Here I was thinking that I was running low on blogging material/ideas and suddenly a big ol' envelope arrived from up Canada way. I came from Chris who does a couple of great blogs, Diamond Cuts and Wax Stains being the main one. He is also collecting and blogging the 1964/65 Topps Hockey Tall Boys set. He had told me he was sending a couple of cards. Turns out he sent a huge lode of vintage Rangers, Orioles and even a few Man U cards. More than I can do justice to in one post.
That Ron Stewart is a 1968/69 OPC. At least the head is Ron Stewart. Chris is better at this stuff than I am so he might be able to ID the body. I run hot and cold on this set. I think they are kind of a mess but maybe a mess in a good way. Everyone else seems to love 'em so they must have something appealing. I do like the 'papa bear-mama bear-baby bear' feel of the three dark shirted skaters in the drawn background.
There is something disturbing about this '73 OPC Steve Vickers card. I guess it's his expression. I can't put my finger on it but he looks like someone plucked from the 1973 version of Times Square and asked to pose for a hockey picture card. If you remember Times Square from back then you know what I mean.
Topps didn't even bother using their own picture of Ranger tough guy Orland Kurtenbach for his 1969 card. They cribbed this one from the Rangers Blue Book (media guide) of a couple of years previous. I've wondered when exactly hockey players decided not to tie their sweater laces. I have a couple of Rangers sweaters and I still tie them up. If I don't I feel the same as I would if I didn't tie my shoes.
Here is Rod Gilbert from that same set. He was the guy that all the girls swooned over. He ALWAYS looked like this.... calm, classy, impeccable. Hell, I saw him on the tube last month and he still looks like this. Fabulous hockey player. He never had enough help on the Rangers. When he got the help i.e. Brad Park, management traded it off for used up stars (I'm looking at you, Phil Esposito).
1978 OPC Walt Tkaczuk. He was high up on the Rangers scoring list for awhile. I never remember him with a beard. In that era of Rangers history it certainly wasn't a 'playoff beard'. And one day I'd like to run into the guy who decided that changing the Rangers look to this horrific clown suit would be a good idea. I came close to weeping when I saw this stuff.
Anyway, that's a few of the cards from Chris' bounty. I'll switch to some of the Orioles in my next look at the cards he sent but I haven't yet scanned the very best of the vintage hockey. I'll get to that soon.
