from Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe,

According to Babineau, currently working on a book to commemorate the WHA’s founding in 1972, Topps/O-Pee-Chee returned his original Gretzky transparency sometime in 1979 or 1980. He’s convinced he has it in storage, tucked away in the bottom of a box, but he has yet to find it. His cut remains whatever’s left of that $17 fee.

“A roll of film in those days went for $5,” he recalled. “Then it was maybe another $6 to get the roll developed. OK, so now you’re at $11, for a payout of $17. And don’t forget, you were putting out $11 with no guarantee that you’d sell a single thing. Crazy!”

Decades after shooting the picture used for the coveted card, Babineau met Gretzky again and reminded him he was the guy who took his rookie picture. They were both in Sunrise, Fla., where Jaromir Jagr, then with the Panthers, had moved second to Gretzky on the NHL’s all-time scoring list.

“Really?” said Gretzky, when Babineau informed him he took the picture.

“And then he says, ‘OK, where was I playing?’ ”

Babineau fast forwarded through chapter and verse … WHA … Springfield … season wrapping up … Gordie Howe in the Whalers’ lineup.

“And he just looked at me, smiled,” said Babineau, “stuck out his hand and said, ‘You win.’ ”

Meanwhile, the $3.75 million sales price had Babineau factoring time spent ferreting through storage boxes this Memorial Day weekend. He is certain he still has the original transparency, and hopes maybe there’s a way to claw back a few more bucks from that long ago freelance gig.

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