1974 Topps #123 Nelson Briles


About Nelson Briles
Briles went 14-13 and pitched 218 2/3 innings for Pittsburgh in 1973. His 1974 Topps card, #123, still shows him with the Pirates, though a December 4, 1973, trade had sent him and Fernando Gonzalez to Kansas City for Kurt Bevacqua, Ed Kirkpatrick and minor leaguer Winston Cole. Right-knee surgery interrupted his first Royals season, which ended at 5-7 with a 4.02 ERA in 18 appearances.
Nelson Briles pitched fourteen major league seasons for St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Texas and Baltimore. A right-hander who worked as both a starter and reliever, he finished with a 129-112 record and a 3.44 ERA. He made 452 appearances and struck out 1,163 batters. He studied drama at Santa Clara University and later performed a Pittsburgh nightclub act featuring songs and jokes. After his playing career, Briles became a television commentator for the Pirates, Mariners and USA Network. He joined Pittsburgh's front office as director of corporate sales in 1986, founded the Pirates Alumni Association and directed the club's fantasy camp.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 248 | 6 | 103 | 115 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| SGC | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 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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- #82 Dave Giusti
- #100 Willie Stargell
- #116 Jerry Reuss
- #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
- #317 Richie Zisk
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1974 Topps #123 card?
It is card #123 of the 660-card 1974 Topps Baseball set, picturing Nelson Briles 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.