1978 Topps #27 Geoff Zahn
About Geoff Zahn
After Zahn asked for his release in 1977, Twins manager Gene Mauch soon asked whether he would throw for pitching coach Don McMahon. The session earned him an invitation to training camp and a contract. He made 32 starts among 34 appearances that year. His record was 12-14 with a 4.68 ERA in 198 innings. His 1978 Topps card, #27, has him with the Twins.
Geoff Zahn was a left-handed starter who pitched thirteen seasons in the majors, 1973 to 1985, for the Dodgers, Cubs, Twins and Angels, and finished 111-109 with a 3.74 ERA. Out of the University of Michigan, he was a Dodgers fifth-round pick in the January 1968 draft. Six minor league years followed while the club pushed him to throw harder and find a trick pitch, and Roger Craig, then a minor league pitching instructor, taught him a forkball. He debuted on September 2, 1973.
Zahn won ten or more games in six consecutive seasons, 1977 to 1982, for 81 victories, the last two with California, which signed him as a free agent on December 2, 1980. His 18-8 season in 1982 helped California win the AL West, and the Sporting News named him its AL All-Star left-handed pitcher; he went 0-1 in the ALCS against Milwaukee. He announced his retirement before spring training in 1986 because a torn rotator cuff required the eighth surgery of his professional career.
He coached at The Master's College and, from 1994, as a Pepperdine assistant, where Randy Wolf credited him with helping his mechanics. As Michigan's head coach he went 163-169-2 over six seasons, won the 1999 Big Ten Tournament and resigned in 2002.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · Baseball Almanac
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 128 | 17 | 76 | 26 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| SGC | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 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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Related cards
Team card: #451 Minnesota Twins Team
More Minnesota Twins cards:
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- #81 Pete Redfern
- #113 Don Carrithers
- #137 Craig Kusick
- #162 Paul Thormodsgard
- #193 Rich Chiles
- #201 1977 Batting Leaders
- #203 1977 RBI Leaders
- #205 1977 Victory Leaders
- #219 Mike Cubbage
- #249 Dave Goltz
- #275 Dan Ford
- #307 Glenn Borgmann
- #363 Bob Randall
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1978 Topps #27 card?
It is card #27 of the 726-card 1978 Topps Baseball set, picturing Geoff Zahn of the Minnesota Twins.
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.