1970 Topps #650 Sam McDowell
About Sam McDowell
McDowell has three 1970 cards, all as an Indian: #72, the American League strikeout leaders card, where he tops Mickey Lolich and Andy Messersmith; #469 in the All-Stars subset; and #650, a high number from the seventh series. In 1969 he struck out 279 batters and posted a 2.94 ERA over 285 innings. In 1970 he led the league in innings, completed 19 of his 39 starts, made his fifth All-Star team and was named The Sporting News All-Star left-hander.
Sam McDowell, born September 21, 1942 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was a hard-throwing left-handed pitcher who spent fifteen major league seasons, 1961 through 1975, mostly with the Cleveland Indians. Rated the country's top schoolboy prospect out of Pittsburgh's Central Catholic High School, he signed with Cleveland in 1960 for a $75,000 bonus and reached the majors six days before his 19th birthday. A six-time All-Star, he led the American League in strikeouts five times and won the 1965 ERA title. In 1970 he topped 300 innings and 300 strikeouts while going 20-12, earning The Sporting News AL Pitcher of the Year award. Control trouble shadowed all of it - he led the league in walks five times as well - and injuries and alcoholism wore down the back end of his career through stops with the Giants, Yankees and Pirates. He retired with a 141-134 record, a 3.17 ERA and 2,453 strikeouts. He got sober in the early 1980s, earned associate degrees in sports psychology and addiction at the University of Pittsburgh, and later worked as an addiction counselor for the Rangers and Blue Jays. He is a member of the Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame, the franchise's own team hall.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · Baseball Almanac · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 296 | 5 | 69 | 160 | 48 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| SGC | 29 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Shop 1970 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 Sam McDowell in this set: #72 League Leaders, #469 All-Stars
Team card: #637 Cleveland Indians
More Cleveland Indians cards:
- #7 Indians 1970 Rookie Stars
- #27 Chuck Hinton
- #59 Dick Ellsworth
- #72 1969 American League Strikeout Leaders
- #85 Max Alvis
- #112 Dave Nelson
- #136 Steve Hargan
- #161 Richie Scheinblum
- #184 Ray Fosse
- #209 Ken Suarez
- #247 Lou Klimchock
- #257 Dennis Higgins
- #275 Duke Sims
- #292 Eddie Leon
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1970 Topps #650 card?
It is card #650 of the 720-card 1970 Topps Baseball set, picturing Sam McDowell of the Cleveland Indians.
Why is #650 harder to find?
It is a high number card from the seventh and last series, #634-720 - the high numbers, and the toughest series of the set to find.
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.