1975 Topps #48 Freddie Patek
About Freddie Patek
Freddie Patek, a 22nd-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1965 out of Seguin, Texas, via the Air Force, broke into the majors in 1968 and shared Pittsburgh's shortstop job before a December 1970 trade sent him to the Kansas City Royals in a six-player deal. The move revived his career: in his first Kansas City season he hit for the cycle and led the American League with 11 triples. Nicknamed "the Cricket" after Pirates broadcaster Bob Prince noticed Pittsburgh fans rattling cricket noisemakers whenever he batted, and "the Flying Flea" for a 42-steal minor league season, the 5-foot-5 Patek became the majors' smallest player and, per manager Whitey Herzog, the best shortstop he managed on artificial turf. A three-time All-Star (1972, 1976, 1978) who started the 1978 All-Star Game, he led the AL with 53 stolen bases in 1977 and anchored Kansas City's division-winning clubs of 1976-78. He retired in 1981 with 1,340 hits and 385 stolen bases and is enshrined in the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 302 | 8 | 83 | 157 | 40 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| SGC | 13 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 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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Team card: #72 Kansas City Royals
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1975 Topps #48 card?
It is card #48 of the 660-card 1975 Topps Baseball set, picturing Freddie Patek.
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.