1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Bill McCreary #181 St. Louis Blues (VG-EX)

Description

1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Bill McCreary #181 St. Louis Blues (VG-EX) A second copy of Bill McCreary's 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee card #181 — a budget-friendly option for set-builders looking to fill the slot without paying EX prices, or for Blues collectors who want a pair of this popular action-shot card from the 1969 expansion era. Bill McCreary was 35 years old and entering the back nine of his professional hockey journey when this card was produced, and the bilingual bio on the reverse tells the story of a well-travelled hockey lifer: "Bill came to St. Louis from Montreal, and has been a professional hockey player for over 15 years. Although small in stature, Bill possesses a booming shot." That booming slapshot had made McCreary a star in the minor leagues and a valued role player in the NHL, where he was deployed as a depth forward and power-play trigger man throughout his time in St. Louis. After his NHL career, McCreary would go on to coach and scout, building a multi-generational hockey legacy that includes his son Bill McCreary Jr., who also played in the NHL. This copy features the same on-ice bent-over pose as its companion card — McCreary in the blue #15 sweater against the rich teal arena background, stick on the ice, Cooper gloves, pink Wing disc, red stick graphic, and circular Blues crest patch in the upper right. The reverse carries the full O-Pee-Chee bilingual treatment: English biography, French translation, the "Bill averaged 24 goals per year in the C. P. H. L. / Bill a réussi une moyenne de 24 buts par saison dans la C. P. H. L." cartoon with the 24-burst, the season-by-season N. H. L. Record / Record dans la L. N. H. stat table (71 GP, 13-17-30, 76 PIM for 1968-69 and 168 career GP, 29-35-64, 76 PIM lifetime), and the vertical © T. C. G. PRINTED IN CANADA line confirming it as a Canadian OPC issue. A respectable mid-grade example, a small step below the EX McCreary in this lot. Corners: light corner touches on all four corners, with none severely rounded; two corners show slightly more handling than the other two but all remain defined. Edges: uniform mild wear along the perimeter with no major chips, tears, or notches visible. Surface: the front retains good colour and a clean, uncreased image; no visible stains, wax marks, or major scuffs, though there are a few small age-consistent print specks. Centering: fairly well-centered both ways, perhaps slightly more generous white border along one edge. The back of this copy displays cleaner, more even ageing than the EX McCreary's back, with only mild yellowing around the borders rather than concentrated foxing; the cartoon and stat tables remain fully readable, with no paper loss, tape, or writing. Grade Estimate: VG-EX 4