1978 Topps #621 Craig Swan
About Craig Swan
The Mets went 66-96 in 1978, and Swan finished 9-6 despite 13 no-decisions. On July 4 he struck out a career-high 13 and lost 3-2 when Jose Cardenal homered in the ninth. On July 26 Pete Rose singled off him for the 38th straight game, tying the National League hitting-streak record. His ERA at Shea Stadium was 1.67. Swan is #621 in the 1978 Topps set.
Craig Swan was a right-handed starter who spent twelve seasons with the New York Mets, 1973 to 1984, finishing with two outings for the California Angels. He threw a 90-95 mph fastball with good movement and an occasional slider, and he pitched through some of the worst Mets teams on record. At 14 he threw out the first pitch before Game 5 of the 1965 World Series at Dodger Stadium. At Arizona State he allowed one run in 18 innings of the 1972 College World Series, a 0.50 ERA that tied the tournament record, and the Mets took him in the third round that June. He led the National League in ERA in 1978. After signing a five-year, $3.125 million contract, he was the highest-paid pitcher in club history at the time, then tore his rotator cuff and became the first player to come back successfully from that injury. He finished with a 59-72 record and a 3.74 ERA, then trained at the Rolf Institute and opened a practice in Connecticut.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 262 | 72 | 143 | 38 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| SGC | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 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 #621 card?
It is card #621 of the 726-card 1978 Topps Baseball set, picturing Craig Swan of the New York Mets.
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.