1975 Topps #16 Frank Tanana
About Frank Tanana
Frank Daryl Tanana was California's first-round pick (13th overall) in the 1971 draft out of Detroit Catholic Central High School, and after tendinitis stalled his first pro season he broke into the majors with the Angels in September 1973. His full rookie campaign came in 1974 - a 14-19, 180-strikeout season that earned him a spot on Topps' All-Star Rookie team, the trophy that decorates his 1975 Topps card. Paired with Nolan Ryan atop the Angels' rotation, the lefty inspired the line "Tanana and Ryan and two days of cryin'." He led the American League in strikeouts in 1975 with 269 - the only year from 1972 to 1979 that Ryan didn't top the AL leaderboard - made three straight All-Star teams (1976-78), and led the league with a 2.54 ERA and seven shutouts in 1977. On September 25, 1979, he threw a complete game to clinch the Angels' first-ever playoff berth. Arm trouble later forced him to remake himself from a hard-throwing strikeout artist into a finesse pitcher, extending his career through Boston, Texas, Detroit, the Mets, and Yankees; he retired in 1993 with 240 wins and 2,773 strikeouts.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 461 | 0 | 21 | 155 | 131 | 66 | 37 | 51 | 0 |
| SGC | 23 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Live auctions Buy It Now Sold prices
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Related cards
Team card: #236 California Angels
More California Angels cards:
- #5 Nolan Ryan
- #40 Bill Singer
- #64 Dave Chalk
- #88 Tom Egan
- #114 Dick Lange
- #139 Horacio Pina
- #164 Mickey Rivers
- #187 Denny Doyle
- #215 Bobby Valentine
- #261 Andy Hassler
- #285 Ellie Rodriguez
- #312 1974 Strikeout Leaders
- #317 Joe Lahoud
- #342 Leroy Stanton
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1975 Topps #16 card?
It is card #16 of the 660-card 1975 Topps Baseball set, picturing Frank Tanana.
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.