1978 Topps #644 Jim Dwyer
About Jim Dwyer
Recalled from Wichita in September 1977, Dwyer was told by Cubs general manager Bob Kennedy to sign a contract if he wanted to play. He refused, Chicago put him on waivers, and St. Louis claimed him. He hit .226 in 13 games over the last three weeks, and Players Association head Marvin Miller cited the case as a flagrant attempt to coerce a player. Card #644 carries the St. Louis Cardinals.
Jim Dwyer was a left-handed-hitting outfielder and first baseman who lasted 18 seasons, 1973 to 1990, with the Cardinals, Expos, Mets, Giants, Red Sox, Orioles and Twins. He hit .260 with 77 home runs in 1,328 games. His best years came in Baltimore, where he platooned under Earl Weaver, hit a franchise-record nine pinch-hit home runs, and set a career high with 15 homers in 1987. In Game 1 of the 1983 World Series he homered off John Denny in his first Series at-bat, the Orioles' only run in a 2-1 loss. Baltimore won the Series in five games. Before that he piled up Triple-A numbers, winning American Association batting titles in 1973 with Tulsa and 1977 with Wichita. A Southern Illinois University product from the Chicago suburbs, he was picked by St. Louis in 1971, spent winters in Puerto Rico, and coached in the Twins system until 2016. In spring 1979 the press nicknamed him Pig Pen for his pulled-down cap and dirty uniform.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 123 | 18 | 72 | 29 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| SGC | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 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: #479 St. Louis Cardinals Team
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- #58 Bob Forsch
- #88 Mike Phillips
- #111 Mike Tyson
- #143 Keith Hernandez
- #170 Lou Brock
- #195 Larry Dierker
- #230 Al Hrabosky
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- #281 Eric Rasmussen
- #301 Buddy Schultz
- #324 Vern Rapp
- #352 Tony Scott
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1978 Topps #644 card?
It is card #644 of the 726-card 1978 Topps Baseball set, picturing Jim Dwyer of the St. Louis Cardinals.
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.