It began in the basement of my friend's house across the street, who was four years older than I. He went through his 1969 Topps baseball cards and gave me his doubles ... this was early in '69, so he would give me more later on as future series were released ... but, he didn't collect Series 6 & 7. He also knew how to decorate a basement ... had numerous 1967 Topps 5x7 posters pinned to strips of cardboard and hanging from the walls.
The first card he gave me was Tony Conigliaro, which I pronounced "Con-i-GLARE-oh". I also thought John Odom's last name rhymed with "bottom".
I begged my Mom to buy me a pack of cards at the store early that year ... she relented and I THINK these were the five cards from Series 1 in that pack: Maury Wills, Sonny Jackson, Jerry Grote, Orioles Rookies and Pete Richert.