1978 Topps #253 Jim Kern
About Jim Kern
Kern was Cleveland's only selection for the 1978 All-Star Game in San Diego. He finished 10-10 with a 3.08 ERA and 13 saves as Sid Monge, acquired from California in the Dave LaRoche trade, gained favor as the Indians' closer. On October 3, Cleveland traded Kern and Larvell Blanks to Texas for Bobby Bonds and Len Barker. Card #253 identifies him with Cleveland.
Jim Kern was a 6-foot-5 right-handed reliever who saved 88 games in 13 seasons with Cleveland, Texas, Cincinnati, the White Sox, Philadelphia and Milwaukee. Cleveland signed him from Midland High School in Michigan in 1967. He missed the 1969 baseball season while serving in the Marines. Joe Horlen helped him improve his control at San Antonio in 1973, and Kern won the Allie Reynolds Award as the American Association's best pitcher at Oklahoma City in 1974. He debuted on September 6, 1974, with a complete game in a 1-0 loss to Baltimore. Cleveland used him primarily in relief from 1976. His nickname Emu dated to that season: Fritz Peterson and Pat Dobson were working a clubhouse crossword while Kern ran around crowing and flapping his arms. A hyperextended elbow and a neck injury interrupted his 1980 season, and he dislocated his elbow in 1983. On May 6, 1985, he turned an unassisted double play for Milwaukee, the first by a pitcher since Jim Umbarger in 1975. Kern started the Emu Outfitting Company in Arlington, Texas, in 1987, arranging hunting, fishing and photography trips.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 216 | 50 | 135 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| SGC | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 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: #689 Cleveland Indians Team
More Cleveland Indians cards:
- #11 Rick Manning
- #37 Rick Waits
- #61 Larvell Blanks
- #87 John Lowenstein
- #101 Sid Monge
- #122 Dennis Eckersley
- #148 Andre Thornton
- #174 Wayne Garland
- #198 Ron Pruitt
- #227 Al Fitzmorris
- #280 Buddy Bell
- #305 Rico Carty
- #332 Duane Kuiper
- #351 Jeff Torborg
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1978 Topps #253 card?
It is card #253 of the 726-card 1978 Topps Baseball set, picturing Jim Kern of the Cleveland Indians.
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.