1976 Topps #317 John Candelaria
About John Candelaria
Candelaria's first full year in the Pittsburgh rotation brought a 16-7 record, a 3.15 ERA and 11 complete games. On August 9, on Candy Night at home, he no-hit the Dodgers 2-0, walking one batter and facing a bases-loaded jam in the third inning that he escaped. His 1976 Topps #317 is a recognised rookie card.
John Candelaria was a 6-foot-7 left-handed starter who pitched 19 major league seasons (1975-1993) for eight teams. Nicknamed the Candy Man, he was born in Brooklyn, became La Salle's all-time leading basketball scorer, and signed with Pittsburgh as a second-round pick in 1972, reportedly on advice from Roberto Clemente to hold out for more money. He debuted in June 1975 and struck out 14 Reds in the NLCS that October. He won a World Series with the 1979 Pirates, then moved to the bullpen in 1985 and was traded to the Angels, later pitching for the Mets, Yankees, Expos, Twins, Blue Jays and Dodgers before finishing in Pittsburgh in 1993. He retired with 177 wins, a 3.33 ERA and 1,673 strikeouts. Recurring back pain shaped much of his career.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 253 | 25 | 100 | 95 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| SGC | 14 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Data as of 2026-10-19. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1976 Topps #317 card?
It is card #317 of the 660-card 1976 Topps Baseball set, picturing John Candelaria of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Is 1976 Topps #317 a rookie card?
Yes - #317 is the 1976 Topps rookie card of John Candelaria.
How many cards are in the 1976 Topps Baseball set?
660 cards, numbered 1 through 660 with none skipped and printed in equal quantities as a single series. No card carries a catalogued print variation, so the base set and the master set are the same 660 cards.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA CardFacts, BaseballCardPedia, Cardboard Connection, Baseball Almanac, 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 2026-10-25.