1966 Topps #169 Duke Sims
About Duke Sims
Sims' 1966 Topps card, #169, is a series-2 issue and is his recognized rookie card. He won the third-string catcher job over Doc Edwards in spring training, playing behind Joe Azcue and Del Crandall. He opened the season with Cleveland but a June back injury sent him to Portland, and he returned to the Indians in mid-August. In 52 games he hit .263 with 6 home runs and 19 RBI, his best batting average to that point in the majors.
Duane "Duke" Sims grew up in Pocatello, Idaho, a three-sport star before signing with Cleveland in 1959. A left-handed hitting catcher with a strong throwing arm, he spent years in the minors sharpening his defense before breaking in with the Indians in September 1964. Sims caught behind Joe Azcue through the mid-1960s, gradually winning more playing time, and by 1969 had taken over as Cleveland's starting catcher. He was often paired with hard-throwing left-hander Sam McDowell. Traded to the Dodgers after the 1970 season, he later played for Detroit and reached the postseason with the 1972 Tigers in their ALCS loss to Oakland. He closed his career with the Yankees and Rangers, finishing with exactly 100 home runs, the most by any Utah-born major leaguer, and is remembered as the last player to homer in the original Yankee Stadium.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 193 | 1 | 23 | 98 | 39 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| SGC | 7 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 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. Where SGC registers no separate row for a variation state, its slabs of that card are listed under the base state.
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Related cards
Team card: #303 Cleveland Indians
More Cleveland Indians cards:
- #16 Larry Brown
- #44 Indians 1966 Rookie Stars
- #65 Leon Wagner
- #88 Fred Whitfield
- #109 Ralph Terry
- #128 Jim Landis
- #129 Jack Kralick
- #133 Don McMahon
- #150 Rocky Colavito
- #197 Sonny Siebert
- #216 American League 1965 Batting Leaders
- #220 American League 1965 RBI Leaders
- #222 American League 1965 ERA Leaders
- #226 American League 1965 Strikeout Leaders
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1966 Topps #169 card?
It is card #169 of the 598-card 1966 Topps Baseball set, picturing Duke Sims of the Cleveland Indians.
Is 1966 Topps #169 a rookie card?
Yes - #169 is the 1966 Topps rookie card of Duke Sims.
How many cards are in the 1966 Topps Baseball set?
598 cards, tracked as 613 collectible states. Numbers run from 1 to 598 with no gaps and no number used twice, and 14 cards carry catalogued print variations - five checklists, the trade and sold statement backs, the three-state #43 Don Landrum, three team-card dot pairs and the #161 Jerry Lumpe white streak - that the master set counts separately.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA CardFacts, Cardboard Connection, 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.