1960 Topps #209 Ron Blackburn
About Ron Blackburn
Ronald Hamilton Blackburn, nicknamed "Blackie," signed with the Pirates out of Catawba College and worked through eleven minor-league seasons — from Burlington-Graham and Fond du Lac up through Williamsport, New Orleans and Columbus — before reaching Pittsburgh in 1958. The right-hander made his Opening Day debut on April 15, 1958, and the first batter he faced was Hank Aaron, who singled; Blackburn then set down the next nine Milwaukee hitters to earn the win. Used mostly out of the bullpen, he went 2-1 with a 3.39 ERA and three saves that rookie year, then 1-1 with a 3.65 ERA in 1959, finishing 3-2 with a 3.50 ERA and four saves over 64 career games. On the road he roomed with Bill Mazeroski and shared a clubhouse with Roberto Clemente. His last big-league outing came July 28, 1959, against the Dodgers; by 1960 he was back in the high minors with Columbus and Salt Lake City, so this Topps card, built on his effective rookie season, arrived after his Pittsburgh days had already ended. He later coached baseball at Western Carolina University.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 409 | 0 | 25 | 193 | 98 | 51 | 25 | 17 | 0 |
| SGC | 18 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-08-20. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8), and PSA's qualified grades are counted separately from the straight-grade rows shown here. The Venezuelan issue, the 1960 Topps Tattoos and Bazooka are separate products and are not counted here.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Related cards
Team card: #484 Pittsburgh Pirates
More Pittsburgh Pirates cards:
- #2 Roman Mejias
- #20 Roy Face
- #48 Hal Smith
- #49 Curt Raydon
- #55 Bill Mazeroski
- #58 Gino Cimoli
- #91 Bennie Daniels
- #104 Dick Schofield
- #113 Bob Skinner
- #115 Fork & Knuckler
- #133 Manuel Javier
- #145 Jim Umbricht
- #157 Rocky Nelson
- #223 Danny Murtaugh
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1960 Topps #209 card?
It is card #209 of the 572-card 1960 Topps Baseball set, picturing Ron Blackburn.
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 2026-08-20.