I've been debating publishing this post to recognize Canada Day, which is a week from now. But I don't like waiting too long on showing packages sent by readers -- it seems disrespectful. So here it is now.
I've had the honor of several Canadian readers over the years. I was particularly blessed recently when a collector from Toronto emailed me and said he'd been a reader for several years. One post that I made last month caused him to head to his basement and go through his childhood collection of O-Pee-Chee cards.
I'm now the owner of several of those childhood OPC cards. Everything that arrived is from the '70s and I think it's so cool that I've got cards that were in someone's basement in Toronto. This truly is an international hobby!
Jeff said 1972 OPC was the first set he collected and he was certain there were a few Dodgers in that group. That's what I expected to get and I sure did!
That's a bunch of the team set right there. Don't believe me? Yeah, I know 1972 OPC makes it a little difficult.
How about now? There is all kinds of French to read there. It's wild how the French versions of the cartoon questions and answers were crammed into almost no space. Those cartoons were tiny enough in the '72 Topps sets.
These cards put a nice dent in my 1972 OPC Dodgers wants. That's an OPC year that I haven't prioritized even though I announced months ago that I was going to try to chase '70s OPC for my team.
But that's not the only 1970s year that was in the mailer.
1975 OPC Dodgers wants -- wow! That NLCS card caused me to call up my ebay cart immediately and delete that card from it. Lopes was one of the final Dodgers player cards I needed. All that's left is Garvey (of course) and McMullen (what?)
These three OPCs are in the Dodgers team binders already but that means redistributing to the main OPC set chase! Who knows if I'll ever complete any of the OPC sets from like 1971-86 but it's fun watching those collections grow.
Jeff specifically mentioned sending O-Pee-Chee Dodgers, so I was pleasantly surprised to see even more '72s fall out from other teams.
A healthy assortment of 1972 In-Action cards. Knowing the '72 set, I couldn't wait to turn over the backs and see what French I could find.
The In-Action backs changed depending on the series and you can see that there is French on the advertisements and the rules quizzes but not on the newspaper-like "Hi-Lights".
Here are some of the World Series cards in OPC form. That's my first Roberto Clemente O-Pee-Chee card!
Not a lot of French on these since the backs are mostly numbers.
I also received a couple of 1970s leaders cards, one from 1972 and one from 1978. I know that '78 card so well in English.
But seeing them in French is a brand-new experience.
There was one individual player card in the group of 1972 OPCs that was not a Dodger. I was pretty excited to see it appear.
It's Tom génial! That's stellar!
Seaver wasn't the only 1970s fastball hurler to show up from Canada though.
It's the epic 1975 Nolan Ryan Highlights card. Jeff kindly mentioned in his email that these cards aren't in the best of shape because they're from his first year of collecting, but this is the only one where I really noticed some kid handling. I'm more than happy to add all of these to my collection.
Outside of 1975 and 1977 I think I may have more '72 OPC now than any other '70s set. (I'll have to check '79, too). I was sure that I'd have a good chunk of the second half of the '70s done in OPC form before I even touched the early '70s.
But that's what having a blog does to your collection. You never know where cards will come from -- from the '70s, from Canada, from the basement. Also, while I'm on the topic of Canada and cards ...
Go Oilers!*
* Update: The NHL never lets me have nice things.
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