Hockey cards, collectibles and culture
Everyone makes mistakes, but for some reason trading card companies seem to make them in droves. Who can keep track of all those names and numbers, teams, logos and statistics? Back in 1983, O-Pee-Chee made what I still consider two of the most annoying error cards ever. Continue reading “Card of the Week: Steve Swap”
During the 1991-92 season, the Pro Set company issued a set of Parkhurst hockey cards, releasing Series One in late 1991. A random insert in Series One packs was a card of the fat man himself, Santa Claus. Continue reading “Card of the Week: Dreary Christmas”
What better way to spread a little Christmas cheer than with a hockey card showing the exact opposite of “brotherly love”?
Only a handful of hockey cards have shown fighting, including this one of career minor-leaguer Howie Rosenblatt, released by Classic Games in 1992. Continue reading “The Legend”
With Thanksgiving just now behind us here in the United States, what could make a better Card of the Week than this one of Todd Ewen biting a hockey puck? Continue reading “Man Bites Puck”
Today is Election Day in the United States. No matter who wins the vote for President of the United States – though I pray it is Barack Obama – at least it can no longer be George W. Bush. Needless to say, the last eight years under “W” were not the greatest of times – from the 9/11 Attacks in 2001 to the economy being in the worst shape since the Great Depression, to fighting wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Anyway, all this hatin’ on George W. Bush got me thinking about his dad, George H.W. Bush, who was President from 1989 to 1992. The elder Bush actually appears on a hockey card in the 1991-92 Upper Deck set. Continue reading “Bush League”
Olaf Kolzig was not what you’d call a “hot dog” during the early days of his long NHL tenure. The first five years of his pro career were mostly spent in the minor leagues, while the next three were spent playing second fiddle to former All-Star goaltender Jim Carey. Back then, “Olie the Goalie” spent more time riding the pine than stopping pucks.
During Kolzig’s time as a backup, he was shown on a Pinnacle hockey card, sitting on the bench and enjoying a hot dog – with his name spelled out in the mustard! Continue reading “Card of the Week: I Has a Hot Dog”
Look over the stick hand of goaltender Daniel Berthiaume, and you’ll see what looks like the letters PBER. Look to the right – through the mesh of the net – and you’ll make out the Upper Deck logo. Continue reading “Card of the Week: Rubber Deck?”
Stuff like this make collecting old hockey sets awesome. Among the cards of Gretzky, Bossy, Messier and Bourque you find hilarious little gems like this Mel Bridgman card. Continue reading “Mad Mel”
During the 1990s, several spokesmen for trading card companies would sometimes promote cards of sports they did not play. You had Eric Lindros on a Score baseball card, Rocket Ishmail on a Classic hockey card and Wayne Gretzky on an Upper Deck soccer card.
Because nothing — and I mean NOTHING — says soccer like Wayne Gretzky. Continue reading “Card of the Week: Soccer, Eh?”
When Wayne Gretzky was traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings, other players were also involved in that deal. We tend to forget that sometimes, as “The Trade” was really, more or less, a Gretzky-for-$15 million dollars swap. But several more guys changed teams too. One such player was Mike Krushelnyski, who went with Gretzky – along with Marty McSorley – from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings. Martin Gelinas and Jimmy Carson – along with some draft picks and mad amounts of cash – in turn went to the Oilers. The trade rocked the sports world, and to a lesser extent a few hockey cards. Continue reading “Color Me Krushelnyski”