"1972 Topps #236 Wayne Mulligan St. Louis Cardinals Center Clemson Vintage"

"Description

You're viewing an increasingly scarce 1972 Topps card featuring St. Louis Cardinals center Wayne Mulligan! This vintage treasure captures a piece of lost NFL history from the Cardinals' time in St. Louis.

The distinctive blue borders that frame the Cardinals cards in the 1972 Topps set are notoriously condition-sensitive, making well-preserved examples increasingly difficult to locate in today's market. Most have been damaged or discarded over the past 50+ years!

This card showcases an often-overlooked offensive lineman who played a crucial role in the trenches for the St. Louis Cardinals. The unsung heroes of the offensive line rarely get the attention they deserve, making these cards particularly special to dedicated football historians.

What makes this card especially interesting is that it documents the St. Louis era of the Cardinals franchise - a team that would eventually relocate to Arizona in 1988. These vintage pieces of franchise history have become increasingly sought after by team collectors documenting the complete legacy of today's Arizona Cardinals.

The card specifically highlights Mulligan's athletic prowess, noting his ""size, speed and blocking ability"" that allowed him to compete with the best offensive linemen of his era. These physical attributes made him a valuable 8th round selection in the 1969 NFL draft.

One fascinating detail on the card back mentions Mulligan's heroic special teams play when he ""specially blocked a punt against Browns in 1969 which almost turned the game around."" These specific game moments captured on vintage cards create a time capsule of football history!

The unique biographical detail that Mulligan ""WAS A LABORER WITH A STATE ROAD CREW BACK HOME"" provides a fascinating glimpse into the era when even professional football players often needed off-season jobs - a stark contrast to today's specialized athletes.

Condition

This card presents in honest Good to Very Good condition - a genuine survivor from an era when cards were actively collected and traded by young football fans. Many examples have been lost to time entirely!

The corners show wear and slight rounding consistent with its age, giving it the authentic character that only comes from a genuine vintage card. No modern reprint could replicate this authentic patina of history!

Some edge wear is present on the blue border - an extremely common condition issue with the notoriously fragile colored borders of the 1972 Topps cards. Finding examples without this characteristic wear has become increasingly difficult with each passing year.

The centering appears slightly off-center, which is typical for cards from this production era when centering standards were far less stringent than modern cards. This authentic production variation confirms its genuine vintage status.

The front surface retains good color saturation with Mulligan clearly visible in his distinctive Cardinals red jersey. The card displays beautifully despite its honest wear, a testament to the quality of Topps' production during this era.

The card back shows normal age-appropriate toning but remains completely legible with all text and cartoon illustration easily visible - an important consideration for vintage cards where back damage often renders text unreadable.

Card Details

• Card Number: #236 in the 1972 Topps Football set

• Player: Wayne Mulligan - Center for the St. Louis Cardinals

• Position: Center - The quarterback of the offensive line, responsible for calling blocking assignments

• Team Legacy: St. Louis Cardinals - A team that would eventually relocate to Phoenix in 1988, making this a piece of football franchise migration history

• Draft Information: Eighth round selection in the 1969 NFL draft - showing his rise from late-round pick to established starter

• College Background: Three-year letterman at Clemson University - adding appeal for Tigers football collectors

• Special Teams Highlight: Card specifically mentions his game-changing punt block against the Browns in 1969

• Personal Interest: Unique detail about his off-season work on a state road crew - a fascinating glimpse into the economic reality of 1970s professional football

• Design Elements: Distinctive blue borders that frame the Cardinals cards in the 1972 Topps set

• Manufacturer: Topps - The premier trading card company of the era

Rarity

While Topps produced significant quantities of their 1972 football cards, the relentless march of time has rendered well-preserved examples increasingly scarce. The vast majority have been lost to time, damage, or poor storage conditions.

Blue-bordered cards from this era are notoriously condition-sensitive, with the colored edges quickly showing wear, chipping, and fading. Finding specimens without significant border damage becomes more difficult with each passing season.

Cards from the pre-modern era of football collecting (pre-1980) continue to diminish in available supply as vintage football cards gain more mainstream collecting attention. The competition for remaining examples grows more intense annually.

St. Louis Cardinals cards have shown particularly strong collector demand as they represent a lost NFL franchise location, making them historically significant beyond just the player featured. Both St. Louis sports collectors and Arizona Cardinals fans seek these vintage team cards.

Most surviving examples of offensive linemen cards were overlooked and damaged as collectors historically focused on skill position stars, making well-preserved examples of interior linemen increasingly difficult to locate as sophisticated collectors seek to document all aspects of team rosters.

Collector's Note

The market for vintage cards documenting relocated NFL franchises has seen remarkable growth in recent years as collectors have begun to fully appreciate both their historical significance and genuine scarcity in presentable condition.

Arizona Cardinals team collectors have become increasingly dedicated to documenting their franchise's complete history, including the St. Louis and Chicago eras. This historical connection makes cards like this increasingly desirable to serious team collection builders.

This is potentially your ONLY CHANCE to acquire this increasingly elusive vintage Cardinals card before prices for authentic 1972 Topps football cards continue their upward trajectory! The vintage team history market is experiencing unprecedented growth.

The distinctive blue borders of the Cardinals cards in the 1972 Topps set make these among the most condition-sensitive issues of the decade. Finding examples without significant border damage becomes more challenging with each passing year.

Clemson University alumni have shown increasing interest in vintage cards featuring their football program's NFL representatives, adding another dimension of collectibility to this card. This card represents a must-have addition for serious collectors of offensive line history!

This card represents a perfect addition for any vintage football collection, Cardinals team compilation, offensive line position showcase, or Clemson alumni collection. Its documentation of the lost St. Louis Cardinals era makes it a guaranteed conversation piece among fellow collectors!

Buy multiple cards and pay only ONE low shipping cost!

Don't Wait - Act Now!

The window of opportunity to acquire authentic vintage cards from relocated NFL franchises at reasonable prices continues to narrow as more collectors recognize both their condition sensitivity and historical importance to the hobby.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to own a genuine piece of St. Louis Cardinals history from before the team's move to Arizona! When it's gone, finding another example of this vintage Topps card in comparable condition could take months or years of searching!"

 _gsrx_vers_1715 (GS 9.9.2 (1715))

Condition: Ungraded

Item specifics

Offered by Gosla Antiques & Collectibles, purveyors of antiquities, curiosities and collectible wares. Dispatched from Pennsylvania, United States, with tracking.