CARDBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY - Phil Roberto vs. Chris Neil

A little over a year ago, Casey over at Drop The Gloves! posted a thread that showed off one of my favorite cards from the 70's.

It was rare to see a card like it at the time and moving into the 80's, 90's and beyond has become pretty much an impossible sight.

1973/74 O-Pee-Chee

#3 Phil Roberto

Oh man!  This is THE base card for all enforcer collectors in my opinion.  Even though you only see Phil from his shoulders up - you get everything about the moment.

Helmetless, fist cocked for the knockout blow, his opponent nicely "jersey'd" and a pair of linesmen trying to restore order.

The details in the photo really make it a fantastic card.  The numbers on the back of the linesman, the heavier sweaters, the tie-strap, the St. Louis colors peeking out on Roberto's shoulders.  Fantastic!

Seeing a scrap on a hockey card is a rare thing.  In fact, it's pretty much non-existent over the past couple decades.

So when I was flipping through singles at the card shop a few days ago and came across this beauty, I had to pick it up.

2012/13 Upper Deck Series I

#131 Chris Neil

Now I know that this is a pre-fight shot as opposed to the post fight goodness from above, but the look in Chris Neil's eyes definitely make up for it.

As they say - the eyes have everything.

Neil looks about ready to explode on his opponenet, Devils' Eric Boulton.  And taking a page from Paul over at Card Boarded, I'm going to do a little 'Captured on Cardboard' add.

The tilt happened almost a year ago - January 2, 2012.  With the Senators trailing 2-0, Chris Neil decided to give his team a spark.



I'd say he did.  Wow.

Back to the card for a moment.  It's rare that a moment of little action can be so memorable.  But in this instance I think there are two factors that make this card a huge success.  First, it's the anticipation of something happening.  Much like a good horror movie, it's the moments before the scare that are the best.

Second, and going back to my original thought, a card showing any sort of 'fighting' is a rare sight on cardboard these days.  Anything unique or outside the box is certain to get a second look.

It's all in the eyes.