1965 Topps #163 John Briggs
About John Briggs
Card #163, from the second print series, catches him the year he took over as the Phillies' starting center fielder and frequent leadoff man. He hit safely in bunches down the stretch, including a five-RBI game at Cincinnati in July, and finished the season with career figures far ahead of his rookie year in games and at-bats.
John Edward Briggs, known as Johnny, grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, the seventh of ten children, and starred in three sports at Eastside High School before signing with the Phillies in 1962 for an $8,000 bonus. After one year at Bakersfield in the California League, the left-handed-hitting outfielder made the Phillies' major-league roster for good in 1964. He spent parts of eight seasons in Philadelphia as an outfielder and part-time first baseman, then was traded to Milwaukee in 1971, where everyday playing time helped him post his best power numbers, including 21 home runs twice. His finest all-around season came in 1973, when he set career highs in stolen bases, runs and walks, and had a six-hit game against Cleveland. He closed his career with Minnesota in 1975, then signed to play for Japan's Lotte Orions but fell ill and left before ever appearing in a game there. After baseball, Briggs returned to Paterson, worked as a corrections officer, and spent two decades running youth baseball programs in his hometown.
Sources: SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 253 | 5 | 49 | 123 | 48 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| SGC | 19 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 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. The two checklist variations, #79 and #508, are listed under the wording PSA uses for each state.
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Related cards
Team card: #338 Philadelphia Phillies
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- #20 Jim Bunning
- #36 Bobby Wine
- #52 Ed Roebuck
- #72 Tony Gonzalez
- #107 Phillies 1965 Rookie Stars
- #123 Frank Thomas
- #184 John Boozer
- #203 Dallas Green
- #225 Bo Belinsky
- #248 Gus Triandos
- #280 Dick Stuart
- #296 Tony Taylor
- #310 Johnny Callison
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1965 Topps #163 card?
It is card #163 of the 598-card 1965 Topps Baseball set, picturing John Briggs of the Philadelphia Phillies.
How many cards are in the 1965 Topps Baseball set?
598 cards, tracked as 600 collectible states. Numbers run from 1 to 598 with no gaps and no printed-number collisions, and two checklist cards - #79 and #508 - carry catalogued print variations that the master set counts separately.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA CardFacts, Cardboard Connection, BaseballCardPedia, 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.