1972 Topps #762 Wayne Simpson
About Wayne Simpson
Sparky Anderson sent Simpson to Indianapolis to open 1972, and he rejoined the Reds in May. He started 22 of 24 games, going 8-5 with a 4.14 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 130 1/3 innings, while critics accused both Simpson and Gary Nolan of arm problems more mental than physical. Card #762, from the sixth series, lists him with Cincinnati.
Wayne Simpson was a big right-handed power pitcher from Los Angeles, listed at 6 feet 3 inches and 220 pounds, whom the Cincinnati Reds took eighth overall in the 1967 draft out of Centennial High School in Compton. Wildness slowed him in the minors, where he walked 298 batters in three seasons, until a winter in the Puerto Rican league settled his control. He pitched for the Reds from 1970 to 1972, the Kansas City Royals in 1973, the Philadelphia Phillies in 1975 and the California Angels in 1977, finishing 36-31 with a 4.37 ERA. He tore his rotator cuff on July 31, 1970, several years before the early examples of rotator cuff surgery, and the injury took away his velocity. Hank Aaron collected his 3,000th career hit off him. Simpson finished his career in Mexico, where thoracic outlet syndrome threatened his pitching arm. He died in December 2024 at age 76.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 346 | 7 | 113 | 178 | 34 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| SGC | 15 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 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
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1972 Topps #762 card?
It is card #762 of the 787-card 1972 Topps Baseball set, picturing Wayne Simpson of the Cincinnati Reds.
Why is #762 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.