1971 O-Pee-Chee CFL Rob McLaren #22 Vintage Base Card Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Description

1971 O-Pee-Chee CFL Rob McLaren #22 Vintage Base Card Winnipeg Blue Bombers The 1971 O-Pee-Chee CFL Rob McLaren #22 Vintage Base Card Winnipeg Blue Bombers brings together classic card design, Canadian football identity, and the story of a prominent homegrown linebacker. The front shows McLaren in the royal blue Winnipeg Blue Bombers uniform, with the bold red O-Pee-Chee border, team name, circular football logo, and linebacker position clearly displayed. The portrait captures the straightforward photography style of the early 1970s, while the strong color contrast makes the card stand out in a Winnipeg team run. This is an authentic vintage single card from the 1971 O-Pee-Chee CFL set, an important Canadian issue for collectors of Blue Bombers history and non-import football talent. The reverse identifies McLaren as a non-import and lists Simon Fraser University, with a listed size of approximately 6 feet 1 inch and 230 pounds. The period card describes him as Winnipeg’s first draft choice in 1968 and notes that he was an all-star every year at college, with strength and agility as key attributes. McLaren developed into a major defensive presence for Winnipeg and was selected as a Western All-Star linebacker in 1971. His Simon Fraser connection is meaningful because the university produced a number of Canadian football players during a period when Canadian college talent was becoming increasingly important to CFL rosters. McLaren’s Blue Bombers career placed him alongside notable Winnipeg players of the era, and the card remains a strong representation of a Canadian defensive standout before the modern era of mass-produced football memorabilia. The period design also makes this issue attractive beyond the player biography. This is a Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back, not a puzzle back. The reverse combines English and French text with an illustrated football cartoon, biographical information, card number, physical measurements, college, position, O-Pee-Chee branding, and Printed in Canada wording. The supplied front and back images show no obvious crease, wrinkle, or major indentation. The upper corners are intact with light softening and isolated whitening, while the lower left and lower right corners show modest rounding and small white edge flecks. The front red field has fine hairline marks and scattered tiny areas of print loss, with light chipping visible along portions of the side and lower edges. The Blue Bombers photograph and lettering remain clear. The reverse has natural age toning, minor surface speckling, and light edge wear but no obvious writing or severe staining. Centering appears approximately 55/45 left to right and close to 50/50 vertically. Some fine lines may be caused by the protective sleeve used during scanning. The visible wear is consistent with an honest vintage Excellent condition assessment. Grade Estimate: EX 5