1969 Topps #653 Aurelio Rodriguez
Card photo is of Angels batboy Leonard Garcia, not Aurelio Rodriguez; still recognized as his rookie card despite the mix-up.
Uncorrected error: The card pictures batboy Leonard Garcia, not Aurelio Rodriguez; it was never corrected.
About Aurelio Rodriguez
In his first full season as the California Angels' everyday third baseman, Rodriguez led American League third basemen with 42 double plays turned and ranked second in assists, though his average sat at .232. His 1969 Topps card, #653, part of print series 7 and a high number, is a recognized rookie card despite showing the wrong player: the photo is actually Angels batboy Leonard Garcia, a mix-up that was never corrected.
Aurelio Rodriguez, sometimes called "Chi Chi", was a Mexican-born third baseman who spent 17 major league seasons (1967-1983) with the Angels, Senators, Tigers, Padres, Yankees, White Sox and Orioles, hitting .237 with 124 home runs and 648 RBI over 2,017 games. He built his reputation on defense: a powerful throwing arm, a career range factor at third base that ranks second in major league history, and 4,150 career assists at the position, fifth all-time at his retirement. He won his only Gold Glove in 1976, ending Brooks Robinson's long run of American League third base honors. His best offensive season came in 1970 with Washington under manager Ted Williams, when he set career highs with 19 home runs and 83 RBI. After retiring he managed for a decade, mostly in the Mexican League, leading the Sultanes de Monterrey to the 1991 championship, and was inducted into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995. He was killed by a motorist in Detroit in 2000.
Sources: Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 298 | 1 | 43 | 137 | 62 | 27 | 12 | 15 | 1 |
| SGC | 21 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 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.
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Related cards
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- #182 Bill Rigney
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- #252 Chuck Cottier
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1969 Topps #653 card?
It is Aurelio Rodriguez's California Angels card, #653 in the 664-card 1969 Topps Baseball set - but the photograph shows Angels batboy Leonard Garcia, not Rodriguez.
Is 1969 Topps #653 a rookie card?
Yes - #653 is the 1969 Topps rookie card of Aurelio Rodriguez.
Does 1969 Topps #653 have an error?
The card pictures batboy Leonard Garcia, not Aurelio Rodriguez; it was never corrected.
Why is #653 harder to find?
It is a high number card from the seventh and last print series, #589-664 - the scarce end of the set.
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.