1960 Topps #117 Tom Borland
Sport Magazine 1960 Rookie Star subset (#117-148).
About this card
The Sport Magazine Rookie Star subset marks players Sport magazine tipped for 1960, and it is where the set's marquee rookies live, headed by #148 Carl Yastrzemski and #316 Willie McCovey.
About Tom Borland
Card #117 in Topps' 1960 Sport Magazine Rookie Star subset caught Tom Borland at his only real shot in the majors. A first-team All-American at Oklahoma A&M and MVP of the 1955 College World Series, the left-hander signed with Oakland of the Pacific Coast League, then became a free agent when Baltimore was fined for secretly signing him in violation of the bonus rule; Boston inked him that October. Army service delayed him, but he thrived for Gene Mauch's Minneapolis Millers, going 9-7 and 14-8 in 1958-59 and helping the club reach the Junior World Series both years. Borland debuted for the Red Sox on May 15, 1960, and was chosen by Al Lopez as the AL's All-Star Game batting-practice pitcher. His signature moment came July 9, retiring Mickey Mantle on a towering popup with the tying run at second to preserve a win over the Yankees. Known as "Spike," he went 0-4 with a 6.75 ERA over parts of two seasons before Boston dealt him to Houston for Dave Philley in 1962, closing his career on Oklahoma City's 1963 Pacific Coast League champions.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 489 | 1 | 18 | 188 | 176 | 54 | 27 | 25 | 0 |
| SGC | 21 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
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.
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Related cards
Team card: #537 Boston Red Sox
More Boston Red Sox cards:
- #15 Pete Runnels
- #38 Jerry Casale
- #54 Mike Fornieles
- #68 Dave Hillman
- #71 Marty Keough
- #94 Leo Kiely
- #111 Vic Wertz
- #148 Carl Yastrzemski
- #153 Bobby Thomson
- #184 Gary Geiger
- #203 Sammy White
- #220 Billy Jurges
- #232 Jim Busby
- #249 Earl Wilson
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1960 Topps #117 card?
It is card #117 of the 572-card 1960 Topps Baseball set, picturing Tom Borland. The Sport Magazine Rookie Star subset marks players Sport magazine tipped for 1960, and it is where the set's marquee rookies live, headed by #148 Carl Yastrzemski and #316 Willie McCovey.
What is the 1960 Topps Venezuelan version?
Topps licensed a parallel printing for the Venezuelan market covering roughly the first 196 cards. It is a separate issue on thinner stock with Spanish text on the back, collected on its own and not part of finishing this 572-card set.
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.