Show your favorite action card

[ksfarmboy]

Love this 1975 card of Greg Pruitt. It looks like a little kid about to get smashed by a giant. What other action cards out there do you like? Seems like the 73-75 cards have some great action shots.

[nearmint]

I like this shot, though it's not obvious which player is May. He's number 56.

[BigRedOne]

Great Topic!

I always loved that 75 Greg Pruitt card, But the 72 Topps FB set is where it all begins for Action!



of coarse the Cowboy one's are my all-time favorites


Just look at the sheer determination on Lilly's Face. None were better than Mr.Cowboy.



I'll be back with more on this topic.

[CowboysGuide]

How about this one . This is from my 1972T Cowboys Retrocards set.

[BigRedOne]

Steve

Your retro cards are absolutely AMAZING!

I just ordered your complete 1972 Retro Set.

I can't say enough about how cool it will be to have those missing cards. I can't wait to see them in hand.

While the 72 Topps Set is the Home of the "Pro-Action" cards, The 73 topps Set features many great action cards as well. It seems the Redskins were the focus of quite a few.


George Allen's "Over the Hill" gang was quite a team

The "Juice" was loose on his 73 Topps card And of coarse one of my Favorite is Roger Staubach being pursued by Falcon Defender Claude Humphey


And who could ever forget the desruction Butkus was causing here!


The 1974 Topps Set was a little bit less thrilling with the action cards, but it did manage to give us a few keepers like this classic Bob Lee Card.


The 75 Topps Set hit us with a gold mine of now classic action cards, which the Vikings seem to be members of many. Ya gotta love that classic Topps airbrushing!




The 75 OJ simpson has to be the best card of his career.

And now for my two all-time favorite 1975 Topps Action cards!


Lawrence McCutcheon was an absolute GREAT Back. He is HIGHLY overlooked when it comes to the discussion of All-time NFL greats. Here he is in a classic battle with the great Redskin Linebacker Chris Hanburger.
Who could ever forget "The Snake" Like McCutheon, Kenny Stabler is an All-Time great QB in my book who is HIGHLY underrated. He was sly and crafty and was just one of the smartest QB's Ive ever seen. 26 TD's in the deadball era of 1974! Amazing!

Now if you really want to talk "Action cards" you need to look no further than the Fleer Team Action Sets from 1976-1988. Unlike Topps Fleer had NFL logo rights. For years I have overlooked these Fleer sets and after reviewing them more closely have come to realize how truely under valued and under appriciated they really are compared to their Topps conterparts of the time.

1977 Fleer


1979 Fleer


1980 Fleer


Im currently working on the 1981 Fleer Team Action Set. Centering is tough on these fleer sets, but after breaking a couple
of wax boxes have managed to assemble a few nice high grade sets. I highly recommend any of these overlooked Fleer Team action sets.



Of coarse there are still many other overlooked action sets. Take for example the 1988 Swell 25th Anniversary HOF set.
An absolutely beautiful football card set that features some truely great photos of every Hofer up to that point.
Ive busted almost 10 boxes of the Swell football cards in an attempt to assemble the "Perfect" Set. To my surprise the Quality control on the Swell cards was not that good. Poor centering, Print flaws and cards damaged durning the packing process have made assembling the Perfect set more
of a challenge than I initially thought it would be. Even so I have assembled a few of the nicest sets you will likely see if anyone was interested in one LMK.

And now some of the beautiful action cards from the set

Ah crap! This message board only allows 18 pic in a post! A terrible feature indeed!
John

[laughlinfan]

Love these action cards, but still have to admit I am a bit bitter about the team insignias being airbrushed out of the Topps cards. I always enjoyed the Fleer Team Action cards. And maybe the best action card set of the past thirty years - Jeno's Pizza Rolls? Great article with pictures here:

http://fleersticker.blogspot.com/201...zza-rolls.html

[BigRedOne]

And now those 1988 Swell Cards





We didn't get to the great cards in the 77,78 and 79 Topps Football sets, but beings how this thread started with that classic 1975 Topps Greg Pruitt card I thought it Only fitting to end with another classic Greg Pruitt card and a favorite of mine from the 1977 Topps Set. Its a classic almost heisman like pose!



John

[CowboysGuide]

Originally Posted by BigRedOne

Steve

Your retro cards are absolutely AMAZING!

I just ordered your complete 1972 Retro Set.

I can't say enough about how cool it will be to have those missing cards. I can't wait to see them in hand.

John

Thanks for your order John. The set was packaged and shipped today. Once you have them, how about posting a customer review .

~Steve

[Samsdaddy]

I know I am very late to this thread but I still wanted to comment.

All the cards are great. I grew up in the 1970s so the Topps cards are close to my heart. My only problem now is NO TEAM LOGOS on the cards...GRRRR!!!

[PM770]

Originally Posted by BigRedOne

Now if you really want to talk "Action cards" you need to look no further than the Fleer Team Action Sets from 1976-1988. Unlike Topps Fleer had NFL logo rights. For years I have overlooked these Fleer sets and after reviewing them more closely have come to realize how truely under valued and under appriciated they really are compared to their Topps conterparts of the time.

