1975 Topps #297 Craig Kusick
About Craig Kusick
Craig Robert Kusick, a first baseman and designated hitter out of Milwaukee via the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, signed with the Minnesota Twins as a free agent in 1970. He was the organization's Minor League Player of the Year in 1973, then its Rookie of the Year in 1974 after gradually taking over first base from Harmon Killebrew - the breakthrough behind his rookie card, 1975 Topps #297. On August 27, 1975, he tied the major-league record for being hit by pitches three times in an 11-inning game against Milwaukee. Rod Carew's shift to first base pushed Kusick into a DH role from 1976 through 1978, and his career peaked in 1977 with a .254 average, 12 home runs and 45 RBI. Sold to Toronto in mid-1979, he finished with a .235 average, 46 homers and 171 RBI over seven seasons. Kusick later spent 22 years teaching and coaching baseball at Rosemount High School, guiding seven teams to the state tournament before his death from leukemia in 2006.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 266 | 0 | 30 | 136 | 71 | 13 | 13 | 3 | 0 |
| SGC | 10 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-08-19. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. The graders do not split the 1975 Topps Mini or O-Pee-Chee issues into this set.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1975 Topps #297 card?
It is card #297 of the 660-card 1975 Topps Baseball set, picturing Craig Kusick.
Is 1975 Topps #297 a rookie card?
Yes - #297 is the 1975 Topps rookie card of Craig Kusick, one of 64 rookie cards in the set.
How many cards are in the 1975 Topps Baseball set?
660 cards, numbered 1-660, with no variations and no short prints - PSA reports the cards were printed in equal quantities. The 1975 Topps Mini and the 1975 O-Pee-Chee issues are separate products with their own checklists.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Cardboard Connection, the PSA price guide, 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 2026-10-05.