1974 Topps #595 Steve Blass
About Steve Blass
After going 3-9 in 1973, Blass walked 25 batters in 14 spring training innings in 1974. After one five-inning appearance in the majors, the Pirates sent him to Charleston, their Triple-A club, for the rest of the season, and he walked 103 batters in 61 innings there. Topps pictured him with Pittsburgh on #595.
Steve Blass, a right-hander who signed with Pittsburgh out of a Connecticut high school in 1960, pitched his entire ten-season career for the Pirates, breaking in during 1964 and settling in as a rotation regular from 1966 on. He peaked between 1968 and 1972, including an 18-6 season with a 2.12 ERA in 1968. His signature moment came in the 1971 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles, where he threw two complete-game victories, including the clincher in Game Seven, finishing runner-up for Series MVP behind Roberto Clemente. After 1972 he lost his control almost overnight, a decline so sudden and unexplained that it became known as Steve Blass disease. He retired in 1975, then spent decades as a Pirates broadcaster and was later inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates and Charleston, West Virginia baseball halls of fame. He finished with a 103-76 record and a 3.63 ERA over 1,597 1/3 innings.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 222 | 10 | 106 | 89 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| SGC | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Shop 1974 Topps cards Live auctions Buy It Now on eBay Sold prices
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Related cards
Team card: #626 Pittsburgh Pirates
More Pittsburgh Pirates cards:
- #28 Manny Sanguillen
- #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 #595 card?
It is card #595 of the 660-card 1974 Topps Baseball set, picturing Steve Blass 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.