In The Cards: Phil Roberto's fisticuffs card wouldn't fly today

There are three things the NHL Players’ Association doesn’t allow on licensed trading cards: blood, tongues and fighting – especially fighting. It was different 40 years ago, when there were virtually no regulations for hockey card photos. Thus, Topps was able to get away with using a fisticuffs photograph on its 1973-74 card of St. Louis Blues left winger Phil Roberto, shown here slugging it out with New York Islanders goalie Billy Smith. As if that wasn’t enough, the back of the card also states, “Phil is a tough man in the corners, and even tougher in a fight.”