Hard Work Brings Success

1991-92 Pinnacle #398 – Jim Kyte

Jim Kyte hockey cardDespite playing over 10 years in the National Hockey League, former defenseman Jim Kyte was not featured on a lot of hockey cards. However, his accomplishment as the first legally deaf hockey player in the National Hockey League made him an inspiration to hearing-impaired athletes, and merited him a few special subset cards that spoke about his handicap. One such card is from the 1991-92 Pinnacle Hockey set. Continue reading “Hard Work Brings Success”

Hockey Might-Have-Been

1992 Pinnacle Baseball card #594 – Tom Glavine

This week’s Card of the Week is actually a baseball card – with a twist!

The 1992 Pinnacle Baseball set had a card of ace Atlanta Braves pitcher Tom Glavineskating on ice, stick in hand. You see, in high school, Glavine was talented at baseball and hockey. Upon graduation in 1984, he was chosen in both the NHL and MLB drafts, Continue reading “Hockey Might-Have-Been”

Black ‘n’ Belushi

1991-92 Pro Set Platinum Card #300 – James Belushi, Celebrity Captain

Jim BelushiIn 1991, the National Hockey League celebrated its 75th Anniversary. The Original Six teams wore throwback jerseys, harkening back to the 1920s. Another part of this celebration was that each of the 22 teams had its own “Celebrity Captain”. Some teams named former players as their Celebrity Captain – such as Terry O’ Reilly (Boston) and Maurice Richard (Montreal). Other teams chose instead to name a personality or actor as their captain. For the Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago-born actor and Second City alum James Belushi served as the team’s Celebrity Captain. Continue reading “Black ‘n’ Belushi”

Card of the Week: Kodak Moment

1987-88 OPC Leaders #14 – Glen Hanlon

We’ve all had to live down an embarrassing photo at least once in our lifetime. These “Kodak moments” we’ve had to endure were usually the byproduct of too much alcohol or a lousy haircut. My eight grade class photo was forever ruined by a bad case of “bed head.” Later on in college, a friend and I got drunk one night, and stumbled around my dorm room, knocking into things, while my roommate got photos of our buffoonery. Not much you can do about that, just laugh it off. Besides, it’s not like our own embarrassing photographs get printed in the thousands, and distributed in packs of hockey cards like this little gem of Red Wings goalie Glen Hanlon.  Continue reading “Card of the Week: Kodak Moment”

Card of the Week: Return to Sender

1983-84 O-Pee-Chee #131 – Ken Solheim

Ken SolheimLook at the back of this card of Ken Solheim, and you will see that he was traded from the Minnesota North Stars to the Detroit Red Wings near the end of the 1982-83 season.

Flip the card over to the front, and you’ll notice that Solheim’s North Stars uniform has been airbrushed over, so as to look like a Red Wings uniform.

However, the card still has a North Stars name and logo at the top, as well as an annoying little bit of text that reads “Now with Minnesota”.

Now with Minnesota? And yet, Solheim’s North Stars jersey has been painted over to look like a Red Wings jersey. What’s going on here? What team is he on? Continue reading “Card of the Week: Return to Sender”

A One Horse Open Skate

1990 7th Inning Sketch OHL Promotional Christmas Card

Crashing through the snow…
In a one horse open skate…

In December of 1990, I received a different kind of Christmas card. This card measured 2 1/2″ by 3 1/2″, and showed Santa Claus abandoning his familiar red sleigh in lieu of a giant hockey skate. (Could you call it an ice skleight?) Continue reading “A One Horse Open Skate”

Distorted Defenseman

1972-73 Topps #87:  Keith Magnuson

Considering that the 1972-73 Topps Hockey set was comprised mainly of posed shots – with a few grainy game-action photos here and there – this stands out as the strangest card from that set…and quite possibly the 1970s. I mean, what could possibly top this distorted photograph of hockey tough guy Keith MagnusonContinue reading “Distorted Defenseman”

Don’t Mess With Messier

1990-91 Score Canadian Mark Messier – Promo Card

Every now and then, trading card companies release promo cards to dealers and distributors, to show off what a new card set will look like, and hopefully increase orders for the product.

In the late summer of 1990, trading card manufacturer Score issued several such promo cards for their 1990-91 Score Hockey set. The promo cards were almost identical to the actual cards that were issued in the set a few months later.

But not this card.

Continue reading “Don’t Mess With Messier”

Card of the Week: Fight Card

1973-74 Topps card #151 – Phil Roberto

Phil Roberto 1973-74 Topps Hockey CardMost hockey card photography from the late 1960s and early 1970s consisted of either portraits or posed shots. By the mid-70s, Topps and O-Pee-Chee started to use game action photography. And nothing says ACTION like two hockey players fighting. Phil Roberto, of the St. Louis Blues, is shown here fighting  New York Islanders’ goaltender Billy Smith while two linesmen attempt to break them up. Continue reading “Card of the Week: Fight Card”

Card of the Week: Great Save, Great Shot

1990-91 Upper Deck Mario Gosselin – card #91

Mario GosselinAction speaks louder than words. Upper Deck took that meaning to heart when they started making hockey cards in 1990. This card you see here, of Los Angeles Kings backup goaltender Mario Gosselin, was one of many cards that demonstrated that Upper Deck was serious about becoming the best hockey card company out there, with their blend of high quality products and exciting action photography.  Continue reading “Card of the Week: Great Save, Great Shot”