1975 Topps #551 Larry Christenson
About Larry Christenson
Larry Richard Christenson was the Phillies' first-round pick, third overall in the 1972 draft, taken a day after he graduated Marysville High School in Washington, where he struck out 143 batters in 72 innings his senior year. He debuted for Philadelphia on April 13, 1973 at age 19, then the youngest player in the majors, and spent his entire eleven-year career with the club. Christenson anchored the rotation through the Phillies' 1976-78 NL East championship run, posting his best season in 1977 (19-6, 4.06 ERA) and starting Game 1 of that year's NLCS. Recurring elbow trouble slowed him afterward, but he came back to start Game 4 of the 1980 World Series as Philadelphia won its first title. A genuine threat at the plate, he hit 11 home runs, tied with Rick Wise for the most by a pitcher in franchise history. Teammates and writers called him "L.C.," simply his initials. He retired in 1983 with an 83-71 record and 781 strikeouts, all in Phillies red.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 288 | 8 | 31 | 138 | 69 | 31 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| SGC | 12 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 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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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1975 Topps #551 card?
It is card #551 of the 660-card 1975 Topps Baseball set, picturing Larry Christenson.
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.