1970 Topps #261 Curt Motton
About Curt Motton
Motton opened 1969 with one hit in his first 10 pinch-hit attempts, and Earl Weaver told him, 'You're not here on a pass.' He finished with 27 hits in 89 at-bats over 56 games. He grounded out in his only World Series plate appearance as the Orioles lost to the Mets, 4-1. That winter he joined Santurce in Puerto Rico, managed by Frank Robinson, and strained a tendon in his left hand on a checked swing. His #261 in the second series of 1970 Topps lists the Orioles.
Curt Motton was an outfielder who spent parts of eight seasons in the majors, 1967-1974, almost all of it with the Baltimore Orioles. Signed out of the Bay Area (Encinal High, alongside future big leaguers Willie Stargell and Tommy Harper), he hit .323 with 18 home runs and 70 RBI at Rochester in 1967 and was named the International League's Rookie of the Year. Blocked from a regular job by an outfield of Don Buford, Paul Blair and Frank Robinson, Motton found his role as a pinch-hitter during the Orioles' 1969-1971 pennant run. His hits included a game-winning single off Minnesota in the 1969 ALCS and a grand slam off Sam McDowell in a 1971 start. He also played briefly for the Milwaukee Brewers and California Angels in 1972 before finishing his career back in Baltimore. Known to teammates as "Cuz" for his warm, easygoing manner, Motton later coached first base for the Orioles and worked for the club for years afterward as a special assignment scout.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 145 | 1 | 31 | 71 | 26 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| SGC | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Data as of 2026-10-19. 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
Team card: #387 Baltimore Orioles
More Baltimore Orioles cards:
- #20 Dave McNally
- #45 Dave Johnson
- #64 1969 American League RBI Leaders
- #68 1969 American League ERA Leaders
- #70 1969 American League Pitching Leaders
- #81 Dave May
- #101 Bobby Floyd
- #121 Orioles 1970 Rookie Stars
- #148 Earl Weaver
- #182 Dick Hall
- #199 A.L. Playoff Game 1 - Orioles Win a Squeaker!
- #200 A.L. Playoff Game 2 - Powell Scores Winning Run!
- #201 A.L. Playoff Game 3 - Birds Wrap It Up!
- #202 Orioles Celebrate: Sweep Twins In Three!
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1970 Topps #261 card?
It is card #261 of the 720-card 1970 Topps Baseball set, picturing Curt Motton of the Baltimore Orioles.
How many cards are in the 1970 Topps Baseball set?
720 cards, tracked as 726 collectible states. Numbers run from 1 to 720 with none skipped, issued in seven series - #1-132, #133-263, #264-372, #373-459, #460-546, #547-633 and the high numbers, #634-720; 6 cards, all of them checklists, carry catalogued print variations that the master set counts separately.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA CardFacts, BaseballCardPedia, 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 2026-10-25.