1975 Topps #47 Tommy John
About Tommy John
Thomas Edward John Jr. was an 18-year-old out of Terre Haute, Indiana, when the Cleveland Indians signed him in 1961 on the strength of his curveball. He debuted with Cleveland in September 1963, then anchored the White Sox rotation from 1965-71, earning his first All-Star nod in 1968. Traded to the Dodgers for Dick Allen after 1971, he led the NL in winning percentage in 1973 (.696) and 1974 (.813). His 1975 Topps card arrived in the one season he never pitched: on July 17, 1974, John tore his left ulnar collateral ligament, and that September Dodgers physician Dr. Frank Jobe performed the first reconstructive surgery of its kind — now known as "Tommy John surgery." He returned in 1976 to a nickname from teammates and writers, "the Bionic Man," then went 20-7 in 1977 (runner-up for the NL Cy Young) and helped Los Angeles to back-to-back pennants in 1977-78. Signing with the Yankees, he won 20 games in 1979 and 1980, adding All-Star trips in 1978-80. John retired in 1989 with 288 wins over 26 seasons — second most of any post-1900 pitcher outside the Hall of Fame — and died August 15, 2026, at age 83.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 472 | 0 | 38 | 173 | 134 | 65 | 40 | 22 | 0 |
| SGC | 30 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
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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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1975 Topps #47 card?
It is card #47 of the 660-card 1975 Topps Baseball set, picturing Tommy John.
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.