1970 O-Pee-Chee Bob Howes #34 BC Lions EX-MT 6

Description

1970 O-Pee-Chee Bob Howes #34 BC Lions EX-MT 6 Step back into the golden era of Canadian professional football with this original 1970 O-Pee-Chee Bob Howes #34 BC Lions EX-MT 6 vintage trading card, available now at Alex Collect. Manufactured in London, Ontario by O-Pee-Chee under license from Topps, the 1970 CFL football set represents a landmark release for Canadian sports card collectors, capturing the gritty essence of gridiron action north of the border. Bob Howes remains one of the most durable and celebrated offensive linemen in Canadian Football League history. A native of Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Howes developed his imposing athletic foundation at Queen's University in Kingston, where he was a standout multi-sport collegiate athlete excelling in both varsity football and basketball before earning his degree in Arts and Sciences. Originally drafted by the Calgary Stampeders in 1966, Howes made his professional mark with the British Columbia Lions starting in 1968, anchoring the offensive line from the centre position with exceptional blocking technique, agility, and toughness. His remarkable 14-year professional career spanned 203 regular season games, eventually taking him to the Edmonton Eskimos where he served as an offensive captain and cornerstone of the historic five-in-a-row Grey Cup dynasty between 1978 and 1981, winning a total of five Grey Cup championships. In 1973, he was honoured as a CFL West All-Star centre, cementing his status as an elite protector of legendary quarterbacks. Following his illustrious playing days, Howes transitioned seamlessly into coaching at Queen's University, guiding the Golden Gaels to the 1992 Vanier Cup national championship as offensive coordinator and later earning two OQIFC Coach of the Year awards as head coach. This card features an authentic Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back printed in Canada with English and French biographical text and cartoons, rather than a puzzle back. The card exhibits bright gloss and rich colour fidelity across the stadium photograph, with centering measuring approximately 45/55 left-to-right and 50/50 top-to-bottom on the front. The upper corners display minor microscopic touches of edge softening consistent with careful vintage album storage, while the lower corners remain crisp, square, and well-defined. The edges showcase standard vintage O-Pee-Chee fibrous factory cuts with minimal chipping, and the card stock remains completely free of creases, wrinkles, pinholes, or surface scratches. The reverse side is remarkably clean with sharp green typography, bold cartoon artwork highlighting his Queen's degree, and an immaculate cardstock surface that makes this an ideal collectible for any serious vintage CFL or BC Lions enthusiast looking to secure an exceptional piece of Canadian sports history. Grade Estimate: EX-MT 6