1977 Topps #144 Bruce Sutter
About Bruce Sutter
Sutter went on the disabled list with a shoulder strain on August 2, 1977, when the Cubs held a 2 1/2 game lead over the Phillies. Chicago went 9-14 before he returned on August 26. He still finished with a 1.34 ERA and 31 saves and was picked for the All-Star team, though the shoulder kept him out of the game. On September 8 he struck out three Expos on nine pitches in the ninth. Card #144, his rookie card, is printed with the Cubs.
Bruce Sutter was a right-handed closer who built his career on the split-finger fastball. He pitched from 1976 to 1988 for the Cubs, Cardinals and Braves, led the National League in saves five times, and retired with a 2.83 ERA and 300 saves, then the third-highest total in history. He won a Cy Young Award, four Rolaids Relief Man awards and the 1982 World Series, and was a six-time All-Star.
Signed by the Cubs as a free agent in September 1971, Sutter had arm surgery for a pinched nerve and returned for 1973 spring training with diminished fastball velocity. Minor league instructor Fred Martin taught him the split-finger.
St. Louis sent Leon Durham, Ken Reitz and Ty Waller to the Cubs for him in December 1980. In 1982 he saved Game 7 of the World Series, ending it by striking out Gorman Thomas. His 45 saves in 1984 tied Dan Quisenberry's major league record. Atlanta signed him as a free agent in December 1984, but shoulder trouble brought three operations, cost him all of 1987 and ended his career after 1988.
Sutter was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers in 2006, his 13th year on the ballot, and was the first pitcher inducted who never started a game. The Cardinals retired his number 42.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · National Baseball Hall of Fame · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 3,274 | 36 | 480 | 1,310 | 636 | 382 | 211 | 216 | 3 |
| SGC | 616 | 0 | 34 | 178 | 158 | 103 | 50 | 73 | 20 |
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 1977 Topps #144 card?
It is card #144 of the 660-card 1977 Topps Baseball set, picturing Bruce Sutter of the Chicago Cubs.
Is 1977 Topps #144 a rookie card?
Yes - #144 is the 1977 Topps rookie card of Bruce Sutter.
What are the key cards in the 1977 Topps set?
The key cards are #144 Bruce Sutter (his rookie card), #140 Mike Schmidt, #265 Mark Fidrych (his rookie card), #285 Brooks Robinson (PSA calls it his final active-player card), #473 1977 Rookie Outfielders (the Andre Dawson rookie) and #650 Nolan Ryan. The set was issued as one series, #1-660, so it has no high numbers.
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.