1965 Topps #85 Willie Smith
About Willie Smith
In 1965, his first full season purely as an outfielder, Smith appeared in 136 games for the California Angels, hitting .261 with 14 home runs, 57 RBI and 52 runs. His 1965 Topps card, #85 in the first print series, shows him with the Los Angeles Angels and is recognized as his rookie card.
Willie Smith, nicknamed "Wonderful Willie," broke into pro ball with the Negro league Birmingham Black Barons, earning East-West All-Star Game selections in 1958 and 1959. Detroit signed him as a pitching prospect, and in 1963 at Triple-A Syracuse he led the International League in winning percentage while also hitting .380. He debuted with the Tigers as a pitcher that year, then was traded to the Los Angeles Angels in April 1964. Still working as a pitcher for Los Angeles, he was converted to the outfield partway through 1964 by manager Bill Rigney to get his left-handed bat into the lineup daily, and responded with a career-best .301 average, 11 home runs and 51 RBI. He spent parts of nine big-league seasons as an outfielder, first baseman, pinch hitter and occasional pitcher for the Tigers, Angels, Indians, Cubs and Reds, finishing with 410 hits and 46 home runs. He later played two seasons in Japan for the Nankai Hawks. Smith died in his hometown of Anniston, Alabama, in 2006.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 222 | 4 | 36 | 105 | 50 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 0 |
| SGC | 10 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 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: #293 Los Angeles Angels
More Los Angeles Angels cards:
- #7 American League 1964 ERA Leaders
- #9 American League 1964 Pitching Leaders
- #11 American League 1964 Strikeout Leaders
- #26 Bobby Knoop
- #46 Bob Lee
- #66 Bill Rigney
- #101 Fred Newman
- #124 Tom Satriano
- #140 Dean Chance
- #172 Jim Piersall
- #194 Angels 1965 Rookie Stars
- #210 Jim Fregosi
- #229 Lou Clinton
- #242 George Brunet
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1965 Topps #85 card?
It is card #85 of the 598-card 1965 Topps Baseball set, picturing Willie Smith of the Los Angeles Angels.
Is 1965 Topps #85 a rookie card?
Yes - #85 is the 1965 Topps rookie card of Willie Smith.
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.