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1956 Topps football card of Hall of Fame quarterback Norm Van Brocklin, who played 12 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the high-octane Los Angeles Rams where he split QB duties with Bob Waterfield. With opening day 2011 for the NFL coming up this week, it’s notable that “The Dutchman”, in 1951, set an opening day record by passing for 554 yards, a mark that still stands today. Van Brocklin won an NFL title with the Rams that season also, and at the tail end of his career, led the Philadelphia Eagles to the title in 1960 over Green Bay, the only post-season loss of Vince Lombardi’s career. He retired after that game to become the first head coach of the expansion Minnesota Vikings in 1961.

1977 Topps football card of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defensive lineman Lee Roy Selmon, who passed away at age 56 over the weekend of complications from a stroke. Selmon was the first player drafted by the Bucs’ organization in their inaugural season, and is arguably still the greatest player to ever don a Tampa Bay uniform. He played his entire 9 year career with the franchise, and was the first Buc to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in 1995. His brother Dewey was a teammate both in college at Oklahoma and with Tampa Bay in the early years.

1963 Topps baseball card of Los Angeles Angels pitcher Eli Grba, which is another of the classic “error” cards, since the player pictured is actually Grba’s Angel teammate, pitcher Ryne Duren. Grba was an important part of Angels’ history, as he was the first player the Angels picked in the 1960 expansion draft, and in all had a 5 year major league career. Duren was mostly a journeyman, pitching for eight different major league teams, and was known for his blazing fastball and poor vision, which combined to instill fear in opposing hitters.

In 1950, the Topps card company printed a series of football cards, known as the 1950 Topps Felt Back Series, featuring college players. This card features University of Indiana quarterback and future NFL player Nick Sebek, who also was my high school gymn teacher. After finishing his college career, Sebek was drafted by the Washington Redskins, where he backed up Hall of Famer “Slingin’ ” Sammy Baugh. During World War II he served with the 82nd Airborne Division and quarterbacked the undefeated All Airborne team. Sebek passed away in 2007.

1963 Topps baseball card of one of the hardest throwing left-handed pitchers in baseball history, former Cleveland Indian Sam McDowell. “Sudden Sam” regularly led the American League in strikeouts during his career, and was an AL All Star six times. He battled alcoholism after his playing days ended but eventually got sober and worked as a sports addiction counselor for a couple of major league teams. McDowell also started a retirement community for former players – The City of Legends in Clermont, Florida. The character of Sam Malone, played by Ted Danson on the Cheers television show, was based on McDowell’s life.

1988 Opeechee hockey card of former NHL player Scott Arniel, courtesy of www.CheckOutMyCards.com . Known as a “grinder” with some offensive skills, he carved out a solid 19 year career as a player, mostly with the old Winnipeg Jets and Buffalo Sabres. Arniel went into coaching after his playing days ended, winning a Coach of The Year Award in the American Hockey League in 2009. He is currently the head coach of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.

1970 Topps football card of former NFL defensive lineman Charles “Bubba” Smith, who passed away recently. Smith was the top overall draft pick of the Baltimore Colts in 1967, and played most of his NFL career with them. He played on the Colts’ Super Bowl winning team in 1971, but refused to wear his ring because he claimed “the game was too sloppy”.  Smith enjoyed a successful comedic acting career after his playing days ended, his most memorable movie role being that of “Hightower” in the Police Academy movies. He also was known for appearing in the Miller Lite beer commercials.

From www.CheckOutMyCards.com ,1975 Topps basketball card of one of the greatest rebounders in NBA history, former Washington Bullets’ center Wes Unseld.  During his pro career, he was almost non-existent as an offensive threat, averaging barely over 10 points per game for the 14 years he played. Still, he was a major contributor defensively and under the boards, so dominant in fact that despite his paltry offensive stats, he was named one of the top 50 NBA players of all time and elected to the basketball Hall of Fame in 1988. Unseld helped the Bullets win the NBA title in 1978 and after retiring stayed with the team, serving in the front office and also as head coach for eight seasons.

1963 Topps baseball card of a member of the lovable and laughable New York Mets expansion team of the early 1960s, former catcher Clarence “Choo Choo” Coleman. The Mets had little success in their first few years but Coleman supplied a lot of comedy relief. He was known for outrageous comments and malapropisms. One example is his answer to broadcaster Ralph Kiner when asked “what’s your wife’s name and what’s she like?” His answer: “Her name is Mrs. Coleman and she likes ME, bub!” Former Met pitcher Roger Craig once said that Choo Choo, when catching, used to give the sign for what pitch he wanted thrown, then look down to see what it was.

1988 Opeechee hockey card of former NHL player Mark Napier, courtesy of www.CheckOutMyCards.com . Napier played 19 seasons of pro hockey, starting in 1975 with the World Hockey Association before moving to the NHL. He was a part of Stanley Cup winning teams in Montreal and Edmonton. He did a lot of charity work with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation during his career, and  when he joined the Buffalo Sabres in 1987 he donned the jersey number 65, to draw attention to the foundation, since some children who suffer from the disease but have trouble pronouncing it refer to it as “65 roses”. Napier currently serves as president of the NHL Alumni Association.