I actually cant remember when I got Red, I know I got a Gameboy Pocket in 1996 for Christmas, I think I got Pokemon for my Birthday the next year. I played the crap out of that game, I mastered it too, even for the first time ever playing it, having no knowledge of the game, I managed to catch all the legendary pokemon. I remember I beat the Elite 4 with just a Zapdos and Thunder. Then one day I tried Gameshark from my freind, deleted my game, I cried, lol.
Then I think I got Pokemon Yellow with a Gameboy Color in 1999, and then I got both Gold and Silver when they came out from ToysRus. What a glorious day, I remember I beat Silver first, then just put in Gold and started playing that which I eventually beat as well, then I traded Ho-oh to my Silver game and my party was unstoppable in that game.
Ahh good times they were.