1972 Topps #165 Chris Speier
About Chris Speier
Speier followed a rookie year that ended with a .357 NLCS against Pittsburgh by setting career highs of 15 home runs and 71 RBIs and hitting .269. He made the first of three straight All-Star teams, going 0-for-2 with a sacrifice in the National League's 4-3 win, and was named The Sporting News shortstop on its All-Star team. San Francisco slid to 69-86. His second-series #165 is a rookie card with the Topps All-Star Rookie trophy on the front; #166 is his In Action card.
Chris Speier was a shortstop for 19 major league seasons, best known for his years with the San Francisco Giants and Montreal Expos, with shorter stops in Chicago, St. Louis and Minnesota. The Giants made him the second overall pick of the January 1970 draft after scout Herman Hannah watched him play for the Stratford Hoods in Ontario's Intercounty League, and he won the starting shortstop job at 20. He was a National League All-Star in 1972, 1973 and 1974, and his strong arm and Bay Area roots earned him the nickname the Alameda Rifle. He hit for the cycle twice, the second time with San Francisco in 1988, and won the 1987 Willie Mac Award for spirit and leadership in his second stretch with the Giants. He finished with a .246 average and 112 home runs in 2,260 games. After playing he coached in the majors, including on Arizona's 2001 World Series champion staff and as bench coach for Cincinnati and Washington.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 414 | 20 | 125 | 204 | 44 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| SGC | 12 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 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.
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Related cards
More Chris Speier in this set: #166 In Action
Team card: #771 San Francisco Giants
More San Francisco Giants cards:
- #35 Jerry Johnson
- #36 Jerry Johnson In Action
- #49 Willie Mays
- #50 Willie Mays In Action
- #76 Don Carrithers
- #129 Charlie Fox
- #147 Dave Kingman
- #166 Chris Speier In Action
- #185 Ron Bryant
- #186 Ron Bryant In Action
- #232 Giants 1972 Rookie Stars
- #280 Willie McCovey
- #295 Dick Dietz
- #296 Dick Dietz In Action
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1972 Topps #165 card?
It is card #165 of the 787-card 1972 Topps Baseball set, picturing Chris Speier of the San Francisco Giants.
Is 1972 Topps #165 a rookie card?
Yes - #165 is the 1972 Topps rookie card of Chris Speier.
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.