1970 O-Pee-Chee Gene Lakusiak #66 Winnipeg Blue Bombers VG-EX 4

Description

1970 O-Pee-Chee Gene Lakusiak #66 Winnipeg Blue Bombers VG-EX 4 Discover true prairie football grit with this authentic 1970 O-Pee-Chee Gene Lakusiak #66 Winnipeg Blue Bombers VG-EX 4 card, a vintage Canadian Football League classic that captures the heart of the Blue Bombers ground attack during the golden era of three down football. The early 1970s were a defining period for the CFL as the league cemented its unique identity with the larger field, twelve man football and the passionate community ownership that set it apart from its American cousin, and the 1970 O-Pee-Chee set remains one of the most beloved issues for collectors because it was printed in Canada in a short run of only 115 cards, nearly identical to the American Topps design on the front yet unmistakably Canadian on the reverse with its black stock and complete bilingual English and French text, a detail that makes every O-Pee-Chee back instantly recognizable and highly collectible for northern gridiron historians. Winnipeg entered the 1970 season rebuilding under the big sky at Winnipeg Stadium, and the front image perfectly captures that atmosphere with Lakusiak posed in his crisp white away jersey bearing number 31, bright gold pants with royal blue striping, and the empty concrete bowl and light towers behind him on a clear Manitoba afternoon. Gene Lakusiak himself is a Winnipeg legend who embodied the versatile Canadian talent of his generation, a University of Tulsa Hurricane product who stands six feet one inch and 215 pounds, originally breaking in with the Ottawa Rough Riders before being traded to Winnipeg where the Bombers staff held high hopes for this effective rusher as noted on his bilingual back, and he rewarded that faith by anchoring the backfield from 1968 through 1974, earning Western Division All Star honors in 1972 and 1973 and being voted the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Canadian Player in 1973 for his punishing inside running and reliable pass catching out of the fullback position while also contributing as a defensive back early in his career. Collectors love Lakusiak for his workman like consistency and for representing the last generation of true two way athletes, and this card is a cornerstone for any Winnipeg team set or 1970 O-Pee-Chee master set chase. This is a Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back with English and French biography and the iconic green cartoon panel that reads GENE WAS TRADED FROM OTTAWA and GENE ECHANGE PAR OTTAWA showing a playful illustration of the nation capital, confirming its authentic Canadian print in Canada pedigree. The front shows soft rounding at all four corners with the top left and bottom right showing the most noticeable whitening, micro chipping along the right edge and faint age toning on the white borders, centering is slightly off at approximately 55/45 left to right and 60/40 top to bottom favoring the bottom edge, surface gloss remains present with no creases, wrinkles or ink marks and the reverse exhibits even corner blunting, light edge whitening on the black stock and a clean green cartoon box with sharp bilingual text, supporting a conservative VG-EX 4 grade that still presents beautifully in a collection or vintage display. Add this honest, attractive 1970 O-Pee-Chee Gene Lakusiak #66 Winnipeg Blue Bombers VG-EX 4 to your Alex Collect cart today for a piece of authentic Bomber history. Grade Estimate: VG-EX 4