1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Barclay Plager #176 St. Louis Blues (VG)

Description

1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Barclay Plager #176 St. Louis Blues (VG) A second portrait-variation copy of the iconic Barclay Plager 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee issue, giving Blues collectors and 1969-70 set-builders a second opportunity to land one of the most recognizable St. Louis cards from the expansion era. Barclay Plager remains a mythic figure in St. Louis sports history — a rugged defenceman who once said he'd rather block a shot with his face than see the puck hit the back of the net, and who played through injuries (including multiple broken bones and concussions) that would have kept lesser players on the bench for weeks. Over 11 NHL seasons, all with the Blues, Barclay racked up 44 goals, 187 assists, 231 points, and over 700 penalty minutes in the regular season, adding another 66 PIM in 68 career playoff games as the Blues marched to three straight Stanley Cup Finals in their first three years of existence. He coached the Blues in 1979-80 and spent decades in the team's front office and in St. Louis-area hockey development after his playing days ended, earning him a permanent place in the hearts of Blues fans. This copy of 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Barclay Plager #176 features the same bust-pose composition as its companion card in the collection — the intense close-up against the muted grey studio backdrop, the jersey crest and circular team patch, the red Defense position disc, and the red stick graphic down the right edge. Like all vintage O-Pee-Chee cards pulled from the same sheet, this physical copy carries its own small handling idiosyncrasies developed over 55+ years. The reverse features the full bilingual O-Pee-Chee treatment: dual-language bios praising Plager's muscle on the Western Division's top-rated defence brigade, the three-brothers cartoon with all three Plagers lined up shoulder to shoulder, full NHL record stats through 1968-69, the vertical © T. C. G. PRINTED IN CANADA line, and all text in both English and French for Canadian distribution. This example presents very similarly to the other Plager in the lot with subtle differences. Corners: the top two corners are soft with light rounding; the bottom two corners show minor touches but retain decent point. Edges: edge wear is even and mild, with no major nicks, chips, or fraying apparent. Surface: the front image carries good blue saturation and appears free of visible creases, wrinkles, stains, or gum marks from the scan; the surface looks clean with minimal scuffing. Centering: the photo is slightly shifted horizontally, with top-bottom alignment near true — comparable to its pair card. The back of this copy shows more even ageing and lighter yellowing than its mate, with a cleaner top edge and slightly less foxing; the cartoon panel and stats are sharp and fully readable, with no paper loss, tape, or pencil writing. Grade Estimate: VG