1972 Topps #179 Dock Ellis
About Dock Ellis
Ellis was Pittsburgh's Opening Day starter in 1972, and on May 5 a security guard at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati challenged him for identification; within three days the Pirates issued photo ID cards to every player. He made 25 starts and went 15-7 with a 2.70 ERA, then started Game 4 of the NLCS on a sore arm and took the loss without allowing an earned run. Topps gave him #179 in the second series, with the In Action photo following at #180, both with the Pirates.
Dock Ellis pitched twelve seasons in the majors (1968-1979), most of them with the Pittsburgh Pirates, going 138-119 with a 3.46 ERA and 1,136 strikeouts. A right-hander who threw hard enough to keep friends from playing catch with him, he pitched for the Pittsburgh teams that won five NL East titles and the 1971 World Series over Baltimore. On June 12, 1970, he no-hit the San Diego Padres, and he later said he pitched it under the influence of LSD. Ellis started the 1971 All-Star Game for the National League and went 19-9 with a 3.06 ERA that season. He later pitched for the New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers and New York Mets before returning to Pittsburgh for his final season. Outspoken on race and player rights, Ellis battled substance abuse throughout his career and afterward became a counselor, working with others facing addiction until his death in 2008.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 375 | 10 | 73 | 209 | 43 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| SGC | 23 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 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
More Dock Ellis in this set: #180 In Action
Team card: #1 World Champions (Pittsburgh Pirates)
More Pittsburgh Pirates cards:
- #27 Bob Johnson
- #60 Manny Sanguillen
- #72 Bruce Kison
- #87 1971 N.L. R.B.I. Leaders
- #89 1971 N.L. Home Run Leaders
- #125 Dave Cash
- #152 Gene Clines
- #180 Dock Ellis In Action
- #190 Dave Giusti
- #219 Rennie Stennett
- #221 1971 N.L. Playoffs: Bucs Champs!
- #225 1971 World Series Game No. 3
- #226 1971 World Series Game No. 4
- #227 1971 World Series Game No. 5
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1972 Topps #179 card?
It is card #179 of the 787-card 1972 Topps Baseball set, picturing Dock Ellis of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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.