1970 O-Pee-Chee Bill Whisler #71 Winnipeg Blue Bombers G 2

Description

1970 O-Pee-Chee Bill Whisler #71 Winnipeg Blue Bombers G 2 Consider this authentic 1970 O-Pee-Chee Bill Whisler #71 Winnipeg Blue Bombers G 2 card, a true Canadian football classic that delivers the unmistakable character of the Blue Bombers defensive front while carrying a clear crease that is fully disclosed for the value focused collector. The broader story of the 1970 O-Pee-Chee CFL issue elevates every card from this set, as it was produced as a 115 card Canadian only release that used the same bright, sun drenched front photography as the American Topps set but replaced the reverse with the unmistakable Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back, complete with black stock, bilingual English and French player biographies, vital statistics, import status, and the beloved lime green cartoon box that gives each card a touch of humor and personality, all printed in Canada and now prized for its scarcity and regional charm among vintage football enthusiasts. Bill Whisler fits perfectly within that narrative as a hard nosed import defensive end from the University of Iowa, listed at six feet three inches and 250 pounds, who learned his trade as a two way lineman with the NFL Washington Redskins before bringing his Steady nickname and his reliable edge setting to Winnipeg, where teammates nicknamed him Steady as celebrated in the green cartoon that reads BILL HAS BEEN NICKNAMED STEADY BY HIS TEAM MATES and the French BILL A ETE SURNOMME STEADY PAR SES COEQUIPIERS, a reputation built on playing every snap with disciplined technique against both the run and the pass during an era when defensive ends were expected to play nearly every down. The front photograph shows Whisler in his number 66 white jersey and gold pants in a low, hands on knees stance on the Winnipeg Stadium turf, a timeless image that captures the workmanlike aesthetic of early seventies CFL football and that displays beautifully even on a creased example when viewed in a binder or team set. This is a Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back printed in Canada, the authentic regional back that serious CFL collectors demand, and this 1970 O-Pee-Chee Bill Whisler #71 Winnipeg Blue Bombers G 2 card offers an affordable way to fill a tough team slot while acknowledging its flaw honestly. The front shows reasonable color and centering near 55/45 left to right and 56/44 top to bottom, corners display light rounding with pinpoint whitening, edge chipping is limited to minor white specks along the right border, but a strong crease is present that traverses the card and breaks the surface gloss, visible as a line on the front photo and as a more pronounced wrinkle on the black stock of the back, and although the green Steady cartoon and bilingual biography remain fully legible and no paper loss is present, the crease is the defining characteristic that restricts this card to a conservative Good 2 grade despite otherwise VG-EX eye appeal. Grade Estimate: GOOD