1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Gary Bergman #164 Detroit Red Wings

Description

1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Gary Bergman #164 Detroit Red Wings Nicknamed "Dutch" and beloved as one of the most competitive veterans of his era, Gary Bergman brings serious old-school credibility to this 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Gary Bergman #164, a card that celebrates a playmaking defenseman who loved to hit at a time when that combination was rare. The warm headshot against the green backdrop shows the bald-headed blueliner mid-smile, radiating the grit and wit that made him a dressing-room leader, while the back bio hails his hard shot, his physical edge and his reputation as a defenseman who quarterbacked the power play without ever backing down from a fight. Born in Kitchener, Ontario in 1938, Bergman broke in during the Original Six era and logged more than five hundred NHL games with over two hundred points and nearly six hundred penalty minutes by the time this card was printed, numbers that speak to a complete two-way game. He would finish his career with the expansion Kansas City Scouts and Minnesota North Stars, bridging the Original Six world and the modern expansion age, and his cards remain a favourite of Red Wings nostalgia collectors who remember the lean but loyal teams of the early 1970s. This card is part of the 340-card 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee set with its signature tan woodgrain border, yellow name banner and circular winged wheel crest. The reverse is the classic Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back, presenting the English and French biography side by side with the cartoon panel and full career record table, clearly identifying it as the Canadian OPC printing rather than the American Topps issue, and it is not a puzzle back design. this is the most worn card on the sheet, with all four corners softened and showing visible whitening, light edge chipping along the top border, centering that drifts to roughly 60/40, and a back that shows light overall toning with a faint smudge near the border, though the surface remains free of creases and wrinkles. Given that cluster of flaws I grade it conservatively at VG-EX 4, a fair and honest assessment that is reflected in the friendly price, making it an ideal affordable piece for a Detroit set builder who values character over perfection. Grade Estimate: VG-EX 4