1974 Topps #562 Jack Aker
About Jack Aker
Aker saved 12 games for the 1973 Cubs, going 4-5 with a 4.10 ERA. Card #562 in the 1974 Topps set shows him with Chicago, though the Braves signed him after the 1973 season and sold his rights to the Mets in June 1974. He was in the Atlanta bullpen when Hank Aaron's 715th home run landed there on April 8, 1974.
Jack Aker made all 495 of his major league pitching appearances in relief. A side-arming sinkerballer, he went 47-45 with a 3.28 ERA and 123 saves over eleven seasons with the Athletics, Pilots, Yankees, Cubs, Braves and Mets. The Sporting News named him its American League Fireman of the Year in 1966. His nickname, "Chief," referred to his Potawatomi ancestry. After his playing career, he managed Visalia in 1975, won the International League championship with Tidewater in 1982 and served as Cleveland's pitching coach. He founded a baseball academy in 1988 and taught children through camps and clinics, including Native American youth. He received a Giant Steps Award in 1997 for that work.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 205 | 5 | 48 | 127 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 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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Team card: #211 Chicago Cubs
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1974 Topps #562 card?
It is card #562 of the 660-card 1974 Topps Baseball set, picturing Jack Aker of the Chicago Cubs.
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.