1970 Topps #393 John Gelnar
About John Gelnar
Gelnar pitched 39 games for the first-year Pilots in 1969, 10 of them starts. He went 3-10 with a 3.31 ERA over 108 2/3 innings. In 1970 he moved to the Brewers and worked 53 games, all in relief, going 4-3 with a 4.19 ERA. Card #393 is a fourth-series number that lists him with the Pilots.
John Richard Gelnar was a right-handed pitcher born June 25, 1943, in Granite, Oklahoma. He attended Granite High School and played college baseball at the University of Oklahoma before signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1963 after his freshman year. He debuted in the majors with the Pirates in 1964 and pitched for them again in 1967. His contract was purchased by the Kansas City Royals after the 1968 season, and the Royals sent him with Steve Whitaker to the Seattle Pilots for Lou Piniella ahead of 1969. He moved with the franchise when it became the Milwaukee Brewers in 1970. Over parts of five big league seasons he appeared in 111 games, 11 of them starts. His playing career ended in 1971. Afterward he worked in the oil industry before settling into farming and ranching in Hobart, Oklahoma, where he later lived with his wife, Michele.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 231 | 1 | 41 | 147 | 31 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| SGC | 13 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 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: #713 Seattle Pilots
More Seattle Pilots cards:
- #2 Diego Segui
- #31 Marty Pattin
- #53 John Kennedy
- #88 Pilots 1970 Rookie Stars
- #111 Mike Hegan
- #134 Danny Walton
- #158 Jerry McNertney
- #185 Don Mincher
- #224 Steve Barber
- #249 Bob Locker
- #271 Greg Goossen
- #289 Gene Brabender
- #323 Wayne Comer
- #359 Phil Roof
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1970 Topps #393 card?
It is card #393 of the 720-card 1970 Topps Baseball set, picturing John Gelnar of the Seattle Pilots.
Why does this card say Seattle Pilots?
Because the card prints the Seattle Pilots, and it is correct as printed: the franchise played the 1970 season as the Milwaukee Brewers, but thirty 1970 Topps cards print the Pilots - the #713 team card, #556 Dave Bristol's manager card, the #88 Pilots Rookie Stars and twenty-seven player cards. 1970 Topps is the second and last Topps flagship set with Seattle Pilots cards.
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.