I’m introducing a new feature on the website called “Favorite Card Friday”. This is a suggestion that comes from Tony Stevens that I really liked. The concept is simple. In Tony words,
Favorite Card Friday — different people show their favorite APBA card (from any sport) and explain why this is their favorite APBA card.
Of course, since this was Tony’s idea, I encouraged him to put himself out there and be the first one. He was happy to oblige. Thanks, Tony!
What’s my favourite APBA card?
Well, I will let you in on a little secret. My favourite APBA card is not a baseball card. It’s a hockey card on a mediocre team. Jacques Plante’s name appears on the Stanley Cup five times with the Montreal Canadiens.
Funny thing is, his name was spelled five different ways. Plante had a Hall Fame career long before he ever wore Maple Leafs blue. Plante retired after his second season with the New York Rangers (1964-65), when he was 36 years old. Expansion brought a second life to his career as he was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the intra-league expansion draft of 1968.
Surely, at age 40 he was too old to be effective. Plante won his sixth Vezina Trophy and took the expansion Blues into the Stanley Cup Finals. Plante was playing so well in his 40s that in 1970 the Toronto Maple Leafs bought him from St. Louis for cash. Now for my favourite APBA card, Jacques Plante 1970-71 Toronto Maple Leafs. At age 42, Jacques Plante put together another top season. He led the league in goals against average (1.89) and save percentage (9.44) as he was the 5th player and 1st goalie to win the Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL’s season MVP. APBA transfers of Plante’s 1970-71 season has the best goalie I have seen.
Plante’s 1970-71 stats
| Value | GP | W | L | T/O | GA | SA | SV | SV% | GAA | SO | PIM | TOI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 40 | 24 | 11 | 4 | 73 | 1297 | 1224 | .944 | 1.89 | 4 | 2 | 2323:04 |
In the hockey game, PRNs 1-6 on a goalie will always be a save. Plante, out of 36 dice rolls, has 24 sure fire saves (PRNs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). That’s a solid 67% chance of every shot on goal being saved and handled cleanly — no goals and no rebounds. Every black column of numbers has an equal eight saves. I enjoy seeing that symmetry. On dice roll 26, Plante has a PRN 7, which, in APBA’s hockey game, if the shot is a potential goal, requires a second dice roll. If the result is 8 or less, it is a save, if the dice roll is a 9 or above, it’s a goal.
And of course, If the shot is just a shot, not a potential goal shot, Plante’s 70-71 TML card only has 9 PRNs that allow the opposing team a second chance at controlling a rebound or another SOG (shot on goal). So at age 42, a future Hall of Fame goaltender, put together another top statistical season to make a beautiful APBA card, worthy of many potential shutouts. That’s why the Jacques Plante 1970-71 APBA card is my favourite APBA card.
Thanks Tony Stevens! I appreciate the article and the idea for the column! If any of you readers have a personal favorite APBA card, let me know! I would love to hear from you. Like Tony’s suggestion, it does not need to be APBA baseball. Contact me here.
Plante photo by Unknown author – See Images from Library and Archives Canada Category: Images from Library and Archives Canada Public Domain, Link
I am not sure what this sentence actually means:
“ APBA transfers of Plante’s 1970-71 season has the best goalie I have seen.”
What?
My mind is faster than my fingers. “ APBA transfers Plante’s 1970-71 season card into the best goalie I have seen.”