1980 was the year.
I was 8 years old at the time and probably the youngest gamer ever in Italy.
We played D&D and Traveller with my brother and my cousin (13 yrs old at the time).
We came upon because they were avid wargamers, till one day an american-italian friend of my cousin brought back from the states some tattered photocopies of D&D and Traveller.
Oh... the number of times I died are countless yet the fun was endless!!!!
The rest, as they say, is history.
Best regards
Luigi