1972 Topps #19 Billy Cowan
About Billy Cowan
Cowan hit .276 with four home runs in 74 games for California in 1971. His 1972 Topps card is #19, in the first series, and lists him with the Angels. He played three games in 1972, going 0-for-3. His last major-league plate appearance came April 24, 1972, a strikeout as a pinch hitter against Paul Lindblad.
Billy Rolland Cowan was an outfielder from Calhoun City, Mississippi, who grew up in Bakersfield, California, and starred at East Bakersfield High School before attending the University of Utah. He began his pro career in the Cubs organization in 1961 and hit 35 home runs across two levels in 1962. In 1963 he was the Pacific Coast League MVP and led the circuit with 120 RBI. Cowan reached Chicago that September and became the Cubs' starting center fielder in 1964, but a trade that winter sent him to the Mets for outfielder George Altman. Over eight big-league seasons he also played for the Braves, Phillies, Yankees and Angels as a right-handed-hitting utility outfielder, occasional infielder and pinch hitter, and he spent two full seasons back in the minors. He had success coming off the Angels' bench before retiring in 1972, finishing with 493 games, 281 hits and a .236 career average.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 308 | 14 | 93 | 155 | 29 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| SGC | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 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.
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: #71 California Angels
More California Angels cards:
- #55 Clyde Wright
- #102 Lloyd Allen
- #115 Jim Fregosi
- #135 Vada Pinson
- #160 Andy Messersmith
- #196 Mel Queen
- #213 Angels 1972 Rookie Stars
- #253 Sandy Alomar
- #272 Mickey Rivers
- #289 Syd O'Brien
- #354 Tom Murphy
- #379 Ken Berry
- #404 Jeff Torborg
- #419 Jim Spencer
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1972 Topps #19 card?
It is card #19 of the 787-card 1972 Topps Baseball set, picturing Billy Cowan of the California Angels.
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.