1969 Topps #551 Wayne Granger
About Wayne Granger
Granger's 1969 Topps card, #551 in the print series 6 run, is his rookie card, showing him with the Cincinnati Reds after an offseason trade that sent him from St. Louis along with Bobby Tolan in exchange for Vada Pinson. The season pictured here became a breakout: Granger set a new National League record with 90 relief appearances, going 9-6 with 27 saves and a 2.80 ERA, and was named The Sporting News National League Fireman of the Year for the first of two straight seasons.
Wayne Granger was a sidearm sinkerballer who built a nine-season career almost entirely out of the bullpen, never once starting a big-league game. Signed by the Cardinals, he broke in in 1968 and was soon dealt to Cincinnati, where he became one of the game's most heavily used relievers. He set a National League record with 90 appearances in 1969 and followed it with a league-leading 35 saves in 1970, earning back-to-back Sporting News Fireman of the Year honors as the Reds emerged as the Big Red Machine. Granger threw mostly one pitch, a low sinker that produced ground balls by the bucketful, and his light frame let him pitch on little rest. He also worked for the Twins, Yankees, Cardinals again, White Sox, Astros and Expos before arm trouble ended his career in 1976. He later returned often to Cincinnati for Reds Hall of Fame and reunion events.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 287 | 2 | 61 | 164 | 38 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| SGC | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Shop 1969 Topps cards Live auctions Buy It Now on eBay Sold prices
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Related cards
More Cincinnati Reds cards:
- #2 National League 1968 Batting Leaders
- #26 Clay Carroll
- #70 Tommy Helms
- #81 Mel Queen
- #95 Johnny Bench
- #120 Pete Rose
- #142 Woody Woodward
- #187 Leon Wagner
- #213 Gerry Arrigo
- #234 Dave Bristol
- #259 Bill Short
- #280 Alex Johnson
- #295 Tony Perez
- #318 Jack Fisher
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1969 Topps #551 card?
It is card #551 of the 664-card 1969 Topps Baseball set, picturing Wayne Granger of the Cincinnati Reds.
Is 1969 Topps #551 a rookie card?
Yes - #551 is the 1969 Topps rookie card of Wayne Granger.
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.