1971 O-Pee-Chee Jack Abendschan #90 CFL All-Star Saskatchewan Roughriders Card

Description

1971 O-Pee-Chee Jack Abendschan #90 CFL All-Star Saskatchewan Roughriders Card Offensive guards are among the last positions a casual fan thinks about, but in the early 1970s the Saskatchewan Roughriders had a guard in Jack Abendschan who was recognized by the league itself as a star. Wearing number 53 in this 1971 O-Pee-Chee CFL portrait, he stands tall and ready on the practice field, and this card is one of the more notable position player cards in the Riders block. An All-Star lineman from this era is a genuine find for anyone filling out a Saskatchewan collection. The card is part of O-Pee-Chee's 132 card CFL set for the 1971 season, in which each of the nine teams in the league was given its own numbered block, with Saskatchewan occupying the 90s and 100s. The front shows the classic bright red border and white framed photograph, and the back is the classic Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back, with the biography in English and French beneath the O-Pee-Chee trademark and the printed in Canada line. There is no puzzle back here, as this is a Canadian O-Pee-Chee issue, and the bilingual design is the feature that collectors check when buying these cards. The card back documents Abendschan's recognition: named to the WFC All-Star team in 1966, and then to the CFL All-Star squad in both 1967 and 1969. Listed at 6 foot 1 and 245 pounds, he came to the league out of the University of New Mexico as an offensive guard, a build that let him anchor the front of the Saskatchewan line. The back also records that he kicked 52 field goals for Saskatchewan, the most in club history, a reminder that the versatile linemen of the era were often called on as long snappers and place kickers when needed. The cartoon panel captures that versatility with a picture of Jack booting the longest Saskatchewan field goal. the photos reveal light rounding at the lower right corner, modest edge wear along the bottom edge, and a faint scuff near the upper left corner of the red border, with no chipping, no repair, and no writing on either side. The full length photograph sits with acceptable centering, estimated around 50/50, and the red border and green jersey both show strong, even colour. Sleeve reflections in the listing photos are not defects. With the corner and edge wear factored in, a conservative raw estimate is VG-EX 4, with the card near the top of the band. The 1971 O-Pee-Chee Jack Abendschan #90 CFL All-Star Saskatchewan Roughriders Card is a solid pick for linemen collectors and Riders fans alike. Grade Estimate: VG-EX 4