The 1970-71 ABA All-Star 5×7 Picture Pack cards aren’t really “cards.” If searching for this set, you might end up surprised to learn that they’re simply pieces of 5″ x 7″ paper. The backs are blank. Fortunately, authenticity isn’t really an issue, but if you’re worried, comparing image quality to a known sample and checking the stock and color of the paper against plain white helps. They are simple “cards,” just black-and-white photos with the player and team names underneath. There’s no numbering, so I’m ordering alphabetically by last name. Twelve All-Stars from the ABA make up this set with the Rick Barry card being the highlight (avid basketball fans will recognize other names like John Brisker, but for the average fan, Rick Barry, being the only Hall-of-Famer, is the most recognizable). But for those willing to explore and spend time with the set, there is a lot of fascinating history here.
This is the fourth card in the set, Mack Calvin of the Florida Floridians. Mack Calvin was a solid point guard with the second most assists in ABA history. Like other players in this set, Calvin played in the ABA and later jumped over to the NBA. There are others in this set that did the opposite, starting in the NBA and jumping to ABA (one example is Joe Caldwell, a card we already looked at). This Mack Calvin card arrived right at a high point in Calvin’s career. It was the 1970-71 season, the season of this set, when Calvin averaged a career high 27.2 points per game with the Floridians and he set ABA records for free throws made (696) and attempted (805). Later, for the 1976-77 season, he jumped to the NBA and his playing time became a lot more limited.
These cards are also important as a chance to encounter teams and team names that only existed for a very short time. This card captures one of these brief snapshots in history. There was a change in the team name right as this 1970-71 basketball card set was produced. This team was known as the Miami Floridians, but here you see a change to “The Floridians.” Dropping Miami meant more than saving some ink. The Floridians became a regional team this season and were now playing in a variety of locations. This was either an act of desperation or a bad idea. Due to miserable attendance, the franchise was disbanded after the 1971-72 season.
Despite the “cards” being paper, as well as being off-the-beaten-path for basketball cards, they can be a unique addition to a collection. You can see them listed as the first set in comprehensive price guides like the 2001 Standard Catalog of Basketball Cards. This guide lists the price of the set at $60, but frankly, the price is unpredictable because it’s rarely on the market and depends on if there’s a buyer searching for it!
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