This really has nothing to do with the beginning of a 4 day weekend-called Thanksgiving. I wish everyone a safe and relaxing holiday weekend.
The 1977-78 Topps/OPC Hockey set ranks up there in favorite designs for me with the 1977 Topps/OPC Baseball set.
I recently picked up various Blues Topps team sets from the 70s among the sets was a complete set of 1977-78. The Ed Staniowski (#54) is off-center so I will look to upgrade. Also, not included was a League Leader for Penalty Minutes Dave Williams / Dennis Polonich / Bob Gassoff LL card, which I have always been amused by, a sport that acknowledges and celebrates the importance of doing something bad enough to get in trouble. This is even a category in Fantasy Hockey.
Who were the 1977-78 St. Louis Blues? Prior the their 11th season in the NHL the ownership of the team sold them to the Ralston Purina Co. and the Arena became the Checkerdome-ah, the Checkerdome. So many memories. Unfortunately, the Checkerdome would be razed in 1999.
To say the team stunk would be an understatement. This season would be only the second in 11 they would not make the play offs with a record of 20 wins, 47 losses and 13 ties for a total of 53 points.
Some of the Blues players on the roster included lead scorer Center Gary Unger who played in all 80 games, rookie Center Bernie Federko who scored 17 goals in 72 games, veteran and legendary Center Red Berenson who played in all 80 games and scored 13 goals and had 25 assists. Leading goalie for the Blues was Phil Myre who played 2620 in 44 games and had an 11 and 25 record with a 3.64 GAA.
Red was originally traded in 1970 to the Redwings for Gary Unger. Now Red would play his final season with the Blue Note. Eddie Johnson veteran goalie who started in pro hockey back in 1953-54 would start his final season with the Blues but end it with the Hawks. Blues’ legend Bob Plager would end his career after the season but did play in 18 games.
Making way for new blood such as Bernie Federko who would be with the team for a full year after a partial one the year before, this was also true for Brian Sutter.
Chuck Lefley would leave the Blues before the season and play in Finland.
As with other OPC/Topps Hockey sets there were differences in players depicted with OPC having far more players than tops.
These players only had OPC cards
Bill Fairbairn
Bob Hess
Bob Plager
Bruce Affleck
Chuck Lefley
Dick Redmond
Doug Grant
Doug Palazzari RC
Ed Johnston
Floyd Thomson
Inge Hammarstrom
Len Frig
Rick Bourbonnais RC, UER
Yves Belanger
These players had both Topps and OPC
Bob MacMillan
Claude Larose
Dave Williams / Dennis Polonich / Bob Gassoff LL
Ed Staniowski
Garry Unger
Jim Roberts
Larry Patey
Red Berenson
Rod Seiling
Poor Rick Bourbonnais’ only NHL card was the 1977-78 OPC card. However, he isn’t actually featured on the card. Blues’ fans will recognize the player as Bernie Federko. Technically Bernie’s rookie card will be issued the following year.
Sadly, both OPC and Topps would include the last card a league leader of Defenseman Bob Gassoff who was killed May of 1977 as a result of a motorcycle accident on the property of his good friend and teammate Gary Unger. As I remember my dad coming in to my room to tell me Thurman Munson passed away I remember when he told me of Bob’s passing.
Regarding the cards- they are clean to say the least. The team logo and name, player name and position along the bottom with a player action shot framed in white. Nice, nice design.
The reverse echoes other Topps and OCP cards. Topps utilizes the darker paper and again reminds me of their football issues. The reverse has a hockey stick as part of the border, with Topps going with a blue and brown ink combo. Career stats are included and the usual bio information along with a cartoon regarding the player along the bottom. A real clean reverse, I think sometime Topps was burdened by the need to remain traditional in their baseball card designs.
For the OPC set, same set up except bilingual French-English and a light cardboard stock.
Topps 8 of 9-only missing the League Leader with Gassoff and OPC 17 of 25.
1977-78 Topps was the first hockey set I chased, and remains a favorite. Thanks for sharing these!
ReplyDeleteyou are welcome-a really attractive set that I mangled to pick up packs of as a kid
DeleteGreat post. I've been watching the Blues a lot this season. The first NHL Game I saw in full was a Blues victory, which I will post about tomorrow actually.
ReplyDeleteI am hopeful this is the year-I hope to catch them in San Jose in March-if the Sharks stink still tickets may be on the cheaper side
DeleteI am not a big hoskey fan, but I love this set, especially the OPC high numbers. I like the near-randomness of the players used and photos that are sometimes years old, plus the use of minor and major league stats.
ReplyDeleteGreat points-the OPC sets really do try to include every player and I appreciate they were issued later than Topps and were able to note trades-even retirements.
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