1972 gil hodges

i have been saving 1972 for last in our initial run through the years of o-pee-chee variations.  that's because there is just one variation in the 1972 o-pee-chee set, and it's a big one.  here's mets manager and dodger great gil hodges.

hodges died on april 2, 1972 while golfing in florida.  because of o-pee-chee's late (compared to topps') printing schedule, and the possibility that this card was part of a later series (i don't know if o-pee-chee was released in series like topps was), they were able to add this information to hodges' card.

here's the topps front for comparison

while the front of the o-pee-chee card was modified, the back remains hopeful regarding the mets' chances in 1972

in typical o-pee-chee fashion, the card stock is brighter than topps. i love that the cartoon is one of hodges himself

here's the topps back

the o-pee-chee set was complete at 525 cards, with a checklist that matches topps card for card.  this means there are no 1972 o-pee-chee cards for nolan ryan, pete rose or steve garvey, among others.

hodges was replaced as manager by one of his golf partners, yogi berra, who guided the mets back to the postseason in 1973.  that year, the mets retired hodges' number - a tribute the dodgers have been waiting to bestow upon him ever since.

voici à vous, 1972 gil hodges!