1971 O-Pee-Chee Tony Taylor #246 Philadelphia Phillies

Description

1971 O-Pee-Chee Tony Taylor #246 Philadelphia Phillies Few players wore the Phillies uniform longer or with more quiet class than Tony Taylor, and this 1971 O-Pee-Chee Tony Taylor #246 Philadelphia Phillies honors the Cuban infielder during a season in which he was, as the bilingual reverse proudly notes, the club's only .300 hitter while leading the team in hits and triples. Born in Central Alava, Cuba, Taylor broke in with the Chicago Cubs in 1958 and came to Philadelphia in 1960, earning a National League All Star selection that very first season with the Phils, and he went on to set the franchise record for games at second base, a mark the back of this card celebrates as 959 games played at the keystone. Taylor finished his career with more than 2,000 hits across two stints in Philadelphia, earning bedrock respect in the city that continues to this day, and later generations of fans know him as one of the foundational figures of the franchise's march toward the 1980 world championship. For Phillies team set builders, Taylor singles remain steady movers because every era run demands him. The reverse of this copy adds real marketplace value: it is a genuine Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back, printed in Canada with the complete English and French career summary across the bright yellow O-Pee-Chee stock, including the French rendering of his record holding second base total. It is not a Topps back and it is not a puzzle back; it is authentic Canadian issue, which turns what might otherwise be a plain veteran single into a scarcer variant that advanced 1971 set builders need. The 1971 black border photography shows Taylor poised with the glove in the dugout shade, and the green and yellow Phillies lettering crowns the frame in full mid century style. centering reads approximately 55/45 side to side and 50/50 top to bottom, the lower left corner shows the most visible light touch with minor softening elsewhere, there are small white specks of edge chipping along the top black border, and the bilingual back displays mild corner wear and light, even toning, while no creases, wrinkles, stains, or writing appear in the photos. Because the card is photographed through a protective sleeve, reflections can obscure very fine surface marks, so the grade estimate below is conservative on purpose while the card still presents as an honest, handsome mid grade with upside potential. A respected Phillie legend on tough Canadian cardboard, priced for a quick yes from any true Philadelphia collector. Grade Estimate: EX 5