1974 Topps #612 Luke Walker
About Luke Walker
Luke Walker went 7-12 with a 4.65 ERA in 1973, starting 18 games for Pittsburgh. The Pirates sold his contract to Detroit at the Winter Meetings on December 5, 1973. His 1974 Topps #612 still pictures him with the Pittsburgh Pirates; he finished 1974 at 5-5 with a 4.99 ERA for the Tigers.
James Luke Walker, born September 2, 1943, in DeKalb, Texas, was a left-handed pitcher who spent nine major league seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and, in his final year, the Detroit Tigers. His best season came in 1970, when he went 15-6 with a 3.04 ERA as the Pirates won the National League East. He pitched in three postseasons with Pittsburgh, including the 1971 World Series, which Pittsburgh won over the Baltimore Orioles. He started Game Four and threw the first pitch of a night game in World Series history. On July 18, 1971, he lost a no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers when Joe Ferguson homered with none out in the ninth inning, the only hit he allowed in a 7-1 win. Walker was also known for helping Roberto Clemente load a relief flight to Nicaragua on New Year's Eve 1972, the trip that killed Clemente; Clemente had urged Walker to stay behind instead. Walker finished his career with a 45-47 record, a 3.65 ERA and 558 strikeouts across 243 appearances.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 228 | 18 | 110 | 82 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| SGC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 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.
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Related cards
Team card: #626 Pittsburgh Pirates
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- #52 Al Oliver
- #82 Dave Giusti
- #100 Willie Stargell
- #116 Jerry Reuss
- #123 Nelson Briles
- #145 Dock Ellis
- #172 Gene Clines
- #202 1973 Home Run Leaders
- #203 1973 Runs Batted In Leaders
- #222 Ramon Hernandez
- #237 Ken Brett
- #252 Dave Parker
- #269 Bob Johnson
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1974 Topps #612 card?
It is card #612 of the 660-card 1974 Topps Baseball set, picturing Luke Walker of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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.