1971 Topps #455 Don Kessinger
About Don Kessinger
On June 17, 1971, Kessinger went 6-for-6, the first six-hit game by a Cub in nearly 34 years. He played 155 games that season, hitting .258 with 159 hits. He added 2 home runs, 38 RBI and 15 stolen bases and was named to the National League All-Star team for the fourth straight year. His #455, from the fourth print series, lists him with the Cubs.
Don Kessinger was a switch-hitting shortstop who signed with the Chicago Cubs out of the University of Mississippi, where he had also been an All-American basketball player, and played for them from 1964 to 1975. Paired for nine straight years with second baseman Glenn Beckert, Kessinger made six All-Star teams and won two Gold Gloves, repeatedly leading National League shortstops in assists and putouts. His trademark play, ranging to his right to spear a grounder and whip it to first while reversing in the air, was named "The Down Pat" by teammate Ferguson Jenkins. After Chicago traded him to St. Louis in 1975, he finished his career with the Chicago White Sox, where in 1979 he became the last player-manager in American League history. He later coached baseball at Ole Miss, his alma mater.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 449 | 0 | 18 | 204 | 173 | 36 | 10 | 7 | 1 |
| SGC | 33 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 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: #502 Chicago Cubs
More Chicago Cubs cards:
- #12 Johnny Callison
- #38 Jim Colborn
- #64 1970 National League RBI Leaders
- #66 1970 National League Home Run Leaders
- #70 1970 National League Pitching Leaders
- #72 1970 National League Strikeout Leaders
- #90 Joe Pepitone
- #98 Joe Decker
- #121 Cubs 1971 Rookie Stars
- #151 Tommy Davis
- #175 Jim Hickman
- #203 Larry Gura
- #220 Ron Santo
- #248 Hoyt Wilhelm
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1971 Topps #455 card?
It is card #455 of the 752-card 1971 Topps Baseball set, picturing Don Kessinger of the Chicago Cubs.
How many cards are in the 1971 Topps Baseball set?
752 cards, tracked as 761 collectible states. Numbers run from 1 to 752 with none skipped, issued in six print series (132/131/130/130/120/109 cards), the sixth (#644-752) the high numbers; seven cards carry catalogued print variations that the master set counts separately - the #42, #265 and #306 photo pairs and the #123, #206, #369 and #619 checklists, #369 and #619 in three printings each.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA (its price guide, master set registry and set article), 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.