1977 Topps #291 Jason Thompson
About Jason Thompson
Thompson's rookie card, #291, carried the Topps All-Star Rookie cup for 1976, when he took over first base early in the season from Dan Meyer, who was hitting .192. He went 4-for-5 in his third major league game and led the Tigers with 17 home runs despite a .218 average. In 1977 he was hitting .276 with 12 home runs and 65 RBI at the All-Star break and earned a spot on the AL squad. He finished with 31 home runs and 105 RBI.
Jason Thompson was a left-handed first baseman who hit 208 home runs in 11 seasons for the Detroit Tigers, California Angels, Pittsburgh Pirates and Montreal Expos. The Dodgers drafted him in 1972, but he chose Cal State Northridge; the Tigers took him in the fourth round in 1975. He earned a reputation as one of the top fielding first basemen in the American League and led each league in total chances, in 1977 and 1984. With the Tigers he earned the nickname Roof Top for his ability to hit balls onto the right-field roof. Detroit traded him to the Angels for Al Cowens on May 27, 1980. The following spring the Angels sent him to Pittsburgh for Mickey Mahler and Ed Ott; the Pirates immediately dealt him to the Yankees, but Commissioner Bowie Kuhn voided that trade. In 1982 he was an All-Star for the third time and hit 31 home runs with 101 RBI, becoming the third player in Pirates history to reach 100 RBI and 100 walks in a season. On June 26, 1984, he hit four home runs in a doubleheader at Wrigley Field, tying Ralph Kiner's franchise record. Traded to the Expos in spring training 1986, he lost his job to rookie Andres Galarraga, and knee injuries ended his career.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 113 | 2 | 38 | 35 | 17 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 0 |
| SGC | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 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 1977 Topps #291 card?
It is card #291 of the 660-card 1977 Topps Baseball set, picturing Jason Thompson of the Detroit Tigers.
Is 1977 Topps #291 a rookie card?
Yes - #291 is the 1977 Topps rookie card of Jason Thompson.
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.