1972 O-Pee-Chee Billy Cooper #75 Ottawa Rough Riders CFL

Description

1972 O-Pee-Chee Billy Cooper #75 Ottawa Rough Riders CFL Add a tough and reliable offensive weapon to your vintage CFL collection with this 1972 O-Pee-Chee Billy Cooper #75 Ottawa Rough Riders CFL card, a sleeper favorite from the last true O-Pee-Chee Canadian football set. Billy Cooper was the kind of wide receiver every quarterback loved to have in the huddle during the early seventies, a fine receiver with excellent speed who proved to be a big threat in the aerial game and who could also fill in on play defense when called upon. Coming to Ottawa after starring at Winthrop Junior College, Cooper brought a blend of sure hands and downfield acceleration that made him a valuable part of the Rough Riders attack during a competitive era in the East. The 1972 season found Ottawa battling for positioning while building toward the Grey Cup success that would follow in 1973, and role players like Cooper were essential to that depth. This card showcases the classic 1972 O-Pee-Chee aesthetic that collectors instantly recognize, the vivid red border reserved for Ottawa players, the large white numerals of his number 22 jersey popping against the dark green uniform, and the lower third nameplate in blue that lists him as a wide receiver. On the reverse you get the full Canadian experience that makes O-Pee-Chee so beloved, a green and blue bilingual layout with English on one side and French on the other, a playful cartoon titled Also Ran Defense, and a concise scouting report that highlights his top wide pass catcher ability. This is a Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back with printed in Canada notation and O P C copyright, not a puzzle back or English only Topps version, which adds to its collectibility for team set builders. Front exhibits approximately 60/40 centering top to bottom with a slight lean to the right edge, four corners are intact with the top left showing a touch of rounding and the bottom corners retaining a sharper point, red border shows minimal edge chipping and retains its deep color without significant fading, surface is free of creases, wrinkles or surface scratches and the photo remains crisp and well focused, back displays uniform cardboard toning with clean blue and green inks, no writing, no stains, and only light corner wear visible when viewed at an angle. The overall presentation is that of a well preserved common that still carries vintage character and would sit nicely in any Rough Riders team set or 1972 O-Pee-Chee CFL collection. Grade Estimate: EX 5