1970 Topps #617 Jim French
About Jim French
Jim French opened 1969 as Paul Casanova's backup, his first full year in the majors, and caught all 63 of his games that season. He batted .184 with 2 home runs and 13 RBI, and stayed under the Mendoza line until August 10. Card #617, a sixth-series number in the 1970 Topps set, lists him with the Washington Senators.
Jim French grew up on a dairy farm outside Warren, Ohio, where his grandfather Stub Stiles, a semi-pro catcher, hoped he would become both a big-league backstop and a lawyer. French starred at Ohio University as a dean's-list math major before signing with the Washington Senators in 1963. He reached the majors in September 1965 and made an immediate impression, going 2-for-2 with two walks in his debut against the Angels and hitting .297 in his first 13 games. He never matched that mark again, settling in as a backup catcher known for a strong throwing arm and for calling a good game; he twice led the American League in caught-stealing percentage. Injuries and the presence of Paul Casanova limited his playing time, and French split parts of several seasons between Washington and the minors. He finished a seven-year career with Washington batting .196 with five home runs. After baseball he worked as a securities broker and options trader before earning a law degree in 2001, fulfilling his grandfather's other wish for him.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 315 | 1 | 98 | 184 | 26 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| SGC | 10 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 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: #676 Washington Senators
More Washington Senators cards:
- #14 Hank Allen
- #49 Tim Cullen
- #66 1969 American League Home Run Leaders
- #68 1969 American League ERA Leaders
- #84 Paul Casanova
- #106 Darold Knowles
- #127 Joe Coleman
- #154 Senators 1970 Rookie Stars
- #175 Dick Bosman
- #211 Ted Williams
- #235 Mike Epstein
- #281 Casey Cox
- #303 Brant Alyea
- #328 George Brunet
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1970 Topps #617 card?
It is card #617 of the 720-card 1970 Topps Baseball set, picturing Jim French of the Washington Senators.
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.