Hockey Cards

Walt Poddubny

1991-92 Topps Stadium Club card #177 – Walt Poddubny

1991-92 Topps Stadium Club card #177 - Walt PoddubnyFormer NHL player Walt Poddubny died suddenly on Saturday, March 21. He was 49 years old. The cause of his death is unknown.

I always get a strange feeling when a former NHLer dies before his time. Yes, people die every day – but someone who is (or was) an athlete should not just suddenly kick the bucket. Considering the incredible things that pro hockey players do, you almost think that they are invincible, that they will live forever. Or at least live past age 50. Continue reading “Walt Poddubny”

“In Action” Inaction

1982-83 O-Pee-Chee card #40 – Mel Bridgman In Action

Mel Bridgman In ActionFile this under false advertising.

At the top of the card it states – no, it practically screams – in uppercase letters “IN ACTION”. But clearly, Mel Bridgman is anything but “in action”. Maybe O-Pee-Chee erroneously added a space between the two words, and really meant to say “inaction” As in, Bridgman isn’t really doing anything except looking somewhat perplexed – perhaps by the misnomer that labels the top of his trading card. Continue reading ““In Action” Inaction”

Me and My Shadow

1990-91 Seventh Inning Sketch QMJHL card #46 – Martin Chaput

Martin ChaputCanadian-based card manufacturer Seventh Inning Sketch is best known for their trading card sets featuring major junior hockey players from the early 1990s. Whereas “police sets” from that era relied on posed portrait shots, Seventh Inning Sketch instead utilized action photography on the majority of the cards. This made for a more exciting set of cards, although a stinker did slip through the cracks every now and then. This is one such card. Continue reading “Me and My Shadow”

Review: 1983 Canadian National Junior Team set

21-card set of Canada’s top junior players is pure gold

The 1983 Canadian National Junior Team set was one of my “Holy Grails” as a hockey card collector. I first laid eyes upon this set at a sports card show way back in 1991, when $100 for a set of cards was a “lot of money” for me. Hell, that’s still a lot of money, but it’s worth it. This amazing postcard-sized set, which was released during the 1983 World Junior Championships, features most of the young men who played for Canada’s Junior Team – including 17-year old prospects and future Hall of Famers Mario Lemieux and Steve Yzerman. Continue reading “Review: 1983 Canadian National Junior Team set”

Card of the Week: Steve Swap

1983-84 O-Pee-Chee #105: Steve Larmer & #106: Steve Ludzik Error Cards

Steve Larmer Rookie Card (photo actually Steve Ludzik)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”

Bush League

1991-92 Upper Deck card #47 – White House Welcome

George Bush & Mario LemieuxToday 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”