1976 Topps #515 Steve Yeager
About Steve Yeager
On September 6 in San Diego, Bill Russell's bat shattered on a ground ball and nine large splinters lodged in the throat of Yeager, who was in the on-deck circle. He was back with the team three weeks later, and at his urging Dodgers trainer Bill Buhler invented a device that hangs from the catcher's mask to protect the throat. Most catchers soon wore it. He hit .214 that year but led National League catchers with 77 assists. In the 1976 set he is #515, with the Dodgers.
Steve Yeager caught for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1972 through 1985 and finished his career with the Seattle Mariners in 1986. Lou Brock called him "the best-throwing catcher in the game," and a radar gun once clocked a throw of his to second base from a crouch at 98 mph. He was valued even more for his handling of young pitchers. Over his career he hit .228 with 102 home runs.
He played in four World Series for the Dodgers, in 1974, 1977, 1978 and 1981. In 1981 he shared the Series MVP award with Pedro Guerrero and Ron Cey. He went 4-for-14 with a double and two home runs, and one of the homers, off Ron Guidry, won Game 5. He also caught Jerry Reuss's no-hitter on June 27, 1980.
The Dodgers drafted him in the fourth round in 1967 out of Meadowdale High School in Dayton, Ohio. He later coached in the Dodgers' farm system and was the major-league club's catching coach from 2012 to 2018, and he played Coach Duke Temple in the Major League films.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 165 | 12 | 80 | 59 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| SGC | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Shop 1976 Topps cards Live auctions Buy It Now on eBay Sold prices
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Related cards
Team card: #46 Los Angeles Dodgers Team
More Los Angeles Dodgers cards:
- #4 Dave Lopes
- #22 Bill Russell
- #76 Willie Crawford
- #99 Lee Lacy
- #124 Doug Rau
- #150 Steve Garvey
- #174 Charlie Hough
- #197 1975 NL Stolen Base Leaders
- #199 1975 NL Victory Leaders
- #201 1975 NL ERA Leaders
- #203 1975 NL Strikeout Leaders
- #228 John Hale
- #253 Bill Buckner
- #280 Burt Hooton
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1976 Topps #515 card?
It is card #515 of the 660-card 1976 Topps Baseball set, picturing Steve Yeager of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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.