1964 Topps #544 Colts Rookie Stars - Steve Hertz / Joe Hoerner
On this card: Steve Hertz, Joe Hoerner
About this card
This is one of the fifty-seven two-player Rookie Stars cards in the 1964 Topps set: fifty-three pair two prospects from one club, and the four league cards (#548, #564, #568 and #572) pair prospects from two clubs. Every one of them is a rookie card for at least one of its two players.
The story on this card
Hertz broke into the majors with the Houston Colt .45's in 1964, appearing in five games and seeing time at third base. His 1964 Topps card, #544, is a high number from the set's seventh print series and is recognized as his rookie card. It is a multi-player Rookie Stars issue shared with fellow Houston prospect Joe Hoerner, presenting both as up-and-coming Colt .45's on a single card. A right-handed infielder from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, who got a brief 1964 look with the Houston Colt .45's, appearing in five games and playing third base in two of them.
1964 Topps #544 pairs Joe Hoerner with Steve Hertz as Houston Colt .45's Rookie Stars, a high number from the set's seventh and final print series and a recognized rookie card for both men. Hoerner opened the season on Houston's roster after his September 1963 debut, but the Colt .45's used him in just seven relief outings before returning him to the minors partway through the year. A left-handed sidearm reliever for seven clubs across 14 seasons, best known for his 1966-1969 St. Louis Cardinals bullpen work on two pennant winners and the 1967 World Series champions.
Sources: Wikipedia (Steve Hertz (third baseman)) · Wikipedia (Joe Hoerner)
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 220 | 2 | 27 | 114 | 34 | 18 | 17 | 6 | 2 |
| SGC | 17 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Data as of 2026-09-04. 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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Related cards
More Houston Colt .45's cards:
- #23 Chris Zachary
- #38 Jim Wynn
- #56 Hal Brown
- #109 Rusty Staub
- #121 Pete Runnels
- #142 John Bateman
- #158 Ken Johnson
- #179 Carl Warwick
- #205 Nellie Fox
- #226 Colts 1964 Rookie Stars
- #241 Jim Owens
- #256 Johnny Weekly
- #282 Bob Bruce
- #298 Harry Craft
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1964 Topps #544 card?
It is card #544 of the 587-card 1964 Topps Baseball set, picturing Steve Hertz and Joe Hoerner. This is one of the fifty-seven two-player Rookie Stars cards in the 1964 Topps set: fifty-three pair two prospects from one club, and the four league cards (#548, #564, #568 and #572) pair prospects from two clubs. Every one of them is a rookie card for at least one of its two players.
Is 1964 Topps #544 a rookie card?
Yes - #544 is a rookie card for every player pictured on it: Steve Hertz and Joe Hoerner.
Is 1964 Topps #544 a scarce card?
It is a high number card from the seventh print series, #523-587, distributed last. Scarcer than the rest of the set but only mildly so - the high premium runs roughly 55-60 percent, far milder than the 1952-62 highs.
How many cards are in the 1964 Topps Baseball set?
587 cards, tracked as 589 collectible states. Numbers run from 1 to 587 with no gaps, and no number carries two different cards; two cards - #4, the A.L. Pitching Leaders, and #517, the seventh-series checklist - carry a catalogued back variation that the master set counts separately.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA CardFacts, Cardboard Connection, The Topps Archives, Baseball Almanac, 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 2026-10-11.