1978 Topps #131 Bert Blyleven
About Bert Blyleven
Topps #131 shows Blyleven with Texas after a 14-12, 2.72 ERA season in 1977. On September 22 of that year he no-hit the California Angels 6-0, two weeks after a groin injury, and it was his last start as a Ranger. On December 8, 1977, he went to Pittsburgh in a four-team, 11-player deal that sent Al Oliver and Jon Matlack to Texas.
Bert Blyleven was a right-handed starter whose curveball carried him to 287 wins, 3,701 strikeouts and a 3.31 ERA over 22 seasons, pitching for the Twins, Rangers, Pirates, Indians and Angels. Born Rik Aalbert Blijleven in Zeist, Netherlands, he became the first Netherlands-born player inducted into the Hall of Fame, elected in 2011 on his 14th ballot with 79.7 percent of the vote. He debuted with Minnesota at 19 in 1970. He won World Series rings with Pittsburgh in 1979 and Minnesota in 1987, went 19-7 for Cleveland in 1984, and in 1985 completed 24 games over 293 2/3 innings. He became the tenth member of the 3,000-strikeout club in 1986, and his 60 career shutouts rank ninth all-time. His first two full seasons back in Minnesota, 1986 and 1987, produced major-league records of 50 home runs allowed in a season and 96 over two seasons. A dugout prankster who set teammates' shoelaces on fire, he was known as the Frying Dutchman. After retiring he called Twins television games from 1996 to 2020, and the club retired his number on July 16, 2011.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 497 | 58 | 264 | 118 | 23 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 0 |
| SGC | 27 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 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 1978 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: #659 Texas Rangers Team
More Texas Rangers cards:
- #23 Bump Wills
- #44 Toby Harrah
- #67 Claudell Washington
- #92 Adrian Devine
- #110 Richie Zisk
- #146 Doyle Alexander
- #172 Mike Hargrove
- #209 Dock Ellis
- #238 Juan Beniquez
- #260 Bert Campaneris
- #290 Willie Horton
- #314 Paul Lindblad
- #337 Tom Grieve
- #362 Dave May
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1978 Topps #131 card?
It is card #131 of the 726-card 1978 Topps Baseball set, picturing Bert Blyleven of the Texas Rangers.
How many cards are in the 1978 Topps Baseball set?
726 cards, numbered 1 through 726 with none skipped and issued as a single series, and 728 collectible states: #23 Bump Wills comes with or without a black circle, and #374 Jose Morales with or without black stitching over the red laces, so the master set counts both states of each.
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.