1964 Topps #192 Cubs Rookie Stars - John Boccabella / Billy Cowan
On this card: John Boccabella, Billy Cowan
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
This Rookie Stars card, part of the 1964 Topps second series, pairs Boccabella with fellow Cubs prospect Billy Cowan and is his rookie card. He reached the majors the previous September after a standout debut season in the minors, batting .365 with 30 home runs for Pocatello. He appeared in only nine games for Chicago in 1964, splitting time between first base and the outfield while the Cubs weighed him as a future replacement at first for an aging Ernie Banks. A San Francisco-born first baseman turned catcher, Boccabella spent parts of twelve seasons with the Cubs, Expos and Giants, becoming Montreal's primary backstop in 1973.
1964 was Cowan's first full big-league season and his busiest: the Cubs made him their starting center fielder, and he started 127 of his 134 games there while setting career highs with 19 home runs and 497 at-bats. The power came with growing pains, as he struck out 128 times, second-most in the National League, and led the league's center fielders with 11 errors. Card #192 is a Rookie Stars issue from the set's second series, pairing Cowan with fellow Cubs prospect John Boccabella under the Chicago banner - a recognized rookie card for both players. A right-handed-hitting outfielder out of Bakersfield, California, Billy Cowan was a 1963 Pacific Coast League MVP who played parts of eight MLB seasons for six different clubs.
Sources: Wikipedia (John Boccabella) · Wikipedia (Billy Cowan) · SABR BioProject
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 268 | 1 | 25 | 131 | 67 | 23 | 5 | 11 | 5 |
| SGC | 14 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Shop 1964 Topps cards Live auctions Buy It Now on eBay Sold prices
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Related cards
Team card: #237 Chicago Cubs
More Chicago Cubs cards:
- #1 1963 National League E.R.A. Leaders
- #29 Lou Brock
- #55 Ernie Banks
- #78 Merritt Ranew
- #96 Bob Buhl
- #111 Don Elston
- #131 Steve Boros
- #175 Billy Williams
- #220 Dick Ellsworth
- #252 Ken Aspromonte
- #269 Ellis Burton
- #286 Don Landrum
- #309 Paul Toth
- #336 Andre Rodgers
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1964 Topps #192 card?
It is card #192 of the 587-card 1964 Topps Baseball set, picturing John Boccabella and Billy Cowan. 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 #192 a rookie card?
Yes - #192 is a rookie card for every player pictured on it: John Boccabella and Billy Cowan.
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.