1969 Topps #414 Duke Sims
About Duke Sims
Sims' 1969 Topps card, #414, is a series-4 issue. With Azcue traded away in mid-April, Sims became Cleveland's starting catcher, starting 96 games behind Ray Fosse and Ken Suarez. He posted a .991 fielding percentage, fourth best among American League catchers, and set a then career high with 18 home runs to go with a .236 average and 45 RBI.
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 | 251 | 4 | 46 | 140 | 41 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| SGC | 6 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 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 Cleveland Indians cards:
- #7 American League 1968 ERA Leaders
- #9 American League 1968 Pitching Leaders
- #11 American League 1968 Strikeout Leaders
- #19 Ken Suarez
- #61 Jimmie Hall
- #91 Al Dark
- #118 Stan Williams
- #145 Max Alvis
- #176 Joe Azcue
- #201 Russ Snyder
- #220 Sam McDowell
- #244 Indians 1969 Rookie Stars
- #267 Vicente Romo
- #291 Vern Fuller
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1969 Topps #414 card?
It is card #414 of the 664-card 1969 Topps Baseball set, picturing Duke Sims of the Cleveland Indians.
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.