1972 O-Pee-Chee CFL Herm Harrison #55 Hall of Fame Calgary Stampeders

Description

1972 O-Pee-Chee CFL Herm Harrison #55 Hall of Fame Calgary Stampeders The 1972 O-Pee-Chee CFL Herm Harrison #55 Hall of Fame Calgary Stampeders card presents the legendary receiver known as Ham Hands in the vivid, unmistakable style of early 1970s Canadian football cards. Harrison fills the photographic window in Calgary red, with his number 76 jersey set against a stadium background and the Stampeders name printed prominently across the green header. Issued as part of O-Pee-Chee's 132-card 1972 CFL set, this card connects directly to Calgary's championship breakthrough and to one of the finest pass catchers of his generation. Harrison arrived in Calgary in 1964 as a linebacker, but his exceptional hands prompted a move to tight end. The switch transformed both his career and the Stampeders offence. From 1964 through 1972 he spent all nine of his CFL seasons with Calgary, recording 443 receptions for 6,703 yards and 43 touchdowns. He produced three 1,000-yard campaigns, led the CFL with 1,306 receiving yards in 1968, led the Western Conference in catches in 1969 and 1970, and tied for the lead with 70 receptions in 1971. He earned six Western all-star selections and three CFL All-Star honours. Harrison's place in Calgary folklore was secured in the 1971 Grey Cup against Toronto. On a rain-soaked field, he caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Jerry Keeling for Calgary's only touchdown in a 14 to 11 victory, helping end the franchise's long championship drought. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1993 and remains a celebrated member of the Stampeders Wall of Fame. The reverse is a Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual text back with English and French biography panels, not a puzzle back. Its compact cartoon notes Harrison's all-star recognition, while the card number 55, size, weight and Arizona State background give collectors the period details that make this issue so engaging. The front displays strong colour and a clear portrait, with light softening at the corners, a slightly irregular factory-cut top edge, scattered tiny white edge flecks and modest wear along the right border. Centering is presentable but not perfect, with the green design sitting a little closer to the left edge and slightly low. No clear crease, wrinkle, writing, paper loss or major stain is visible in the photographs. The back retains rich blue and green printing with expected tan age toning, small edge touches and mildly rounded corner tips. Because the card was photographed in a protective sleeve, very fine scratches or pressure marks cannot be ruled out. A conservative EX-MT 6 estimate recognizes the crisp overall appearance while allowing for the edge roughness, corner wear and centering. This appealing Hall of Fame single offers a direct link to Calgary's 1971 championship and is well suited to Stampeders collectors, vintage CFL enthusiasts and builders of the landmark 1972 O-Pee-Chee set. Grade Estimate: EX-MT 6