1969 Topps #176 Joe Azcue
About Joe Azcue
Card #176, from print series two of the 1969 Topps set, shows Azcue in a Cleveland uniform, which he wore for only seven games that April. On April 19 the Indians packaged him with pitchers Sonny Siebert and Vicente Romo and sent them to Boston for Ken Harrelson, Dick Ellsworth and Juan Pizarro, ending a six-plus-year run as the Tribe's catcher. He backed up Russ Gibson in Boston, hit .216 in 19 games, and on June 11 walked out on the club in frustration over his playing time. The Red Sox suspended him and traded him to California on June 15 for Tom Satriano.
Jose Joaquin Azcue Lopez, a catcher from Cienfuegos, Cuba, signed with the Cincinnati Reds organization in 1956 and worked his way up through Class D, B and A ball while starring in Cuban League winter ball for the Cienfuegos Elefantes, helping them win back-to-back pennants and a Caribbean Series title. He reached the majors with Cincinnati in August 1960 but hit just .097 in 14 games, and that December the Milwaukee Braves purchased his contract. A year later Milwaukee traded him to the Kansas City Athletics, and in May 1963 Kansas City dealt him to the Cleveland Indians, where he spent parts of seven seasons and became the club's regular catcher. A right-handed hitter and thrower known for a strong arm - in 1966 he threw out 62 percent of attempted base stealers, one of the best single-season rates in major league history - Azcue earned his only All-Star selection in 1968 and led American League catchers in fielding percentage in both 1967 and 1968. Traded to Boston in April 1969, he also played for the California Angels and Milwaukee Brewers before retiring in 1972 with a .252 average over eleven seasons. He later managed in the minors and worked for decades in the auto industry.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · Baseball Almanac
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 208 | 6 | 39 | 104 | 35 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| SGC | 6 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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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- #91 Al Dark
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- #145 Max Alvis
- #201 Russ Snyder
- #220 Sam McDowell
- #244 Indians 1969 Rookie Stars
- #267 Vicente Romo
- #291 Vern Fuller
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1969 Topps #176 card?
It is card #176 of the 664-card 1969 Topps Baseball set, picturing Joe Azcue 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.