1971 O-Pee-Chee Doug Strong #17 2nd Year Card Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Description

1971 O-Pee-Chee Doug Strong #17 2nd Year Card Winnipeg Blue Bombers There is something very Canadian about a running back whose card cartoon shows him playing hockey in the off season, and that is exactly the charm of this 1971 O-Pee-Chee Doug Strong #17 2nd Year Card Winnipeg Blue Bombers issue. Doug Strong came out of Hamilton, Ontario, and his college career at Waterloo Lutheran College, today's Wilfrid Laurier University, made him the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' first draft choice in 1967, a distinction the card back proudly records. He was known league wide for an aggressive, downhill rushing style that suited the wide open three down football of the era, and by the time this card was printed he was an established fixture in the Winnipeg backfield. This is his second O-Pee-Chee CFL appearance following his 1970 card, so it sits in that charming stretch between rookie and veteran status that vintage set builders love, and it makes a natural companion piece to his earlier issue. The 1971 O-Pee-Chee CFL series is a 132 card celebration of the Canadian Football League, and its red bordered design with the white name plate, framed colour photo, football graphic, and bold team lettering has become one of the most recognizable Canadian designs of the early seventies. Strong's photograph catches him outdoors in the blue and white Bomber uniform with the W logo patch, his face turned toward the camera with the easy confidence of a number one draft pick who delivered on the promise. The card shows the usual period print quality, with clean colour registration and a sharp red frame that still holds its original vibrancy over fifty years on. viewed through the protective sleeve, this copy presents strong corners with only a minor soft touch at the top-right and negligible wear at the others, the edges are clean with no visible chipping beyond a couple of micro nicks near the top border, and the centering is about 55/45 left to right with the photo frame sitting slightly toward the right, which is typical of the sheet layout. The surface is clean with no creases or wrinkles, and the small white specks visible in the upper photo area and the faint tan speck at the top edge of the frame are printing artifacts rather than damage. The bottom edge and corners remain square and unworked, and there is no writing, tape, or staining anywhere on the card. The reverse is the standard Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back, printed in English and French with the cartoon panel and the © O-PEE-CHEE and PRINTED IN CANADA credits, and it is not a puzzle back, since no puzzle artwork appears on this design. A conservative raw grade in the EX-MT range is realistic for this one, and it is a handsome, honest copy of a beloved Golden Hawks and Blue Bombers fan favourite. Grade Estimate: EX-MT 6