1977 Topps #495 Al Hrabosky
About Al Hrabosky
Hrabosky's #495 follows a 1976 season in which he went 8-6 with 13 saves in 68 appearances. When Vern Rapp took over as manager in 1977 and imposed a grooming code, Hrabosky cut his hair and shaved the moustache over his objections. On May 9, in a 5-5 game against Cincinnati, he struck out George Foster, Johnny Bench and Bob Bailey with the bases loaded, and St. Louis won 6-5 in ten innings. He was suspended on May 21.
Al Hrabosky was a left-handed relief pitcher known as the Mad Hungarian, a nickname that came from his unusual last name and colorful character. He pitched 13 major league seasons, 1970 to 1982, for the St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves, and finished 64-35 with a 3.10 ERA and 97 saves. A Fullerton College product, he was drafted by the Cardinals in the first round in January 1969. He stuck for good in 1974, then led the National League with 22 saves in 1975 and won the Sporting News Fireman of the Year award. Before entering games he turned his back to the hitter, walked toward second base, rubbed up the ball and pounded it into his glove, a routine paired with long hair and a horseshoe moustache. He signed with Atlanta as a free agent after the 1979 season and has worked Cardinals broadcasts since 1985.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 80 | 3 | 25 | 32 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| SGC | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 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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Related cards
Team card: #183 St. Louis Cardinals Team
More St. Louis Cardinals cards:
- #7 1976 ERA Leaders
- #19 John D'Acquisto
- #47 Lynn McGlothen
- #72 Mike Anderson
- #95 Keith Hernandez
- #136 Jerry Mumphrey
- #161 Garry Templeton
- #205 Pete Falcone
- #229 Don Kessinger
- #355 Lou Brock
- #381 Bob Forsch
- #404 Eric Rasmussen
- #427 Dave Rader
- #452 Mike Caldwell
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1977 Topps #495 card?
It is card #495 of the 660-card 1977 Topps Baseball set, picturing Al Hrabosky of the St. Louis Cardinals.
How many cards are in the 1977 Topps Baseball set?
660 cards, numbered 1 through 660 with none skipped and distributed 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.