Product Highlight: 1991 Pennsylvania High School Big 33

Due to a decline in donations and an increasing amount of debt, the Big 33 Scholarship Foundation closed it’s doors after sixty years in 2017.  The annual football game it once sponsored is now under the supervision of the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association.

The Big 33 Football Classic began in 1957.  Its often been referred to as the Super Bowl of High School Football.  Some of the best high school players from Pennsylvania have taken on Ohio, Maryland, and Texas.  In the early years Pennsylvania would just play itself splitting up between east and west or blue and gray.  Between 1957 and 1960 Pennsylvania played against collected talent from around the nation.  Lots of famous football stars have played in the Big 33 game – Herb Adderley, Joe Montana, Dan Marino, and Jim Kelly.

Starting in 1991, they began to make team sets.  The Pennsylvania set contains (36) black and white cards.  Key cards include Ray Zellars, Curtis Martin, and Marvin Harrison.  All of these predate their NFL rookies.  It’s 1991 Maryland counterpart doesn’t really have any major cards worth talking about.  Any Big 33 card can make an interesting addition to your collection.  Later on, some sets included autographs.

During my senior year in high school, I received a Big 33 Academic Scholarship.  That included a trip to the 2004 Big 33 game in Hershey, PA.  A couple of players from that game made it to the NFL – Chad Henne, Brian Hoyer, Darrelle Revis, and Ted Ginn Jr.

Card of the Day: Jim Abbott 1992 Upper Deck Stay In School #78

Go For It! Roadshow – Rediscovered Relic With Mystery Signature

When I was in 6^th grade at Cedar Crest Middle School my class went on a field trip to Hershey, PA to see the Go For It! Roadshow.  This was around 1997 or 1998.  The Go For It! Roadshow was an interactive educational health event for kids and was operated by the HealthSouth Corporation.  It was meant to promote healthy living and exercise.  The show ran from 1995 to 2003.  In 2003, a major accounting scandal unfolded at the HealthSouth Corporation and the show was canceled.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I found out we were going.  All I knew was that I didn’t have to sit in the class room for a good portion of the day.  When the show started, I quickly discovered that professional athletes were involved in it.  During the show, Bo Jackson walked by where I was sitting and handed me a t-shirt signed by all the athletes involved with this particular show.

Recently I rediscovered this shirt hanging in my closet.  It’s been in there for the last ten years.  I recognize three signatures – Bo Jackson, Matt Bahr, and Jennifer Chandler.  Bahr was a kicker for Penn State, played professional soccer, and went on to play with numerous NFL teams such as the Steelers, 49ers, Browns, Giants, Eagles, and Patriots.  Chandler received a gold medal in the 1976 Olympics for diving.  As for Jackson, well if you don’t know who Bo Jackson is stop reading this and go open a box of ’87 Topps in hopes of pulling an autograph 🙂

Here are a couple of photos.  Does anyone have an idea whose signature that is next to Bo Jackson?  I’ve never known.

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Bo Jackson / ???

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Matt Bahr / Jennifer Chandler

**Update**

The mystery signature is of former NY Giants linebacker Steve DeOssie.

Where Are The Reich Relics?

On January 3, 1993, Frank Reich led the Bills to the largest comeback in NFL history.  At halftime the Bills were losing 35-3 and in the second half Reich led the Bills to a 41-38 victory over the Oilers.

Reich was a rookie for the Bills in 1985, but didn’t get an actual rookie card made until 1989.  His only two rookies can be found in ’89 Topps Traded and ’89 Score Supplemental.  From ’89 to ’97 he had a steady flow of trading cards, but nothing really major.  He went 11 years (’97-’08) without having a card made, until Upper Deck included him in their Masterpieces set.  What surprises me the most is the fact that Reich has no memorabilia or autographed cards.  I would think that leading your team to the greatest comeback in NFL history would stand out to most manufacturers.  Perhaps Reich doesn’t want his relics and autographs floating around?  I guess some athletes are like that.

Right now, Reich is the quarterback coach for the Colts.  His playing career ended in 1998 with the Lions.  I remember when he gave a speech at Cedar Crest High School about his playing time.  For one year I attended the same school as Reich before moving.

Card of the Day: LeSean McCoy ’09 Donruss Classics School Colors Auto