1974 Topps #265 Tug McGraw
About Tug McGraw
McGraw saved 25 games and struck out 81 batters for the Mets in 1973. His 1974 Topps card, #265, lists him with the Mets. On December 3, 1974, the Mets traded him, Don Hahn and Dave Schneck to Philadelphia for Del Unser, John Stearns and Mac Scarce.
Tug McGraw signed with the Mets after his older brother Hank urged scout Roy Partee to give him a look. The $7,000 bonus brought the California left-hander into professional baseball in 1964. His mother had called him Tugger as an infant because of the way he nursed, and he insisted on Tug even when his kindergarten teacher called the name Frank. Across 19 major league seasons with New York and Philadelphia, he recorded 180 saves. His shout of "Ya Gotta Believe" became the Mets' rallying cry in 1973. In 1980, he struck out Willie Wilson to end the World Series and secure the Phillies' first championship. McGraw later worked as a television sports reporter in Philadelphia. He died of brain cancer in 2004; his son Tim became a country singer.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 193 | 3 | 68 | 97 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 0 |
| SGC | 10 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 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: #56 New York Mets
More New York Mets cards:
- #8 George Theodore
- #80 Tom Seaver
- #106 Harry Parker
- #132 Felix Millan
- #153 Jon Matlack
- #179 Mets Field Leaders
- #206 1973 Earned Run Average Leaders
- #207 1973 Strikeout Leaders
- #216 Ray Sadecki
- #234 John Milner
- #245 Cleon Jones
- #291 Don Hahn
- #311 Jerry Grote
- #356 Jerry Koosman
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1974 Topps #265 card?
It is card #265 of the 660-card 1974 Topps Baseball set, picturing Tug McGraw of the New York Mets.
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.