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1957 Topps football card of “Johnny U”, Baltimore Colts’ Hall of Fame quarterback John Unitas. This was Unitas’ “rookie” card, since it was the first one made of him. He had been cut by the Steelers because their coach claimed he “wasn’t smart enough”, but after joining the Colts in 1956 he went on to a fantastic career, playing into the 1970s. Unitas was a 3-time NFL Most Valuable Player and a master of the passing game in an era of “three yards and a cloud of dust” football. He was known for his late game-winning drives, the most famous being in the “Greatest Game Ever Played”, the 1958 NFL Championship game, won by the Colts over the Giants. Unitas led a game tying drive at the end of regulation, then a game-winning drive in the league’s first “sudden death” overtime game. He holds an NFL record that may never be broken, even in the pass-happy era of today – he threw touchdown passes in 47 consecutive games between 1956 and 1960. One other note – the white ball Unitas is holding on the card is the “night game” ball used by the NFL in the ’50s to help spectators see the ball during games played under the lights.

From www.CheckOutMyCards.com , a 1969 Topps basketball card of the mayor of Detroit, Michigan, former Piston Dave Bing. Bing is a Hall of Famer who was NBA Rookie Of The Year in 1967 and was a 7 time all star in his 12 pro seasons. He was named one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players of all time. Bing was elected Detroit mayor in a special election in 2009, and was re-elected in the regular election in November of 2009.

1963 Topps baseball card of Hall of Fame outfielder Frank Robinson, when he still a member of the Cincinnati Reds. He was traded to the Baltimore Orioles prior to the 1966 season, and is the only player to win the MVP Award in both the National and American Leagues. He won the triple crown in his first season in Baltimore (leading the league in HR, RBI, and batting average), and led the Orioles to World Series titles in 1966 and 1970. Robinson also had a long career as a manager, and in 1975 became the first African American to manage a major league team when he took over the Cleveland Indians as a player/manager.

1972 Topps hockey card of Buffalo Sabres winger Rick Martin. Martin, along with Rene Robert and Gilbert Perreault, combined to form the most famous line in team history, and one of the most productive lines in NHL history, the “French Connection” line. He was a 7 time NHL All-Star, and holds the Sabres’ franchise record for most career hat tricks, four goal games, 40 goal seasons and 50 goal seasons.

On this 1960 Topps football card, Sam Huff of the New York Giants is listed as a defensive tackle, even though he was one of the greatest middle linebackers of all time. The card is obviously erroneous, since by 1960 he was already established at MLB.  Huff’s career path was guided by two of football’s all-time greatest coaches. The story is that in his rookie season of 1956, Huff was struggling so badly in the Giants’ training camp that he quit the team, but was stopped at the airport upon leaving by assistant coach Vince Lombardi and convinced to return. The Giants were having a hard time finding a position for Huff to play, and defensive assistant Tom Landry plugged him in at the middle linebacker spot in his new 4-3 defense, where he flourished. The Giants traded Huff to the Washington Redskins in 1964, and in ’69 Lombardi became the Redskins’ coach and again talked him out of retirement. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.

From www.CheckOutMyCards.com , a 1961 Fleer basketball “action” card of the late Johnny “Red” Kerr of the Syracuse Nationals. Kerr played mostly for the Nats in his long career, but was picked in the 1966 expansion draft by the Chicago Bulls. He immediately retired to become coach of the team, and although the Bulls finished with a losing record they made the playoffs, the first time an expansion team ever accomplished that feat in their first season, and Kerr was rewarded with the NBA Coach of The Year award. “Red”  also worked as an administrator and broadcaster, for the Bulls and Phoenix Suns, since his playing days ended. He died in 2009.

1955 Topps baseball card, from www.CheckOutMyCards.com , of maybe the greatest pure hitter of all time, Ted Williams. Williams played his entire career with the Boston Red Sox, and was the last player to hit over .400, batting .406 with 37 HRs and 120 RBI in 1941. A baseball Hall of Famer, Williams also served tours of duty as a pilot in both World War II and the Korean war, and is a true American hero. In true storybook fashion, Williams hit a home run in his final at-bat in the last game of his career in 1960. Williams also managed the Washington Senators in D.C. and through the team’s move to Texas. He was an avid sport fisherman, once hosted a television show about fishing and outdoor living, and is also in the Fishing Hall of Fame.

1969 Opeechee hockey card of “Mr. Hockey”, the legendary Gordie Howe. Howe is best known for his time spent with the Detroit Red Wings, and before Wayne Gretzky came along and rewrote the NHL record book, he was considered the greatest player of all time. He was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972 after a career that started in 1946 and lasted until 1980. He was on 4 Stanley Cup winning teams in Detroit and played briefly on the same line with his 2 sons, Marty and Mark, in the old WHA.

1960 Topps football card of former NFL split end Harlon Hill, who played 9 seasons with 3 different teams before his career was shortened by injuries. He spent most of his career with the Chicago Bears, winning the Rookie of  The Year award in 1954, the MVP award in 1955, while also being named to the Pro Bowl 3 times. Hill played his collegiate career at Florence State Teachers College, an NAIA school, and the annual NCAA Division II Player of The Year award is named after him.

From www.CheckOutMyCards.com , a basketball card of one of the all-time “gunners” in NBA history, Lloyd Free of the Philadelphia 76ers. He changed his name to World B. Free later in his career, and was nicknamed “The Prince of MidAir”. Free played for 5 different teams in the NBA, but is best known for his time in Philly, when he played on a team full of flamboyant players, like Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Darryl “Chocolate Thunder” Dawkins and Joe “Jelly Bean” Bryant, father of current NBA star Kobe Bryant.