1972 Topps #536 Doug Rader
About Doug Rader
Rader's average kept sliding in 1972, to .237, but his power returned. He hit 22 home runs and drove in 90 runs in 152 games, among the Astros leaders, and took a third straight Gold Glove at third base. LIFE ran an article on him in its June 16 issue that year. His fifth-series Topps card is #536, with Houston.
Doug Rader was a third baseman who built his reputation on defense. Signed by the Houston Astros as an undrafted free agent out of Bloomington, Illinois, he reached the majors in 1967 and became Houston's everyday third baseman the following year. Over an eleven-year career split between the Astros, San Diego Padres, and Toronto Blue Jays, he hit 155 home runs and drove in 722 runs. He won five consecutive Gold Glove Awards at third base from 1970 through 1974. Nicknamed "the Red Rooster" for the thick red hair under his cap, he later moved into coaching and managing, leading the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and California Angels between 1983 and 1991 after retiring as a player in 1978.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 186 | 4 | 36 | 113 | 19 | 9 | 3 | 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.
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Related cards
Team card: #282 Houston Astros
More Houston Astros cards:
- #20 Don Wilson
- #56 Rich Chiles
- #65 Cesar Cedeno
- #91 1971 N.L. E.R.A. Leaders
- #101 Astros 1972 Rookie Stars
- #132 Joe Morgan
- #155 Larry Dierker
- #202 Scipio Spinks
- #204 Tommy Helms
- #217 Roger Metzger
- #249 Harry Walker
- #339 Ron Cook
- #355 Bob Watson
- #360 Dave Roberts
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1972 Topps #536 card?
It is card #536 of the 787-card 1972 Topps Baseball set, picturing Doug Rader of the Houston Astros.
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.