1975 Topps #595 Joe Niekro
About Joe Niekro
Joe Niekro broke into pro ball with the Chicago Cubs in 1967, then moved through San Diego and Detroit before Atlanta claimed him off waivers in August 1973. His two seasons as a Brave — the club pictured on this 1975 Topps card — proved pivotal: paired again with older brother Phil, Joe relearned the knuckleball their father had taught them both as boys, blending it into the fastball, slider, and changeup he already threw. Houston bought his contract in April 1975, and the knuckler turned him into a workhorse. He went 21-11 in 1979, leading the National League in wins and shutouts, making his only All-Star team, and finishing second in Cy Young voting, then followed with a 20-12 season in 1980 to become the first Astros pitcher with consecutive 20-win years. He retired with 221 wins over 22 seasons and, with Phil, still holds the record for most victories by brothers (539). Pitching for Minnesota in 1987, he was suspended ten games for hiding sandpaper on his palm during a mound search, then that October worked a scoreless inning in his only World Series — a champion at last.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 320 | 9 | 41 | 158 | 74 | 29 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| SGC | 16 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-08-19. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8), and PSA's qualified grades are counted separately from the straight-grade rows shown here. The graders do not split the 1975 Topps Mini or O-Pee-Chee issues into this set.
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Related cards
Team card: #589 Atlanta Braves
More Atlanta Braves cards:
- #1 Hank Aaron
- #9 Frank Tepedino
- #33 Dusty Baker
- #57 Dave Johnson
- #81 Ron Reed
- #105 Buzz Capra
- #130 Phil Niekro
- #154 Mike Lum
- #177 Vic Correll
- #237 Carl Morton
- #262 Rowland Office
- #287 Roric Harrison
- #319 Johnny Oates
- #367 Craig Robinson
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1975 Topps #595 card?
It is card #595 of the 660-card 1975 Topps Baseball set, picturing Joe Niekro.
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 2026-08-20.