1974 Topps #538 Cesar Tovar
About Cesar Tovar
Cesar Tovar spent 1973 with Philadelphia, which wanted him at third base because it had traded Don Money. He platooned there with a young Mike Schmidt and hit .268 with 21 RBI in 97 games. Texas bought his contract on December 7, 1973, at the request of new manager Billy Martin, so his 1974 Topps card, #538, still shows him as a Phillie.
Cesar Tovar was a Venezuelan infielder-outfielder who spent 1965-1976 in the majors, most of it as the leadoff hitter for the Minnesota Twins. Signed by the Cincinnati Reds organization and later traded to Minnesota, he broke into the big leagues in 1965 and became known for his all-out hustle and versatility, playing every position on the diamond. On September 22, 1968, he played all nine fielding positions in a single game, a feat only a handful of players in history have matched. He batted ahead of Tony Oliva and Harmon Killebrew on Twins teams that won back-to-back American League West titles in 1969 and 1970. He led the American League in doubles and triples in 1970 and in hits in 1971. After Minnesota he played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, and New York Yankees before retiring in 1976 with a .278 career average and 46 home runs. He stole 226 bases in 1,488 games.
Sources: SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 270 | 10 | 105 | 135 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 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: #383 Philadelphia Phillies
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- #95 Steve Carlton
- #119 Phillies Field Leaders
- #131 Bob Boone
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- #174 Bill Robinson
- #198 Dave Cash
- #214 Billy Grabarkewitz
- #255 Larry Bowa
- #283 Mike Schmidt
- #313 Barry Lersch
- #342 Jim Lonborg
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1974 Topps #538 card?
It is card #538 of the 660-card 1974 Topps Baseball set, picturing Cesar Tovar of the Philadelphia Phillies.
How many cards are in the 1974 Topps Baseball set?
660 cards, tracked as 678 collectible states. Numbers run from 1 to 660 with none skipped, issued all at once as a single series and printed in equal quantities; 17 cards carry catalogued print variations that the master set counts separately - fourteen San Diego / "Washington Nat'l Lea." pairs (thirteen Padres player cards and the #226 team card), the three-state #599 Rookie Pitchers, the #608 Apodaco misspelling and the #654 Jesus Alou front without a position.
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.