Hockey Card Cameos

1981/82 #292 Tony Currie
Mike Palmateer, Pat Ribble, Perry Turnbull
Above is one of my favourite cards from my childhood days. No, I wasn't a big Tony Currie fan, but I always liked that fact that my favourite goalie Mike Palmateer sneaks in the left side of the photo. Currie's teammate Perry Turnbull also pops into the foreground. Twenty years ago, I got Palmateer to sign this card and as he laughed at it he put a little arrow pointing towards himself. It got me thinking about other players who have made un-credited cameos on others hockey cards.
1972/73 #76 Phil Esposito, NHL Action
Pat Stapleton, Ken Hodge, Tony Esposito, Pit Martin

1973/74 #150 Dave Keon
Paul Henderson, Norm Ullman, Steve Atkinson, Tim Horton, Don Luce
These are two of the busiest hockey cards ever, the Keon card is almost a team photo. The Esposito is especially cool as it pictures the two superstar brothers in action each. Also in the photo are Pat Stapleton battling Phil and Espos linemate Ken Hodge. The helmeted guy in the foreground is I believe Pit Martin when compared to the following picture of Martin in the 1971 Finals. 
The Keon card is fairly easy to identify the players, except for the Sabre behind Tim Horton. Using the sihr.com database to compare the face I would have to say it's Steve Atkinson. The linesman dropping the puck is a tough one, may very well be Ray Scapinello who started his career in 1971. See pic below.
Next up is the fantastic final issued Bobby Orr card. Although put out in 1978, it pictures Orr as a member of Team Canada during the 1976 Canada Cup. Who's that peaking out beside Bobby while sitting on the bench? None other than the second greatest defenceman of the era, Denis Potvin in his distinctive Northland helmet.
1978/79 O-Pee-Chee #300 Bobby Orr - Special Collectors Card
Denis Potvin
The same set as Orr's final card included the rookie card of another Hall of Famer, Mike Bossy. Also pictured on the card, jostling with Bossy for position, is #22 of the Capitals, Bobby Lalonde.
1978/79 #115, Mike Bossy
Bobby Lalonde
1979/80 #150 Ken Dryden
Yvon Lambert
The following year of O-Pee-Chee cards had two terrific cameo appearances on the final cards of two more Hall of Famers. Ken Dryden is having a leisurely warm-up skate in a game that looks like he's not starting (judging my the lack of goal stick in his hands), while behind the distinct face of Yvon Lambert is skating past.
The Gordie Howe of the same year also pictures two easily identifiable players in the background. The photo is from the season prior during a WHA game between the Whalers and Oilers and also shows Edmonton's Brett Callighen and Howe's fellow geezer teammate John "Pie" McKenzie.
1979/80 #175 Gordie Howe
Brett Callighen, John McKenzie
1982/83 #107 Wayne Gretzky In Action
Dave Hutchinson
These two early Gretzky's have nice cameos. Chicago's tough guy Dave Hutchinson is shown trying to take teh Great One out with a hip-check. Gretz seems unconcerned.
The one below shows an out of focus future Hall of Famer Mike Gartner and two unidentifiable Oilers on the right side.
1981/82 #125 Wayne Gretzky Super Action
Mike Gartner
1975/76 #100 Bobby Orr
Tom Lysiak
The first Orr here took a bit of work to figure out who's behind him. The only piece of evidence is a tiny number 12 on the skates of the player. Since, it's definitely an Atlanta Flame player, we can safely say it's Tom Lysiak. The last one shows number 5 of the Kings, the distinctive silver-haired Harry Howell. The King goalie sprawled out is none other than Gary Edwards, identified by his disticntive mask as seen below.
1972/73 #58 Bobby Orr, NHL Action
Harry Howell, Gary Edwards










Comments

Unknown said…
Of course it is difficult to tell for sure, but from this angle the Blackhawks defenseman looks more like Keith Magnuson than Pat Stapleton, and the Sabre behind Horton bears a stronger resemblance to Larry Mickey than to Steve Atkinson.
April 25, 2015 at 12:21 PM
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