1972 O-Pee-Chee CFL Rudy Linterman #63 Grey Cup Champion Calgary Stampeders

Description

1972 O-Pee-Chee CFL Rudy Linterman #63 Grey Cup Champion Calgary Stampeders The 1972 O-Pee-Chee CFL Rudy Linterman #63 Grey Cup Champion Calgary Stampeders card captures the popular Canadian halfback and receiver at a pivotal moment in team history. Linterman leans forward in Calgary's red number 17 uniform, framed by a vivid green panel and the tall yellow Stampeders lettering that gives the 1972 set its memorable visual identity. Issued in O-Pee-Chee's 132-card CFL release following Calgary's 1971 title, the card is a compelling piece for collectors who value vintage Canadian production, championship connections and players whose careers are woven into one franchise's history. A Calgary-born athlete who attended the University of Idaho, Linterman joined the Stampeders in 1968 and remained with the club through most of 1977. Known as the Flying Dutchman, he contributed as a running back, receiver and dangerous return specialist. His 1968 season included a 112-yard punt return, then a league record and a feat highlighted on this card's reverse. Over his CFL career, he accumulated 1,399 rushing yards and 4,908 receiving yards, scoring 20 touchdowns across 157 games. Linterman made a particularly important contribution in the rain-soaked 1971 Grey Cup against Toronto, accounting for 68 of Calgary's 111 receiving yards and helping set up both Stampeders touchdowns in the 14 to 11 victory. He later earned the 1974 Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy as the West's outstanding Canadian and was selected as a Western all-star. Calgary honoured his enduring place in club history by adding him to the Stampeders Wall of Fame in 2012. The reverse is a Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual text back with English and French biography sections, not a puzzle back. It presents card number 63, his University of Idaho background and a playful cartoon built around his return skills. This 1972 card is not identified as a rookie because Linterman appeared in earlier O-Pee-Chee CFL sets. The front offers pleasing colour and a well-focused image, with moderate touches at the upper left and lower corners, slight roughness across the top edge and scattered tiny white flecks in the image and border areas. These spots appear consistent with print or light surface wear, but the sleeve prevents definitive separation. No obvious full crease, major wrinkle, writing, pinhole, tear or paper loss is visible. The design is reasonably centered, with a mild horizontal shift and a somewhat narrow upper margin. The back shows typical tan toning, lightly softened corners and minor rub along the blue perimeter, while all bilingual text remains clear. Conservative grading is appropriate because fine scratches or shallow pressure marks could be hidden by the protective page. The visible corner wear, edge roughness and small specks point to EX 5, even though the card remains attractive and apparently free of a major crease. This is an affordable championship-linked card with excellent Calgary content and strong appeal for CFL historians, player collectors and 1972 O-Pee-Chee set builders. Grade Estimate: EX 5