1971 O-Pee-Chee Jack Billingham #162 Pitcher Houston Astros (creased)

Description

1971 O-Pee-Chee Jack Billingham #162 Pitcher Houston Astros (creased) Capture a key piece of pitching history with this 1971 O-Pee-Chee Jack Billingham #162 card. Before he became a foundational pillar of the Cincinnati Reds' "Big Red Machine" dynasty later in the decade, Jack Billingham was a stellar workhorse right-hander for the Houston Astros. In 1970, Billingham enjoyed a highly productive season in Houston, appearing in 52 games and logging a brilliant 1.43 ERA at the Astrodome. This vintage card showcases Billingham in his classic Houston uniform. The jet-black borders of the 1971 design make this card pop, though they are notoriously sensitive to edge chipping and wear. This Canadian O-Pee-Chee version is far more elusive than the regular American version. The back provides a fantastic bilingual description of his 12 wins in 1970 and his masterful relief work. This card presents nicely with typical vintage attributes. The sensitive black borders display modest chipping along the outer margins. The corners show standard softening consistent with years of careful storage. Front centering is shifted slightly to the left side. The reverse side is bright yellow with clean lines, great color consistency, and no staining.