I agree 100%. Several years ago, I picked up a 1979 Fleer Action wax box for under $150 and that was most fun break I've had in years. Ah, the memories!

[BigRedOne]

I know many criticize the lack of Logos and the Airbrushing on the Topps Cards, and in comparison to the Fleer Team Action cards probably rightfully so, but to me the airbushing thing is what makes the cards somehow loveable to me. Maybe its just because as a kid that's how I remember them.

Of coarse, As a kid NOTHING could match the ahead of its time Action and Full Blown logos in the 72 Sunoco Stamp Set!

[Samsdaddy]

Originally Posted by BigRedOne

I know many criticize the lack of Logos and the Airbrushing on the Topps Cards, and in comparison to the Fleer Team Action cards probably rightfully so, but to me the airbushing thing is what makes the cards somehow loveable to me. Maybe its just because as a kid that's how I remember them.

Of coarse, As a kid NOTHING could match the ahead of its time Action and Full Blown logos in the 72 Sunoco Stamp Set!

Though today I am wishing the Topps Football cards of my youth (mostly 1970s) would have logos, back when I collected I never really paid attention to the lack of logos on the cards and did not care. And, eventually, I would not mind putting together my two favorite sets of that decade, 1975 and 1976.

[BigRedOne]

Erik

Two fine choices in the 75 and 76 Sets. While I might favor the 75 Ribbon design a bit more, its hard to ignore the stronger Rookie Crop in the 76 set.

Being a hugh Cowboys and Roger Staubach Fan from the seventies I have work tiredlessly on my seventies sets over the years to maintain high quality sets of the decade, the 75 and 76 included.

I will say that I kind of lend more toward the 76 set, as I have worked much harder on that set than I have the 75 set. Either way you can't go wrong with either choice.

Once I get all the scanning done I will be offering up some higher grade cards from both sets.




John

[Samsdaddy]

Originally Posted by BigRedOne

Erik

Two fine choices in the 75 and 76 Sets. While I might favor the 75 Ribbon design a bit more, its hard to ignore the stronger Rookie Crop in the 76 set.

Being a hugh Cowboys and Roger Staubach Fan from the seventies I have work tiredlessly on my seventies sets over the years to maintain high quality sets of the decade, the 75 and 76 included.

I will say that I kind of lend more toward the 76 set, as I have worked much harder on that set than I have the 75 set. Either way you can't go wrong with either choice.

Once I get all the scanning done I will be offering up some higher grade cards from both sets.




John

Sweet cards and yes, two great sets. I do have the complete Buffalo Bills team sets from each year as that was my favorite team as a kid thanks to O.J. Simpson.

I agree, I do like the design of the 1975 set more. It was the first football set I collected as a kid, but I remember having more 1976 Topps Football in shoe boxes as a youngster. Heck, I even remember pasting several of my favorite Bills players from the '76 set in a scrapbook.

[BigRedOne]

Erik

Funny you mentioned pasting cards in a scrapebook.

I did the same thing with a 76 Topps Set! I pasted the cards onto sheets of notebook paper and had the in a binder that they wouldn't even fit in hardly!

Yes the Walter Payton too. I had them for quite a long time before I eventual trashed them after trying to remove them years later. No they were not coming off that paper after the glue job I put to them when I was 12 years old.

I know many(if not most) people view OJ Simpson as a monster and with disgust(Maybe rightfully so) But he was the greatest back from the decade(Maybe all-time). His Superstar power made him a football hero to many young boys at the time and his fame and popularity was second to none.

He had Power, size and breakaway speed and that combination made him an absolute beast and a strong argument can be made that he was the greatest back ever.

Its amazing how money, power, greed and fame can devour a human being.
Its a shame his brilliant career will always be over shadowed by his failures as a human being later in life.

[Samsdaddy]

Nice O.J. rookie card. I have never had one but one day I will pick one up.

I agree with your comments on O.J. John. Sad to see what all the greed, money, fame and power did to him. I remember he had an infant daughter who drowned in a pool in the late 1970's. I am sure that grief added to the mix, how could it not?

Regarding the player O.J., I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago in the 1970's but did not care much for the Bears. O.J. was my favorite player and the Bills were thus my favorite team.

I had the Walter Payton rookie as well but it was not pasted in my scrapbook. But, it did look like I carried it in my wallet for years as it was HEAVILY creased.

Back then I had no idea the cards would be worth something. I collected because I loved to collect. Even today, I collect because I love to collect. Sure, I try to get a card in at least EX+ or EXMT condition today, but if not, no worries.

Getting back to O.J., I think he was the best RB of the 1970's. And, if the Bills were anything when they drafted him he could have put up some better numbers in his first three years and then really challenged Jimmy Brown's all time rushing record. O.J. did all his damage in a span of five years, from 1972 - 1976.

[Samsdaddy]

Originally Posted by BigRedOne

I know many criticize the lack of Logos and the Airbrushing on the Topps Cards, and in comparison to the Fleer Team Action cards probably rightfully so, but to me the airbushing thing is what makes the cards somehow loveable to me. Maybe its just because as a kid that's how I remember them.

