1969 Topps #26, Bryon Piccolo 🏈
1969 Topps #51, Gale Sayers 🏈
This is one of the greatest teammate card pairings of all time, IMO.
In 1965, the Bears drafted Sayers in the first round, while Piccolo, an undersized but gritty running back, made the team as an undrafted free agent that same year.
In 1967, the Bears' owner, George Halas quietly paired them as the league’s first interracial roommate duo on the road.
Piccolo died on June 16, 1970, at only 26 years-old.
Their story became a national symbol of friendship, courage, and racial unity, immortalized in the book and 1971 film Brian’s Song, often regarded as one of the most emotional sports films ever made.
