1978 Topps #589 Bob Knepper
About Bob Knepper
Knepper's 1978 Topps rookie card, #589, followed an 11-9 season for San Francisco with a 3.36 ERA in 166 innings. On June 19, 1977, he threw his first major league shutout, a five-hitter against Pittsburgh in an 8-0 Giants win. All 27 of his appearances that season were starts.
Bob Knepper pitched left-handed for the Giants and Astros over 15 major league seasons. San Francisco drafted him from Calistoga High School in the second round in 1972. At Triple-A Phoenix, manager Rocky Bridges changed his delivery, easing the arm trouble that had interrupted his progress. Houston acquired him with Chris Bourjos for Enos Cabell in December 1980. Knepper made the All-Star team in 1981 and 1988 and won 146 games in his career. In Game 6 of the 1986 NLCS, he held the Mets scoreless for eight innings before New York rallied in the ninth. He returned to San Francisco in 1989 and pitched his final major league game the next June.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 126 | 27 | 71 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| SGC | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 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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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1978 Topps #589 card?
It is card #589 of the 726-card 1978 Topps Baseball set, picturing Bob Knepper of the San Francisco Giants.
Is 1978 Topps #589 a rookie card?
Yes - #589 is the 1978 Topps rookie card of Bob Knepper.
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.