1977 Topps #116 Joe Niekro
About Joe Niekro
Right-hander Joe Niekro wore number 36 for the 1976 Houston Astros. He pitched in 36 games that season, 13 of them starts. He went 4-8 with a 3.36 ERA. He struck out 77 batters over 118 innings. His 1977 Topps card, #116, carries the Houston Astros.
Joe Niekro pitched 22 big-league seasons from 1967 to 1988, breaking in with the Chicago Cubs before stops with the San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins. He found his greatest success in Houston, where he mastered the knuckleball his father had taught him and his older brother Phil, becoming the first Astros pitcher to win 20 games in back-to-back seasons (1979 and 1980). His 1979 campaign brought his only All-Star selection, a league-leading 21 wins, and the TSN Pitcher of the Year award. He finished his career with 221 wins, and he and Phil combined for a major-league record 539 victories by a pair of brothers. Niekro also reached the 1987 World Series with Minnesota. He died in 2006 following a brain aneurysm; his family's foundation now funds research into that condition.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 149 | 16 | 65 | 51 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| SGC | 9 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Shop 1977 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: #327 Houston Astros Team
More Houston Astros cards:
- #21 Ken Forsch
- #42 Jose Cruz
- #67 Joaquin Andujar
- #90 Cesar Cedeno
- #143 Ed Herrmann
- #184 Bo McLaughlin
- #209 Rob Andrews
- #227 Joe Sambito
- #248 Wilbur Howard
- #260 J.R. Richard
- #283 Jerry DaVanon
- #308 Gene Pentz
- #350 Larry Dierker
- #429 Ken Boswell
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1977 Topps #116 card?
It is card #116 of the 660-card 1977 Topps Baseball set, picturing Joe Niekro of the Houston Astros.
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.