1970 O-Pee-Chee Bob Howes #34 BC Lions VG 3

Description

1970 O-Pee-Chee Bob Howes #34 BC Lions VG 3 Elevate your vintage Canadian sports collection with this authentic 1970 O-Pee-Chee Bob Howes #34 BC Lions VG 3 trading card, proudly offered by Alex Collect. The 1970 O-Pee-Chee CFL release holds a special place in hobby history as one of the most aesthetically pleasing gridiron designs of the vintage era, adapting the beloved 1969 Topps football template with distinctive Canadian flair and bilingual storytelling. Featuring Bob Howes during his formative seasons anchoring the offensive line as the starting centre for the British Columbia Lions, this card commemorates an authentic CFL icon whose career established a benchmark for longevity, leadership, and athletic excellence across the Canadian game. Born in Northern Ontario and educated at Queen's University, Howes dominated Canadian collegiate sports on both the gridiron and the hardwood before embarking on an extraordinary professional journey. During his extensive 14-year career in the Canadian Football League, Howes captured five Grey Cup championship rings with Edmonton, played in over 200 professional regular-season contests, and earned selection as a prestigious CFL Western Division All-Star centre in 1973. Beyond his on-field dominance, Howes achieved revered status as a university mentor, coaching the Queen's Golden Gaels to a Vanier Cup national football championship in 1992 and securing multiple collegiate Coach of the Year honours during his distinguished coaching tenure. His dual legacy as both a championship player and a championship coach makes his vintage cards highly sought after by CFL historians and serious sports memorabilia collectors who appreciate the foundational figures of Canadian football history. This card features an authentic Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back printed in Canada with English and French biographical text and cartoons, rather than a puzzle back. The card displays attractive overall colour and balanced 50/50 front centering framing the image of Howes in his number 44 jersey against the open stadium background. However, the card exhibits a visible horizontal centre crease extending across the midsection of the photo, which accounts for the conservative raw grade of VG 3. The corners show moderate vintage rounding and softening at the tips with white cardstock exposed, while the edges show standard vintage O-Pee-Chee paper wear and minor chipping. The front gloss remains surprisingly bright across the untouched areas of the surface, highlighting the orange trim of the uniform. The reverse side is intact with bold green printing, clean bilingual biographical text, and charming degree cartoon graphics with moderate age-appropriate wear, making this an affordable entry-level piece for vintage set builders. Grade Estimate: VG 3