1972 Topps #644 Bernie Allen
About Bernie Allen
Allen arrived in 1972 as the backup to second baseman Horace Clarke. He thought he might get a chance at third base until the Yankees acquired Rich McKinney, and Ralph Houk told him in spring training what job he had planned for him and never changed it. Allen played 84 games, 44 of them at third base and 20 at second. In May New York traded player representative Jack Aker to the Cubs, and Allen was elected to replace him. His #644 is a fifth-series card with the Yankees.
Bernard Keith Allen (born April 16, 1939, in East Liverpool, Ohio) was a three-sport star in high school and Purdue's starting quarterback before he chose baseball, signing with the Minnesota Twins in 1961 after turning down more money from the not-yet-playing New York Mets. Eighty minor-league games later he opened 1962 as the Twins' second baseman, the job Billy Martin had just vacated; Martin, released that spring after Allen outplayed him, taught him the position anyway. Allen's rookie year was the best of his career. A June 1964 collision with Don Zimmer tore the ligaments in his left knee. He spent much of 1965 rehabbing while Minnesota went to the World Series, then went to Washington with Camilo Pascual for Ron Kline in December 1966. He served as player representative for the Twins, Senators and Yankees, and hit through astigmatism in his right eye by wearing a single contact lens. Twelve big-league seasons left him 815 hits, 73 home runs and a .239 average; Purdue put him in its Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999.
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 | 277 | 12 | 68 | 166 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| SGC | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Shop 1972 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
Team card: #237 New York Yankees
More New York Yankees cards:
- #8 Ron Swoboda
- #22 Rob Gardner
- #47 John Ellis
- #48 John Ellis In Action
- #86 1971 A.L. Batting Leaders
- #108 Gary Waslewski
- #124 Yankees 1972 Rookie Stars
- #138 Mike Kekich
- #158 Jerry Kenney
- #203 Ron Blomberg
- #263 Felipe Alou
- #287 Jim Hardin
- #325 Mel Stottlemyre
- #340 Roy White
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1972 Topps #644 card?
It is card #644 of the 787-card 1972 Topps Baseball set, picturing Bernie Allen of the New York Yankees.
How many cards are in the 1972 Topps Baseball set?
787 cards, tracked as 794 collectible states. Numbers run from 1 to 787 with none skipped, in six print series (#1-132, #133-263, #264-394, #395-525, #526-656 and #657-787, the high numbers); 7 cards carry catalogued print variations that the master set counts separately - four Chicago Cubs cards with yellow or green under the "C" and "S" of the team name, the #251 and #478 checklists with smaller or larger print on the front, and the #604 checklist with its copyright line aligned right or left.
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.