1968 Topps #251 Manny Sanguillen
About Manny Sanguillen
Sanguillen broke a finger in winter ball after his 1967 debut and missed the Pirates' opening day roster in 1968, instead spending the year with the Columbus Jets under manager Johnny Pesky; he hit .387 over his final 87 games there to close at .316. This Pittsburgh Pirates card, printed in the set's third series, stands as a recognized rookie card for him.
Manuel de Jesus Sanguillen Magan grew up in Colon, Panama, one of thirteen children of a fisherman father. He did not take up baseball seriously until his late teens, signing with the Pirates after a scout saw his throwing arm and speed. Sanguillen reached Pittsburgh as a catcher in 1967 and became the club's regular backstop in 1969, holding the job through most of the 1970s. A free-swinging bad-ball hitter who rarely walked, he batted .296 for his career, made three All-Star teams, and helped the Pirates win division titles and the 1971 and 1979 World Series. He was popular with teammates and known for a strong throwing arm and enthusiasm on the field. After his playing days he settled in Pittsburgh, where he has long operated a barbecue concession stand near PNC Park and remains a fixture with fans. He is not a National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, though he has been honored by the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and the Pittsburgh Pirates' own team hall of fame.
Sources: SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 520 | 12 | 69 | 189 | 105 | 51 | 44 | 50 | 0 |
| SGC | 57 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 1 |
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. Slabs of the yellow team-letter #49 and #66 are 1968 Milton Bradley game cards and are not counted here.
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Related cards
Team card: #308 Pittsburgh Pirates
More Pittsburgh Pirates cards:
- #1 National League 1967 Batting Leaders
- #3 National League 1967 RBI Leaders
- #19 Juan Pizarro
- #36 Pirates 1968 Rookie Stars
- #53 Gene Alley
- #70 Bob Veale
- #86 Willie Stargell
- #150 Bob Clemente
- #175 Maury Wills
- #198 Roy Face
- #215 Jim Bunning
- #270 Matty Alou
- #288 Dave Wickersham
- #325 Manny Mota
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1968 Topps #251 card?
It is card #251 of the 598-card 1968 Topps Baseball set, picturing Manny Sanguillen of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Is 1968 Topps #251 a rookie card?
Yes - #251 is the 1968 Topps rookie card of Manny Sanguillen.
How many cards are in the 1968 Topps Baseball set?
598 cards, tracked as 606 collectible states. The numbers run from 1 to 598 without a gap and no printed number carries two different cards; eight cards - six of the seven checklists, #10 AL Pitching Leaders and #400 Mike McCormick - carry a catalogued print variation that the master set counts separately.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA CardFacts, Cardboard Connection, BaseballCardPedia, Baseball Almanac, Beckett, 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 2026-10-12.