite and some day I am going to get the complete set. The first set I completed was 1969, but sadly I sold it during one of those periods when I lost interest for awhile.  Big mistake that I still regret!

I can't remember exactly, but it  was either 1975-76 or 1976-77 O-Pee-Chee hockey. I'm glad I kept it up through 1980-81, before my interests changed to other pursuits (girls). 

I've told my "origins" story several times on here.

It all started when I was 8 years old (not 6), and was having a heckuva time getting my asthma under control. My mom felt really bad for me because I literally could not go outside for more than 5 minutes without having severe breathing issues, so in an effort to help relieve the boredom in the middle of the hot summer, she picked up a pack of cards at the local 7-11 when she went to pick up a newspaper. That was July or August of 1978. I would only get a few more packs that year (had about 150-200 cards), but 1979 opened the floodgates. I would put together 2 sets in 1979 and when I started working for the card shop in 1981 (yes - 11 years old), I bought the 1978 set. I wanted to keep going back, but the 1977 and back were "too expensive" for 11- to 14-year-old me.

So, 1978 Topps is where it all started for me as well. It's been great to see how many others also started with this set!

83 OPC baseball was the first set i started collecting as an 11 year old. I also remember one pack of 83 Donruss(Pete Mackanin, Paul Moskau, Scott Fletcher, Pete Rose DK...it was the only Donruss I had for 10 years probably...so its not my memory, they were just unique) I didn't complete the 83 set til last year through trading here! I dont remember which set i completed first but like it was 92 UD since I bought a factory set of it, the only time I ever did that.

As for '78 for a long time the only card older than 83 in our house was a '78 Ken Griffey. It was always one of our favorites. I have no recollection of where it came from but perhaps someone just gave it to us...