1972 Topps #742 Jim Rooker
About Jim Rooker
In 1971 Rooker split his time between starting and relieving for Kansas City, making 7 starts and going 2-7 with a 5.33 ERA. His 1972 Topps card, #742, came in the sixth series with the Royals. In 1972 he went 5-6 with a 4.38 ERA and two shutouts, and after the season the Royals traded him to Pittsburgh for Gene Garber.
Jim Rooker was a left-handed pitcher for Detroit, Kansas City and Pittsburgh across 13 major league seasons. Detroit signed him as an outfielder in 1960; he converted to pitching full time in 1966. The Yankees acquired him in 1968 before Kansas City selected him in the expansion draft. He joined Pittsburgh after the 1972 season. Rooker went 15-11 with a 2.78 ERA in 1974 and also batted .305. He pitched in the 1974 and 1975 NLCS and allowed one run in five innings as Pittsburgh's Game 5 starter in the 1979 World Series, which the Pirates won. His career ended in 1980 with a 103-109 record, a 3.46 ERA and 976 strikeouts. He joined the Pirates' broadcast team in 1981.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · National Baseball Hall of Fame · Baseball Almanac · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 355 | 14 | 97 | 186 | 42 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| SGC | 16 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 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: #617 Kansas City Royals
More Kansas City Royals cards:
- #10 Amos Otis
- #57 Bob Oliver
- #68 Jim York
- #81 Mike Hedlund
- #109 Jerry May
- #133 Joe Keough
- #177 Paul Schaal
- #178 Paul Schaal In Action
- #205 Dick Drago
- #246 Tom Burgmeier
- #273 Bobby Floyd
- #315 Paul Splittorff
- #332 Buck Martinez
- #349 Al Fitzmorris
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1972 Topps #742 card?
It is card #742 of the 787-card 1972 Topps Baseball set, picturing Jim Rooker of the Kansas City Royals.
Why is #742 harder to find?
It is a high number card from the sixth and last print series, #657-787 - with the fifth series, the toughest to find, per PSA.
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.