Blog RSS
1974 Cowboys: A Basketball Design
The mid 70’s was a great era for sport card designs; lots of wild colors, big afros, and over-the-top fads. That’s why RetroCards has created a new Dallas Cowboys set utilizing a 1974-75 basketball card design. This was always a favorite design of mine and takes me back to my childhood when I would buy bubble gum cards at my local hobby shop. This set features game action or sideline shots of some of the Cowboys biggest stars of the time and some that many probably have forgotten. The 1974 Cowboys were transitioning away from the old-timers that finally won...
Spotlight On: Mike Gaechter - Unheralded Hitting Machine
The 1960s Dallas Cowboys had many stars and up-and-coming players that are well known to fans and football lovers. However one player that has escaped attention is Mike Gaechter, who had a solid 9-year career starting in the Cowboys defensive secondary. Only four other Cowboys were fixtures on that defense over that same span: George Andrie, Chuck Howley, Cronell Green, and Bob Lilly. Gaechter (pronounced: `Gek-ter) was a play maker and punishing hitter, who played at a Pro Bowl level, yet never was elected. Eagle star receiver Pete Retzlaff said of him, "If I had him on me every Sunday,...
1958 Packers: Lombardi's Inheritance
The 1958 season was definitely a low point in the storied history of the Green Bay Packers. After a disappointing 3-9 season, and a sixth place finish in the NFL’s Western Division in 1957, head coach Lisle Blackbourn resigned after four seasons. Enter Raymond “Scooter” McLean, who had been a Packers interim coach for two games in 1953, to take over the mantle of command for the 1958 season. Although hope springs eternal, the Packers would sink even deeper with a 1-10-1 record and a last place finish. As the saying goes, “it is always darkest before the dawn.” Despite...
Spotlight On: Dick Allen, Hall Of Fame Hopeful
Perhaps the most deserving of any former professional athlete who has not been inducted to the Hall Of Fame is Major League Baseball star Dick Allen. Websites, blogs, and many an article have devoted time and space to this topic and RetroCards is weighing in on Dick Allen. Here's some background on Mr. Allen: Career Allen has impressive career numbers: .292 lifetime batting average, .534 slugging percentage, and an on base percentage of .378. He was known for his amazing power (351 home runs) and ability for tape measure home runs that are calculated as some of the longest ever...
1966 Dallas Cowboys: America's Team On The Rise
The Cowboys had come within one victory of being NFL champions in 1966 and thus began a dynasty that lasted arguable until the early 1980s. The original Topps set from 1966 showcased only AFL players in an attractive horizontal TV screen design that has timeless appeal. An earlier RetroCards set featuring NFL All-Pros in this style has prompted the first team set – the Dallas Cowboys. This set reflects the accomplishments of the 1965 season and most of the player pictures feature game or sideline shots giving the TV design an added touch of reality. This Cowboys set includes all...
1963 Lions: So Close And Yet So Far
In 1962, the Detroit Lions had their best season since winning the NFL Championship in 1957. Coming within a hair of winning the NFL Western Division, with an 11-3 record and a second place finish, they were known for handing the champion Green Bay Packers their only loss, a 26-14 shellacking on Thanksgiving Day (Lions fans STILL talk about that game). Moreover, they lost in a heartbreaker to the same Packers team earlier in the season (9-7), a game which, had they won, would have given them the division. That game was the subject of Vince Lombardi’s well-known autobiography Run...
1967 Green Bay Packers: 1st Super Bowl Champs
In 1967, the Green Bay Packers represented the NFL as the first ever defending Super Bowl Champions. After defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 in the first AFL-NFL Championship Game, as it was initially called, they embarked on a quest to win that game a second time. As the team was rapidly aging at the time, few believed that they would. However, as history knows it, they did, defeating the Oakland Raiders 33-14 in January of 1968. That would give the franchise five pro football championships in seven years. The solid yellow-bordered 1967 football cards featured superstars of the NFL,...
Spotlight On Dock Ellis: Psychedelics, Amphetamine, & Attitude
RetroCards prides itself on recognizing special players that were big contributors that didn’t receive much recognition, players that had unique moments in the sports arena, and characters of the game. Dock Ellis qualifies in all three categories and is often overlooked because of the high numbers of ace pitchers during his time. Dock Ellis was a loose cannon who played the game tough, without compromising his style on the field or off. He was one of the most intimidating pitchers of his day and didn’t hesitate to hit a star player in the face if he felt he was ever...
Recent Posts
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016