1972 Topps #646 Chico Salmon
Uncorrected error: The card gives his 1971 batting average as .129; it should be .179.
About Chico Salmon
Salmon reported to Baltimore's 1971 camp worried about his roster spot, with young infielders Bobby Grich and Jerry DaVanon pushing for jobs, and then batted .179 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI in 42 games as the Orioles won a third straight pennant. His #646 card, from the fifth series of 1972 Topps, prints that 1971 average as .129, an error that was never corrected. He appeared in 17 games for Baltimore in 1972, his last season.
Ruthford Eduardo Salmon, known as Chico, was a Panamanian utility man who spent nine big league seasons, 1964 to 1972, with the Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles. Signed out of Colon, Panama, he worked his way up through the minors before Cleveland called him up in June 1964, when their regular third baseman fell seriously ill and opened a spot. He never claimed one position, playing all four infield spots plus the outfield over his career, which earned him the nickname Super Sub. He hit .307 as a rookie in 1964, his highest season average, and from May 22 to July 5 in 1966 he hit .313 after taking over second base from the injured Larry Brown. Traded to Baltimore in 1969, he became Earl Weaver's top reserve infielder on three straight pennant winners and the 1970 World Series champions. He was widely known for his fear of ghosts, which led him to sleep with the lights on. He died in Panama in 2000.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 164 | 3 | 31 | 96 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| SGC | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 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: #731 Baltimore Orioles
More Baltimore Orioles cards:
- #26 Andy Etchebarren
- #70 Mike Cuellar
- #86 1971 A.L. Batting Leaders
- #88 1971 A.L. R.B.I. Leaders
- #92 1971 A.L. E.R.A. Leaders
- #100 Frank Robinson
- #128 Eddie Watt
- #140 Pat Dobson
- #212 Grant Jackson
- #222 1971 A.L. Playoffs: Orioles Champs!
- #223 1971 World Series Game No. 1
- #224 1971 World Series Game No. 2
- #228 1971 World Series Game No. 6
- #235 Merv Rettenmund
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1972 Topps #646 card?
It is card #646 of the 787-card 1972 Topps Baseball set, picturing Chico Salmon of the Baltimore Orioles.
Does 1972 Topps #646 have an error?
The card gives his 1971 batting average as .129; it should be .179. It was never corrected, so there is no variation to chase - every copy of #646 reads the same way.
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.