1970 O-Pee-Chee Ted Gerela #31 BC Lions VG-EX 4

Description

1970 O-Pee-Chee Ted Gerela #31 BC Lions VG-EX 4 Enhance your vintage football collection with this 1970 O-Pee-Chee Ted Gerela #31 BC Lions VG-EX 4 card, presented by Alex Collect. The 1970 O-Pee-Chee Canadian Football League set remains a timeless classic among vintage trading card enthusiasts, showcasing the stars of the late 1960s and early 1970s with dynamic photography and authentic bilingual Canadian design. Ted Gerela transformed the kicker position in Canadian football, transitioning the sport from an era where position players doubled as kickers to one where dedicated specialists decided close contests with clutch long-distance field goals. Following his collegiate career at Washington State University, Gerela made an explosive entrance into the CFL with the British Columbia Lions, capturing the 1967 Western Conference Rookie of the Year award and taking home the 1968 Dave Dryburgh Memorial Trophy as the league scoring champion. Part of the legendary Gerela family alongside his Super Bowl champion brother Roy Gerela, Ted's booming leg and athletic versatility cemented his status as a fan favourite at Empire Stadium throughout his seven seasons in Vancouver. Beyond kicking field goals, Gerela's ability to run the ball on fake field goals and contribute across multiple phases of the game made him an indispensable weapon for head coach Eagle Keys. During the 1960s and 1970s, the Canadian Football League was known for its wide-open, unpredictable style of play, and players like Gerela provided dramatic moments that defined franchise history for generations of Lions supporters. His historic contributions to special teams strategy and scoring records make this card a pivotal piece for vintage sports card aficionados and CFL memorabilia enthusiasts seeking great examples of key specialists. 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. Centering on this example is solid at approximately 50/50 borders horizontally and vertically across the card front. The four corners exhibit moderate vintage softening and tip wear with minor white cardstock showing, consistent with a VG-EX 4 grade. The edges show light authentic vintage O-Pee-Chee rough-cut characteristics and slight chipping along the photo borders. The front gloss remains bright, providing rich colour saturation on the orange and black Lions helmet, number 35 jersey, and lush field background with no heavy creases or tears. The bilingual reverse is in good condition, featuring sharp dark green printing, vivid cartoon artwork celebrating his 1967 rookie honours, and clean cardstock free of pencil marks, stamps, or stains, making this an excellent addition for set collectors. Grade Estimate: VG-EX 4