What Year Did Game Used Become Popular?

[3arod13]

I know baseball cards started getting popular and the hobby took off around 1989. When did the game used start getting popular?

[3arod13]

And what was it that made it get popular. Like in baseball, it was the 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. Upper Deck card/set.

[bgakladd]

For me personally it was 1979, when I saw this commercial and I was hooked ever since. From then on, it was a hunt for "the jersey worn in a game".