It isn't much, but it's a start

Well, last week was the monthly card show, and the one dealer that I've frequented lately let me know about another show that was this weekend, at a flea market that is right down the street from where I work.

Easy to get to on the weekend, only about a 25-30 minute drive.  So, off I went yesterday. 

Really wasn't much of a show, just a handful of dealers, but he was there, so I dove back in to the dime boxes he had last week.   He also mentioned that he had quarter boxes where the cards were in a little bit better shape.   I dug into those as well, and to my surprise, he had hockey!

Now, this post only contains a dozen cards, but when you're finding 70's OPC at a show in south Florida, you have to jump on it.

Don't remember if I've ever shown a Cleveland Barons card on the blog

In the top scan, the big shocker was the lone 72-73 OPC card of Noel Price.  Can't recall seeing these down here, especially for 25 cents.  The remainder of what he had were 77-78 OPC, not much as you can see but the 11 cards went quickly into the pile, as I really didn't have many of them to start that set. 

No really big names, but some recognizable names including Pit Martin of the BlackHawks who wound up playing the final 2 years of his career with the Canucks after spending a decade in the windy city.  Butch Goring wound up getting traded to the Islanders a couple of years later and was a big part of their dynasty in the early 80's.  Butch is still in hockey, working for the MSG network.

1977-78 would be the end of Gerry Desjardins career in hockey, as he took a stick in the eye and would never play after that.  His injury is long believed to be the start of the change away from the solid fiberglass mask to the helmet/cage, then the hybrid fiberglass/cage masks that are common today.

Like I said, it isn't much to show off today, but it's a start for both of these sets. 

Thanks for reading!

Robert