Card Of The Day - April 19'th

1985 O-Pee-Chee #9 Mario Lemieux Rookie Card

Mario Lemieux was one of the most talented players in NHL history. Routinely discussed along with Wayne Gretzky, Mario had one thing Wayne did not have....along with amazing talent Mario had size which made him a dominating presence on the ice!

Despite a career filled with nagging injuries and a diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease Mario piled up impressive career numbers. Mario was only the second player in NHL history to average 2 points per game over his entire career. Additionally he won 6 scoring titles, was selected to 8 All-Star teams, won 3 MVP awards and 13 trophies overall! Who knows what he would have accomplished had his career not been cut short due to his health issues.

There was also a TOPPS RC issued however the O-Pee-Chee issue is by far the most desirable and while this card is not terribly hard to find in high grades, the OPC as usual is tougher than the TOPPS. There could be some problems with rough edges and centering but still, you will be able to find this in a very nice high grade. This is definitely NOT the card to settle for PSA 7 or 8 when 9's and even 10's are not that hard to come by.

Hockey fan or not, this card is worthy of any sports collectors collection. Not only was Mario one of the best players of the modern era...or maybe even all time....he was a genuinely nice guy and a credit to the sport! His place in Hockey history is cemented.

Favorite Baseball Set From the 1970's

When looking back at the sets released in the 1970's there are certainly two or three contenders for my favorite set of that decade...1975 would rate very highly for example. However all things considered the winner as my favorite set of the 70's is without a doubt the 1972 Topps Baseball set.

As always there really are only a couple of criteria that make a set great. a) Set Design and b) Players included.

The design of the 1972 set offers a unique, colorful, almost psychedelic design. To me these cards offer great eye appeal. Everything just "works", from the colors to the fonts. This is one set I can surely take out and look at frequently and never tire of them.

As for player selection we have a fairly rare situation in this set. Every so often you get what I call a crossover , or transition period happening, when older stars are reaching the end of their career at the same time that a batch of hot new rookies are just coming on the scene. So essentially you get two groups of star players for the price of one! The early to mid 1970's was one such transitional period of baseball. Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays were all on their way out while newcomers like Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver were coming into their own. When you combine the old and the new you have an outstanding checklist in this set.

If you are like me, the players from the 60's and 70's are really the last from baseball's golden era.....somehow pure and "real". And if you love this period as much as me you should consider adding the 1972 Topps set to your collection. Both for the pure enjoyment, as well as a potential solid investment this set is a winner!

The Old...

The New...