Today’s card of the day, for no special reason, is Jack Patera’s 1953 University of Oregon card. Patera starred as an offensive lineman and linebacker for the Ducks, and he was inducted into the University of Oregon Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000. He played in the College All-Star Game against the Cleveland Browns in 1955–a a surprising 30-27 win for the All-Stars.
After college, Patera played linebacker for seven years in the NFL: three with the Baltimore Colts, two with the Chicago Cardinals, and two with the Dallas Cowboys. He then coached for twenty years in the NFL. In 1976, Patera became the Seattle Seahawks’ first head coach, a position he held for seven years.
Patera’s card is one of twenty cards in the 1953 University of Oregon set. The cards are challenging to find, but not highly sought-after. (I find this with other college sets, too: it’s mostly alumni and family members who are interested in them.) The cards are a bit narrower than standard cards, and printed on thinner stock.
You can see all of Jack Patera’s cards and the full set of 1953 University of Oregon cards in the Gallery.
Growing up a Ducks fan, I absolutely love this set! Like you said, it doesn’t seem to overly desirable, but that doesn’t stop certain people from attaching incredible prices to the cards nonetheless.