1957 Topps #74 Vito Valentinetti
About Vito Valentinetti
A right-handed relief pitcher from West New York, New Jersey, Vito Valentinetti was a high-school teammate of Whitey Ford at Manhattan Aviation and threw Iona College's first no-hitter before signing with the White Sox for $6,000 in June 1950. He lost 1952-53 to Army service — throwing a perfect game for Fort Jackson — and debuted with the White Sox in June 1954. Drafted by the Cubs in the Rule 5 draft, he had his best season in 1956, going 6-4 with a 3.78 ERA in 42 games and running off 12⅓ scoreless innings against Philadelphia before a knee injury ended his year. Traded away in May 1957, he bounced to Cleveland, Detroit, and Washington, where he once struck out Ted Williams looking, finishing 13-14 with a 4.73 ERA in 108 games. He later threw batting practice for the Mets and Yankees for two decades. This card, picturing him as a Cub, is his Topps rookie card. He died in 2021 at 92.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 519 | 0 | 19 | 170 | 177 | 88 | 43 | 22 | 0 |
| SGC | 39 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-07-05. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1957 Topps Vito Valentinetti card?
It is card #74 of the 1957 Topps Baseball set - the 407-card, 2-1/2 by 3-1/2 inch set that was Topps' first at the modern standard card size, with full-color photography and complete career stats on the back. It pictures Vito Valentinetti, Chicago Cubs.
Is the 1957 Topps Vito Valentinetti #74 a rookie card?
Yes - it carries the rookie-card designation in the 1957 Topps set.
How many cards are in the 1957 Topps set?
407 numbered cards. Collectors usually count 408 because #176 Gene Baker exists in an error ('Bakep') and a corrected back. The PSA master set adds the 8 checklists, 4 contest cards and the Lucky Penny for 421 items.
Sources: PSA CardFacts, Beckett, BaseballCardPedia, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and hobby press-sheet research (Net54 / Topps Archives). Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-13.