1971 Topps #248 Hoyt Wilhelm
About Hoyt Wilhelm
The Cubs claimed Wilhelm off waivers on September 21, 1970, and used him in three games. On November 30 they sent him back to Atlanta for Hal Breeden. Because Chicago had added him late in the season for its playoff push, the quick return drew controversy, and in December Commissioner Bowie Kuhn ruled that he had found no evidence of impropriety. Topps carried him as a Cub on #248, a second-series card. The Braves released him on June 29, 1971, and the Dodgers signed him on July 10.
Hoyt Wilhelm built his career on a knuckleball he taught himself as a North Carolina teenager. Born in Huntersville on July 26, 1922 -- long recorded as 1923 -- he was one of eleven children of tenant farmers. He served in the Army, was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge and earned a Purple Heart, and he pitched his entire career with a fragment lodged in his back. His rise to staff sergeant left him the nickname "Old Sarge." He debuted for the New York Giants on April 18, 1952, at age 29, and homered in his first at-bat, the only home run he ever hit. Working entirely in relief, he won the National League ERA title as a rookie at 2.43, going 15-3. With Baltimore he no-hit the Yankees 1-0 on September 20, 1958, and as a starter in 1959 he took a second ERA crown at 2.19. He pitched for nine franchises, tying Satchel Paige and Goose Gossage for the most by a Hall of Fame pitcher, and was the first to reach 200 saves and 1,000 games. Twenty-one seasons left him 143-122 with a 2.52 ERA and 227 saves. His 124 wins in relief remain the major league record, and in 1985 he became the first reliever elected to Cooperstown.
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 | 559 | 0 | 10 | 161 | 206 | 81 | 42 | 57 | 2 |
| SGC | 95 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 23 | 19 | 17 | 24 | 2 |
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
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- #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
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- #121 Cubs 1971 Rookie Stars
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1971 Topps #248 card?
It is card #248 of the 752-card 1971 Topps Baseball set, picturing Hoyt Wilhelm 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.