1983-84 O-Pee-Chee Highlights, Rush Kiss The Cup In Chicago

Back in September, I posted a blog about the Rush concert in Chicago when several Blackhawks made a guest appearance on stage.  Since then, Rush has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Blackhawks have won the Stanley Cup.

At last night's Rush Concert just outside Chicago, Daniel Carcillo brought the Cup onstage. Check out the video below.

For my part, I chose to commemorate the occasion with a 1983-84 O-Pee-Chee style Highlight card. Strangely, this is not my first Rush card. I created cards for the band over a year ago in honor of "International Rush Day", February 1st 2012 or 2-1-12.

1968 Topps Willie Mays All Star MVP

Going Horizontal

1968 was truly the "Year of the Pitcher" . Denny McLain and Bob Gibson both won Cy Young and MVP awards for their respective leagues and Mickey Lolich won the World Series MVP. 

In the "Year of the Pitcher" we had one of the most unique All Star Games. The game was won by the NL despite the fact that there were no RBIs and no Earned Runs. The 12 pitchers combined for ZERO earned runs and 20 strike outs over 17 innings. (9 for the NL, 8 for the AL). The pitchers surrendered only 8 hits and 6 walks.

One of those hits came off the bat of Willie Mays who made the most of it. On a pick off play at first, Mays advanced to second on an errant throw by Luis Tiant. Mays then took 3rd on a wild pitch. Curt Flood walked then Willie McCovey grounded into a double play. Mays scored the only run of the day. Unearned because of the error. No RBI because of the double play.

2013 Stanley Cup Champs Chicago Blackhawks

A 1972-73 Topps Style card in honor of one of the greatest hockey teams in NHL history.

1982-83 O-Pee-Chee Joel Quenneville

I posted a Joel Quenneville "Card That Never Was" on Saturday to bring my Blackhawks luck. The Hawks came through.  Now to keep that luck going for what could be tonight's Cup winner, here is another card of Coach Q. Quenneville was a defense-man for the Colorado Rockies since 1979. When the Rockies moved to Jersey and became the Devils, Quenneville went with them. He played only one season in a Devils uniform before being traded to the Hartford Whalers.

Although Quenneville was rockin' a 'stache on his rookie card for the Maple Leafs, it was noticeably missing on his Rockies cards.This would have been the first card of Coach Q with his current mustache. He apparently grew it towards the end of his time on the Rockies. That makes Coach Q's mustache older than 72% of the current Blackhawks players.

1987-88 O-Pee-Chee Joel Quenneville

I'm posting a Coach Q card that was missing from his playing days in hopes that it brings my Blackhawks luck in tonight's game.  If it does expect to see another before game 6 on Monday as well. Not that I'm superstitious, but why risk it?

Joel Quenneville sustained a shoulder injury in December of 1986 and missed the remainder of the season. Subsequently, O-Pee-Chee left him out of the 1987-88 set.