Of coarse, As a kid NOTHING could match the ahead of its time Action and Full Blown logos in the 72 Sunoco Stamp Set!

John, I meant to ask you about the Sunoco Stamp set. I am assuming they are the size of regular stamps? Yes? Also, how many stamps were in the complete set?

[BigRedOne]

Erik

Im glad to hear that there are still those who collect for the love and memories the cards themselves invoke in us. In the mid eighties I became obsessed with building all of my childhood seventies Sets in perfect condition. I searched high and Low at Card Shows and Shops. While I eventually had to wheel and deal to be able to obtain the high grade cards I was after, it was always about how beautiful that perfect card looked in my set, weather it was a common, semi-star or Star card, it was always about the way it made me feel when looking at the cards. These days it seems like most people involved in the hobby are in it simply for the "whats it worth" or the Label some third party grading company places on it. The cards themselves really have no meaning to them and are secondary to "Whats it worth"

While I do have to play the "What's its Worth" game in order to obtain other cards I so desire for my sets, The day the the label or "Value" or "Price" becomes more important and meaningful than the card and its connection to my childhood memories, is the day I will stop being involved in the hobby.

As for the 1972 Sunoco Stamp Set? Boy oh Boy was it something special. I still remember my uncle Bill taking me and my cousin to the Gas Station to get them.

We was 8 years old and had boxes full of cards from prior years, but when we seen Them full blown Team logos and action shots it was like nothing we had ever seen before. An unlike the Topps Sets we were use to, the Sunoco Stamp set included EVERY player on the team!

Uncle Bill got us the Collector Album to put the Stamps in as well and we would never miss a chance to go to the station with him.

That Sunoco set was way before its time and those Memories of collecting them with my cousin and his dad taking us there will always hold a special place in my heart.

About 6-7 years ago I became so Obsessed with putting together the finest 1972 Sunoco Stamp Set on the planet that I spent out of control buying up every pack, uncut sheets and collector Albums I could find. I opened literally 100's of the 9-stamp packs and went through countless uncut team sheets to complete the set.

I don't care how much money I spent on it or even what its worth. Its priceless to me every time I pull it out to look at it instantly transports me back to the care free days of 1972 and the trips to Del Skouglands Gas Station.

Anyway the Stamps are bigger than a postage stamp. They measure about 2 1/4 inches high by 1 1/2 wide.

There are 624 Stamps in the set, but there were new "Update" Players issued for each team on the end of the year Team Sheets that were issued later in the year.

I still have lots of singles from opening so many packs. I think I still have a few of the collector Albums and some of the Team Sheets around here somewhere.


The Stamps I posted previously were just some random doubles I had.

I made Special acid free Mattes and Frames to display my set in. Boy was that a time consuming project! 624 Mattes!

Here are a few of my favorites! Be warned! Its a very difficult set to assemble in high grade centered condition due to the format they were issued in. I would say virtually impossible without obtain the uncut team sheets and the full sheets issued in the collector albums. But also beware that you can not obtain the full 624 stamp set from the team sheets. Why? Because some of the early year players that were issued in the original 9-stamp packs were not on the late year Team sheets that included the updated or traded players. A prime example is Bart Starr... He can ONLY be obtain in the early year 9-stamp packs. Due to his retirement he was not issued on the late year team sheet as Scott Hunter was the updated player on the Packer Team Sheet.

This is true for Every Team in the set. So there are certain Players from every Team, weather they Traded or just New Players, or retire like Bart Starr that can only be obtained from the packs.

My God how long have I been rambling on! OK again some of my favorites:

[Samsdaddy]

That is a great story on the Sunoco Stamp Set John. It also sounds like you cornered the market on the set...ha ha.

I think there is nothing wrong with wanting to build high quality sets. But, just like you said, "The day the the label or "Value" or "Price" becomes more important and meaningful than the card and its connection to my childhood memories, is the day I will stop being involved in the hobby."

Going to Schiller Park Drug Store and opening packs of football and baseball cards when I was a kid is one of the fondest memories of my youth. Ahhh...the smell of the cards coming out of a pack. How many wrappers I tossed not thinking twice. I long to go back in time just once to experience it all over again.

Anyway, I digress. The Sunoco Set looks great! Thanks for sharing the stamps and the memories.

Erik

[laughlinfan]

Great memories of that Sunoco set - I'd ride with my parents or aunts to the Sunoco station, and sometimes they'd give me an extra pack of stamps! Still remember the last sticker I needed (Coy Bacon)! At the end of the year, I think I ordered the new players to finish my set, but I think they sent me doubles of one and none of another, so somewhere, buried in a closet or box, is probably a full set of stickers -1!

Thanks for the trip down memory lane - one of many joy filled chapters from my childhood collecting days!

[Samsdaddy]

Going back to the original request of this thread before I got it sidetracked, the 1975 Topps O.J. Simpson is one of my favorite action cards. It was pictured earlier by John and I do not have a scanner anyway to show it.

Erik