1974 Topps #504 Joe Niekro
About Joe Niekro
Niekro had worked in Atlanta's bullpen in 1973; his 1974 Topps #504 listed the Braves. He had begun his career relying on a fastball and slider, and threw harder than his brother Phil. In 1974, Atlanta used him in 27 games, 2 of them starts.
Joe Niekro pitched 22 big-league seasons from 1967 to 1988, breaking in with the Chicago Cubs before stops with the San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins. He found his greatest success in Houston, where he mastered the knuckleball his father had taught him and his older brother Phil, becoming the first Astros pitcher to win 20 games in back-to-back seasons (1979 and 1980). His 1979 campaign brought his only All-Star selection, a league-leading 21 wins, and the TSN Pitcher of the Year award. He finished his career with 221 wins, and he and Phil combined for a major-league record 539 victories by a pair of brothers. Niekro also reached the 1987 World Series with Minnesota. He died in 2006 following a brain aneurysm; his family's foundation now funds research into that condition.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 279 | 6 | 119 | 123 | 12 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| SGC | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 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.
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Related cards
Team card: #483 Atlanta Braves
More Atlanta Braves cards:
- #1 Hank Aaron: New All-Time Home Run King
- #5 Hank Aaron Special: 1966-1969
- #6 Hank Aaron Special: 1970-1973
- #29 Phil Niekro
- #45 Dave Johnson
- #71 Danny Frisella
- #93 Rod Gilbreath
- #140 Darrell Evans
- #164 Tom House
- #183 Johnny Oates
- #227 Mike Lum
- #244 Carl Morton
- #272 Paul Casanova
- #298 Roric Harrison
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1974 Topps #504 card?
It is card #504 of the 660-card 1974 Topps Baseball set, picturing Joe Niekro of the Atlanta Braves.
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.