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1961 Fleer football card of one of the original American Football League quarterbacks, Frank Tripucka, who recently passed away. He was a veteran journeyman quarterback who had floated around the NFL and the Canadian league, with six different teams, since 1949 before deciding to join his old CFL coach, Frank Filchock, with the new AFL Denver Broncos in the league’s inaugural season in 1960. He holds the distinction of throwing the first touchdown pass in AFL history, and wound up playing for the Broncos for 4 seasons, including an All Star season in 1962. Tripucka’s son Kelly is a former NBA basketball player.

1972 Topps football card of former Buffalo Bills’ defensive back Robert James. James joined the Bills in 1969 after graduating from tiny Fisk College, and played 6 seasons for them before a serious knee injury derailed his career. That career, though short, was a successful one, as he was named to 3 Pro Bowls and gained a reputation as a “lockdown” cornerback before that term was popular. James, a member of the Bills’ Wall of Fame, is currently a school administrator in his hometown of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

1963 Topps football card of former Minnesota Vikings’ tight end Jerry Reichow, who was a member of the team in its’ inaugural season in 1961, and was one of only 2 players from the expansion team to be named to the Pro Bowl that season. Reichow entered the NFL in 1956 when he was drafted by Detroit, and helped the Lions win the league title in ’57. He also played on the Philadelphia Eagles title-winning team in 1960 before joining the Vikings, who he played for until 1965. Upon retiring, Reichow stayed on with the franchise as a scout, and has been with the team’s personnel department  in some capacity for over 50 years, currently serving as a consultant.

1961 Fleer football card of one of the standout defensive players in the old American Football League, Harry Jacobs. He started out as a defensive end with the Boston Patriots in 1960, but his pro career really flourished when he moved to the Buffalo Bills in 1963 and was switched to middle linebacker. There he anchored a tough Buffalo defense that won back-to-back championships in 1964 and ’65. An AFL All Star in 1965 and 1969, Jacobs is one of only 20 players who played in the AFL throughout its’ 10 year existence.

1966 Topps football card of former Buffalo Bills’ defensive back George “Butch” Byrd, who was a star cornerback on the Bills’ American Football League championship teams in the 1960s. He played 8 years in the AFL, and was a league All Star 5 times. He also returned punts for the club. Byrd still holds the franchise career records for interceptions (40), interception return yardage (666) and interceptions returned for touchdowns (5).

1978 Topps football card of former Oakland Raider tight end Dave Casper, who was involved in 2 famous plays in NFL history – the “Ghost to the Post” pass in 1977 and the “Holy Roller” forward fumble play in 1978. Casper was a 5-time Pro Bowl player in his 11 NFL seasons, and played on 2 Super Bowl-winning teams with the Raiders. He was named to the NFL’s All Decade team for the 1970s, and was elected the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

1959 Parkhust hockey card of former NHL coach and general manager George “Punch” Imlach, who served as coach and GM for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2 different eras, while also helping build the expansion Buffalo Sabres as coach and GM, beginning in 1970. Imlach’s Leaf teams lost in the Stanley Cup finals his first 2 seasons, in 1959 and 1960, but went on to win 4 Cups during the 1960s. His Buffalo club qualified for the playoffs in only their third year of existence, in 1973. He returned to Toronto in 1979, but his old taskmaster style didn’t go over well, as he fueded with Leaf captain Darryl Sittler. Imlach was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984, and died of a heart attack in 1987.

1991 ProSet football card of former World League of American Football lineman Doug Marrone, who is also the current head coach of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. Marrone played one season, 1991, with the WLAF’s London Monarchs as a center, after a short-lived NFL playing career with the Miami Dolphins (1987) and New Orleans Saints (1989). He then embarked on a coaching career, working in the NFL as an assistant under Herm Edwards with the New York Jets and Sean Payton with the Saints before becoming head coach at Syracuse University.

Courtesy of www.CheckOutMyCards.com , a 1953 Topps baseball card of legendary Brooklyn Dodger Jackie Robinson. On April 15th, 1947, Robinson took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers and became the first African American player to play in the major leagues, breaking 60 years of segregation in the sport. Besides the historical significance of his entrance into major league baseball, Robinson enjoyed a very successful career. He was named Rookie of The Year in ’47, won the National League batting title and MVP Award in 1949, was a six-time All Star , and helped the Dodgers win the World Series in 1955.  Robinson was named to baseball’s All Century team for the 20th century, and was elected to the baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1962.

1966 Topps hockey card of former Toronto Maple Leafs star Dave Keon. Keon played 15 of his 22 professional seasons for the Leafs, including on 4 Stanley Cup-winning teams in the 1960s. An eight time NHL All Star, he was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs in 1967, and also won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 1960. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986.