Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Lanny McDonald Jersey Card

I'm a sucker for hockey players, defunct teams, winners, and amazing mustaches, so you can imagine how much I value any Lanny McDonald collectible, let alone one that isn't from a ''pure'' hockey set, such as this one, from Upper Deck's 2010 World Of Sports set (card #ASA-36 of the All-Sports Apparel sub-set) showing him wearing Team Canada's red 1970s uniform (most probably from the inaugural 1976 Canada Cup) with a small white jersey swatch:
The back of the card claims the jersey was ''used in an official hockey game'', though it's unclear if that's internationally or in the NHL, which it wouldn't be allowed to name in this set because it's not an officially licensed product. I acquired it in a trade about a year ago. That's one thing I've learned from Hockey History: always trade for Lanny McDonald (even if it costs you a couple of Anze Kopitar cards).

This is the fifth time I've featured McDonald here, and maybe the fifth time I'll mention he captained the 1989 Calgary Flames, the only visiting team in the history of the NHL to ever win the Stanley Cup on the Montréal Canadiens' home ice. Ever.

He was one of the Toronto Maple Leafs' all-time best players, but the uniform I'm fondest of him in is that of the Colorado Rockies. I had a signed card of his from that era when I was a kid, but I think I lost in in a flood in 1998.

He was elected to the Hall Of Fame in 1992, the first former Flame to receive that honor. I only mention it because earlier today, he was named its Chair of Board of the famed institution. Congratulations!

No comments:

Post a Comment