1978 Topps #52 Jim Lonborg
About Jim Lonborg
Philadelphia's #52 followed Lonborg's 11-4 season in 1977, when he made 25 starts and posted a 4.11 ERA. He pitched once in that year's NLCS and took the loss as the Dodgers beat the Phillies. In 1978 he went 8-10 with a 5.23 ERA over 22 starts.
Jim Lonborg studied biology at Stanford and played summer baseball on teams sponsored by the Orioles before signing with Boston for $25,000 in 1963. His father taught agriculture, and Lonborg originally hoped to become a surgeon. Nicknamed Gentleman Jim for his quiet, friendly manner, he became the first Red Sox pitcher to win a Cy Young Award. In the 1967 World Series he threw a one-hit shutout in Game 2 and a three-hit complete game in Game 5 before losing the deciding game on two days of rest. His major league career lasted 15 seasons, continuing with Milwaukee and Philadelphia, and ended with 157 victories. After baseball, he graduated from Tufts dental school in 1983 and practiced in Hanover, Massachusetts. The Red Sox inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 2002.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 137 | 9 | 78 | 38 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| SGC | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 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: #381 Philadelphia Phillies Team
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- #136 Ted Sizemore
- #161 Bob Boone
- #177 Gene Garber
- #205 1977 Victory Leaders
- #210 Jose Cardenal
- #222 Jerry Martin
- #235 Tim McCarver
- #247 Larry Christenson
- #271 Randy Lerch
- #297 Warren Brusstar
- #317 Dave Johnson
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1978 Topps #52 card?
It is card #52 of the 726-card 1978 Topps Baseball set, picturing Jim Lonborg of the Philadelphia Phillies.
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.