1978 Topps #579 Rance Mulliniks
About Rance Mulliniks
A bad back and a slow start at the plate sent Mulliniks back and forth in 1978. He hit .185 in 50 games for California and .307 in 34 games at Salt Lake City of the Pacific Coast League. The year before, he had been the Angels' regular shortstop over the second half, batting .269 with 21 RBI in 78 games. His rookie card is #579, listed with the Angels.
Rance Mulliniks was a left-handed-hitting infielder who played 16 major-league seasons, 1977 to 1992, with the California Angels, Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays. He reached the majors as an Angels shortstop, debuting June 18, 1977, at Milwaukee, but was limited to utility work with the Angels and Royals before the trade. Traded to Toronto on March 25, 1982, for pitcher Phil Huffman, he was converted to third base and platooned with right-handed Garth Iorg under manager Bobby Cox. Known for a patient eye and on-base percentages near .400, he hit .300 or better in 1984, 1987 and 1988, led AL third basemen in fielding percentage three years running from 1984, and won the Toronto BBWAA chapter's Good Guy Award in 1985. He finished with a .272 average, 73 home runs and 435 RBI, and holds the Blue Jays records for pinch hits (59) and third-base fielding percentage in a season (.975). He later worked as a Blue Jays television analyst.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 193 | 7 | 140 | 42 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| SGC | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 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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Related cards
Team card: #214 California Angels Team
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- #18 Bob Grich
- #48 Don Baylor
- #71 Terry Humphrey
- #115 Gary Nolan
- #150 Bobby Bonds
- #178 Dave Chalk
- #206 1977 Strikeout Leaders
- #207 1977 ERA Leaders
- #239 Dyar Miller
- #268 Gil Flores
- #291 Gary Ross
- #313 Andy Etchebarren
- #339 Mario Guerrero
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1978 Topps #579 card?
It is card #579 of the 726-card 1978 Topps Baseball set, picturing Rance Mulliniks of the California Angels.
Is 1978 Topps #579 a rookie card?
Yes - #579 is the 1978 Topps rookie card of Rance Mulliniks.
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.