1960 Topps #449 Jim Brosnan
About Jim Brosnan
Jim Brosnan pitched nine big-league seasons but is remembered as much for his typewriter as his fastball. Signed by the Cubs out of Cincinnati American Legion ball in 1946, he debuted in 1954, was optioned back to the minors after a rough trial, and returned to stay in 1956. Traded to the Cardinals in 1958 and to his hometown Reds in mid-1959, the tall right-hander found his groove as a fireman, posting a career-best 8-3 record and 2.36 ERA in 1960 — the year his Topps card #449 pictured him in a Reds uniform. In 1961 he helped Cincinnati win its first pennant in 21 years, pitching three times against the Yankees in the World Series. Bookish and pipe-smoking in the clubhouse, he was nicknamed "the Professor," and that same curiosity produced The Long Season (1960), the first candid, self-written diary of big-league life, followed by Pennant Race, chronicling that 1961 pennant run — both genre-defining works that paved the way for Ball Four. He finished 55-47 with 68 saves over 385 games, retiring in 1963 rather than sign away his writing rights.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 412 | 0 | 11 | 158 | 159 | 57 | 17 | 10 | 0 |
| SGC | 19 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-08-20. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. The Venezuelan issue, the 1960 Topps Tattoos and Bazooka are separate products and are not counted here.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1960 Topps #449 card?
It is card #449 of the 572-card 1960 Topps Baseball set, picturing Jim Brosnan.
How many cards are in the 1960 Topps Baseball set?
572 cards, numbered 1-572, issued in seven series - the last Topps flagship printed entirely horizontally. Cards #375-440 exist on two back stocks, white and gray, which collectors chasing every printed variety count as 638 pieces of cardboard in all.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Cardboard Connection, the PSA price guide, Baseball-Reference, the SABR BioProject and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, PSA & SGC population reports. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-13.