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1972 Topps football card of former Minnesota Viking defensive end Carl Eller, who was one of the cornerstones of Minnesota’s “Purple People Eaters” defense that was a dominant force in the NFL in the 1960s and ’70s. He had a long, storied 16 year career in the league, all but one of those years with the Vikings. He played in all 4 of the team’s Super Bowls in that era, all losses. Eller was a six time Pro Bowler, was the NFL’s Defensive Player of The Year in 1971, was named to the All Decade team for the 1970s, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004. Today, Eller serves as president of the Retired Players’ Association, a non-profit group that advocates for retired professional players, and is also active in numerous charities in the Minneapolis/St. Paul community and through the football Hall of Fame. Rumor has it that he is also close friends with one Roy Pohlman.

1960 Topps baseball card of former major league pitcher Dallas Green, who had an eight year major league career, mostly with the Philadelphia Phillies, and was also a long-time major league manager and general manager. As a manager, he was known for his blunt, fiery style. Despite having a career losing record as both a pitcher and manager, Green is revered by Philadelphia sports fans, as he managed the Phillies to the first World Series title in franchise history in 1980. He still works in the team’s front office today, as a senior advisor to the general manager.

1966 Topps baseball card of former Cleveland Indian third baseman Max Alvis, who played 9 seasons in the major leagues and was an American League All Star twice, including in 1965 when he had a great year coming off a lost season in ’64 when he battled spinal meningitis and lost 6 weeks of the year, still managing to hit 18 homers. Today, Alvis is a bank president in his hometown of Jasper, Texas.

With the Stanley Cup Finals about to begin, a good sports card to feature is this 1972 Opeechee hockey card of former NHL player Bob Baun, a hero in the Stanley Cup Finals for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1964, when he scored the winning goal in overtime against Detroit while playing on a broken leg. Baun, a defenseman, was typical for the era in that he wasn’t much of an offensive threat, but played solid defense and was a good, hard, clean hitter. His NHL career lasted 18 seasons, 11 of them with Toronto, and he helped the Leafs win 4 Stanley Cups.

1961 Topps baseball card of a former member of numerous New York Yankee championship teams, first baseman Bill “Moose” Skowron, who passed away recently. He was an unsung member of some very talented Yankee teams of the era, but was a great player in his own right, as he was an eight-time All Star. He helped the Bronx Bombers win 4 World Series titles in his 9 years with the team, and after being traded to the Dodgers following the 1962 season, he turned around and was a major factor, hitting a home run and batting .385, as the Dodgers swept the Yanks in the 1963 Series. Skowron worked as a public relations representative for the Chicago White Sox from 1999 until his recent death.

From www.CheckOutMyCards.com ,a 1971 Topps football card of former Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Terry Bradshaw. With the annual NFL draft having just concluded over the weekend, Bradshaw is a good player to feature, since he was the number one overall selection in the draft in 1970 by the Steelers. It turned out to be a terrific choice by Pittsburgh, as “The Blonde Bomber” led the team to 4 Super Bowl titles in his 14 year NFL career. All 14 of those seasons were spent with the Steelers, and although he once was ridiculed by Dallas linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson as a guy who “couldn’t spell cat if you spotted him the C and and the A”, Bradshaw can be defined as a player in one word – winner. He didn’t compile impressive stats over his career, and was a Pro Bowler only 3 times, but was one of the NFL’s best leaders of all time. He was voted to the NFL’s All Decade team for the 1970s, and elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1989. Bradshaw is currently a studio analyst on Fox Network’s Sunday NFL television coverage.

From www.CheckOutMyCards.com , a 2001 Topps Gold Label hockey card of current NHL player Marian Gaborik. The Slovakian born winger played his first 9 seasons in the league for the Minnesota Wild, then signed as a free agent with the New York Rangers in 2009. He’s been a three-time NHL All Star and was MVP of this year’s game. A major offensive threat, Gaborik has topped the 30 goal mark 4 times in his career, and has scored 40 in a season 3 times. He is a big reason the Rangers are one of the top clubs in this year’s playoffs, and a favorite to compete for the Stanley Cup. He has also been a huge contributor to promoting youth hockey in his native Slovakia.

1970 Opeechee hockey card of one of the greatest defensemen to ever play in the National Hockey League, Bobby Orr. He was truly a player who revolutionized his position, as he brought tremendous skating and playmaking ability to the game, which was basically unheard of from the defense position before him. Orr played 12 seasons in the NHL, mostly with the Boston Bruins, and he remains the only defenseman in league history to score 40 goals in a season. He also holds the distinction of having won the Art Ross Trophy (leading scorer), the Hart Trophy (MVP), Norris Trophy (best defenseman) and the Conn Smythe Trophy (Stanley Cup playoff MVP) all in the same season. Orr was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979.

1979 Topps hockey card of former NHL defenseman Jim Shoenfeld, who played 14 seasons in the league, mostly for the Buffalo Sabres. He was a prototype defensive defenseman, and was a major part of a young Sabre team that made the playoffs in only its’ third season of existence in 1973, then advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals the following year. He was head coach of 4 different teams, including the Sabres, after his playing days ended, and gained notoriety for a confrontation with referee Don Koharski when he yelled, “Have another doughnut, you fat pig!” while arguing with him. Speaking of doughnuts, Shoenfeld’s first defense partner in the NHL was Tim Horton.

1978 Topps baseball card of a gritty former player and manager in the major leagues, Lou Piniella. “Sweet Lou” kicked around the majors with Cleveland, Baltimore and the Kansas City Royals before finding his niche as a regular player for the New York Yankees. He was a major part of back-to-back Yankee championship teams in 1977 and ’78. After finishing up his playing career with 11 seasons in the Bronx, Piniella embarked on a highly successful managing career, piloting 5 different major league clubs and winning 3 Manager of the Year awards. He managed the 1990 Cincinnati Reds to a surprising World Series sweep over the heavily favored Oakland A’s. He is currently an analyst on Yankee telecasts for the team’s YES network.