Closer......closer......

The first card show of the new year took place today. I just happened to pop by. In the time I was there, I caught up with a few people I hadn't seen since before the holidays, spent $29, and brought home some cards.

The kicker is, the cards I took home for myself, cost $5. The rest was spent on cards for other people. I guess I went a little overboard looking for other people's wantlists instead of my own.

Ah well. Why can't Xmas be year round, right?

On the hockey front, I found these.... from the 2011-12 Parkhurst Champions set I'm slowly building.

First up, a colour Rendition card of goalie Rogie Vachon. Cost .50 cents

 and a black + white Rendition of Phil Esposito. Cost $1.00

I was very happy to add these two as it now leaves me with only 13 more cards to get to complete the master set. Three wire photos, one colour rendition, four black + white renditions, and five minis.
If you have any to trade or donate, my need list can be found here... LINK

1974-75 Topps card #3 Scoring Leaders

Card Features - Phil Esposito and Bobby Clark

 Okay. Last leader card featuring a Bruin for awhile. I promise. What's there to say other than the Bruins of the early '70's were a juggernaut. No team has dominated the scoring charts since like they did.

For my take on Phil, go HERE and read the post for card #1 in this set. For now, we'll concentrate on Bobby Clark.
Bobby was the captain for the Philadelphia Flyers, and at the time this card came out was just about to lead the Flyers in back to back Stanley Cup wins. Bobby went on to lead the NHL in assists in the 74/75 and 75/76 seasons. As well as playing in two of his 8 All Star games.

it's nice to see a picture of Bobby with all his teeth. A rarity for sure.

Hall of Fame - Phil in 1994
                       Bobby in 1987

1974-75 Topps #1 Top Goal Leaders

Card Features - Phil Esposito and Bill Goldsworthy

 Phil Esposito led the entire NHL in 73/74 with 68 goals. It was the second highest total for Phil. He would pot 61 the following year, but never more than 42 in his final 6 seasons. Phil finished his 18 year career with 717 goals.

Bill Goldsworthy finished with 48 goals in 73/74, good for 5th in the league, but tops in the west. This was Bill's best year. 37 the next year and out of the NHL three years after that. One thing I would love to find, is video of Bill doing the "Goldie Shuffle". A goal celebration dance he did after scoring on home ice.

Both Phil and Bill were traded to the Rangers within three years of this card coming out. They also played together with Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series. And really? Philadelphia? In the west? There's a reason Conferences and Divisions were renamed.


Hall of Fame - Phil was elected in 1994

Deceased - Bill passed away in 1996 from complications due to AIDS. Bill tried to pass on a warning to all young hockey players about the dangers associated with the abundance of Puck Bunnies who make themselves available to all NHL'ers on the road.
Not sure anyone has heeded that advice. Would you?