1970 O-Pee-Chee Paul Desjardins #62 Winnipeg Blue Bombers VG 3

Description

1970 O-Pee-Chee Paul Desjardins #62 Winnipeg Blue Bombers VG 3 Anchor your vintage Winnipeg collection with this fascinating 1970 O-Pee-Chee Paul Desjardins #62 Winnipeg Blue Bombers VG 3 card, spotlighting the brilliant bio chemist who snapped the ball for the Blue Bombers with brains and toughness in equal measure. The 1970 O-Pee-Chee CFL collection is a landmark Canadian issue that has only grown in stature as collectors recognize its scarcity and cultural significance, a tight 115 card set that paired stunning color game day photography on the front with an unapologetically Canadian back design rendered on black stock with full bilingual English and French text, player vitals, and the whimsical lime green cartoon box at the bottom, all printed in Canada and far less preserved than the American Topps cards of the same year, which makes surviving examples with intact color and readable backs highly sought after by CFL historians and vintage football completists. Paul Desjardins is one of the most unique personalities in the entire set, a non import centre from the University of Ottawa who stands six feet three and 255 pounds, a graduate Bio Chemist and second draft choice of the Ottawa Rough Riders who was a recipient of the prestigious Gil O Julien Trophy in 1965 as noted on his card back, a Canadian pivot who combined academic excellence with on field reliability and who became a mainstay for Winnipeg at centre after being chosen as a top Canadian prospect, bringing intelligence to the trenches that matched his physical strength. The back cartoon playfully reinforces that duality with the phrase PAUL IS A BIO CHEMIST and PAUL EST UN BIOCHIMISTE alongside an illustration of Desjardins in the lab and on the field, a delightful detail that makes this card a conversation piece beyond football. The front photograph is equally compelling, showing Desjardins in his white jersey number 44 with gold pants, hands on the ball in a centre stance ready to snap, with the stadium and prairie sky behind him, an image that perfectly captures the essence of 1970s interior line play. This is a Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back, printed in Canada, the correct and collectible Canadian version. This 1970 O-Pee-Chee Paul Desjardins #62 Winnipeg Blue Bombers VG 3 card is ideal for collectors who value character and history at an accessible price point. The front exhibits moderate corner wear with blunting and whitening at all four corners, most pronounced at the top left, centering is off at about 58/42 left to right and 60/40 top to bottom favoring the bottom, the bottom edge shows a small chip at center and faint chipping along the left border, surface shows light age toning on the white borders but no creases, wrinkles or heavy stains and gloss is muted but present, while the back displays even corner whitening, noticeable edge whitening on the black stock, and a still bright green cartoon box with legible bilingual bio, supporting a conservative Very Good 3 grade that is honest, presentable and priced for the collector who loves the player and the story. Grade Estimate: VG 3