1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Doug Jarrett #97 Chicago Black Hawks

Description

1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Doug Jarrett #97 Chicago Black Hawks Bring home a durable ironman of the Chicago Stadium era with this 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Doug Jarrett #97 Chicago Black Hawks card, a true collector favorite for its clean red sweater portrait, alternate captain A, and the understated value that savvy vintage buyers prize in team sets. While the headlines often went to the high scoring forwards, Jarrett logged the tough defensive minutes that allowed Chicago to compete every spring, and this card honors that blue collar excellence with classic early seventies O-Pee-Chee presentation that looks fantastic under display lighting. If you are assembling the Chicago team run or filling gaps in your 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee set, this mid number offers authenticity and affordability in one package. Doug Jarrett was entering his ninth season with Chicago when this card was produced, having reached a total of six goals in 1970-71 and established himself as a reliable stay at home defenseman who could also move the puck. The cartoon and biography on the reverse note his background out of London Ontario and his perseverance after a total of six goals in 1970-71 while highlighting the interrupted early seasons where he fought for a full time roster spot. By 1972-73 he was a known quantity, appearing in all 78 games, contributing 29 points while playing disciplined hockey, and providing depth behind stars Stapleton and White. Over 763 NHL games, nearly all with Chicago, Jarrett compiled 88 points in his best offensive season and built a reputation for shot blocking and toughness that endeared him to fans who appreciated players who did the unglamorous work. This 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee number 97 is a classic mid series card with the signature orange side panel that lists CHICAGO BLACK HAWKS and vital statistics, the yellow name banner, and the portrait set against O-Pee-Chee signature powder blue. The reverse includes a small cartoon showing his off season with Chicago, a bilingual English and French write up, and a full NHL Career Record table documenting his rise from sparse early appearances to an every game defender. This is a Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back with English and French text, not a Topps single language or puzzle back, printed in Canada and sought after for its short print Canadian scarcity. The front shows well balanced centering at approximately 55/45 left to right and 60/40 top to bottom with full borders on all sides, corners are lightly softened with a touch of rounding visible at the upper right and lower left but no heavy wear or bends, edges are smooth with only micro chipping on the beige stock, and the surface is free of creases, wrinkles, or scratches with solid gloss and accurate registration on the red uniform and face. The back exhibits uniform light tan aging, crisp orange borders, and no wax or ink marks, with only slight handling wear along the extreme edges that is expected for a card of this vintage stored in a sleeve. No paper loss, staining, or hidden creases are detected. The combination of minor centering bias and gentle corner wear caps the grade in the Excellent range while the card still presents as a clean collector example. A conservative raw grade of EX 5 is warranted and fairly represents the attractive mid grade condition, making this 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Doug Jarrett #97 Chicago Black Hawks a dependable team builder for Black Hawks fans and set collectors. Grade Estimate: EX 5