1969 Topps #296 Andy Messersmith
About Andy Messersmith
In 1969, his first full season as a starter, Messersmith went 16-11 with a 2.52 ERA and 211 strikeouts over 250 innings for a California Angels club that finished 71-91, well under .500. He led all major-league pitchers in fewest hits allowed per nine innings and ranked among the American League's best starters in ERA and strikeout rate that year. His card is #296 in the third print series of the 1969 Topps set, picturing him with the Angels; it is regarded as his rookie card.
Andy Messersmith was a right-handed pitcher who spent 12 seasons in the majors with the California Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees. A four-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner, he twice won 20 games, finished second in Cy Young voting in 1974, and helped the Dodgers to the 1974 National League pennant and a World Series appearance against Oakland. He finished his career 130-99 with a 2.86 ERA over 2,230.1 innings, one of the lowest marks among starters of his era. Messersmith is best remembered for his part in the 1975 Seitz arbitration decision, in which he and Dave McNally challenged baseball's reserve clause; the ruling struck it down and opened the door to free agency, reshaping how players and teams negotiated contracts from that point forward.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 260 | 2 | 38 | 119 | 52 | 20 | 17 | 12 | 0 |
| SGC | 12 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 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.
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Related cards
More California Angels cards:
- #32 Sammy Ellis
- #59 Jay Johnstone
- #78 Tom Satriano
- #103 Roger Repoz
- #134 Jim Weaver
- #157 Bob Rodgers
- #182 Bill Rigney
- #205 Rick Reichardt
- #224 Angels 1969 Rookie Stars
- #252 Chuck Cottier
- #275 Vic Davalillo
- #315 Eddie Fisher
- #342 Bubba Morton
- #365 Jim Fregosi
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1969 Topps #296 card?
It is card #296 of the 664-card 1969 Topps Baseball set, picturing Andy Messersmith of the California Angels.
Is 1969 Topps #296 a rookie card?
Yes - #296 is the 1969 Topps rookie card of Andy Messersmith.
How many cards are in the 1969 Topps Baseball set?
664 cards, tracked as 696 collectible states. Numbers run from 1 to 664 with none skipped and no printed number shared by two cards; 32 cards carry catalogued print variations that the master set counts separately, 23 of them the yellow- and white-letter name pairs of #440-511.
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 2026-10-12.