1971 O-Pee-Chee Rudy Linterman #129 Calgary Stampeders CFL

Description

1971 O-Pee-Chee Rudy Linterman #129 Calgary Stampeders CFL This 1971 O-Pee-Chee Rudy Linterman card, number 129, captures a speedy Calgary Stampeders defensive halfback and return specialist whose track background made him a threat every time he touched the ball. Linterman is pictured kneeling in his number 17 red jersey, with the stadium bleachers and sky behind him and the bold red O-Pee-Chee border framing the image. The bilingual reverse lists him as a non-import at 5 feet 11 and 205 pounds out of the University of Idaho and highlights an eye-catching statistic: he was clocked at 9.9 seconds for the 100-yard dash. That speed translated immediately to the Canadian game, where the field is larger and return specialists can change field position in one cut. The back reports that in 1968 Linterman was used primarily as a punt return specialist and set a CFL record with 112 returns for 668 yards, a mark later broken by teammate Jim Sillye. Such volume says a great deal about his durability and the trust Calgary placed in him. Defensive halfbacks from this era often had to cover, tackle, and return kicks, and Linterman’s card is a tangible reminder of that demanding role. For collectors, it also offers a colorful kneeling pose that stands out among the more conventional portraits in the set, making it useful for visual variety when building a Calgary team run. This is the standard Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual English and French card back, printed in Canada, and it is not a puzzle back. The front is clean and attractive, with a sharp top-left corner, only a minor top-right touch, and very light rounding at the bottom corners; the edges show just faint handling, and the photo is centered near 50/50 top to bottom with a slight right-side shift. The reverse is clean and free of writing, heavy staining, creases, or paper loss, and the surface remains bright overall. A conservative EX-MT 6 grade is appropriate because the card displays strong eye appeal and only the smallest corner touches, but the minor tip contact keeps it just below Near Mint. It would be a strong fit for a return-specialist collection, a Calgary Stampeders team set, or anyone searching for 1971 O-Pee-Chee Rudy Linterman #129 Calgary Stampeders CFL. Grade Estimate: EX-MT 6