1978 Topps #449 Tim Blackwell
About Tim Blackwell
The Expos released Blackwell on January 14, 1978, and the Cubs signed him on February 10, but his #449 rookie card lists him with Montreal. He opened the year at Triple-A Wichita, batted .293 there, and was called up in July. In 49 games for Chicago he hit .223 as a reserve catcher behind Dave Rader and Barry Foote.
Tim Blackwell was a switch-hitting catcher known for his throwing arm and pitch-calling. A San Diego native drafted by the Red Sox in the 13th round in 1970, he reached Boston at 21 on July 3, 1974, when Carlton Fisk's knee injury opened the job. He debuted at Fenway Park against Baltimore, singling in his first plate appearance. Boston sold him to the Phillies in April 1976, and the Phillies sent him to Montreal in June 1977 in a deal for Barry Foote. His best season at the plate came with the Cubs in 1980, when Foote's back trouble made him the starter: he hit .272, collected 16 doubles and led National League catchers in double plays with 16. Jody Davis took over in 1981, and Blackwell signed with Montreal in January 1982 to back up Gary Carter. His last major league game was May 17, 1983. He then became a catching instructor and minor league manager, earning Manager of the Year honors at Pittsfield in 1989 and a South Atlantic League title at Columbia in 1991. In 1994 he managed the St. Paul Saints of the Northern League.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 274 | 70 | 163 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| SGC | 5 | 1 | 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: #244 Montreal Expos Team
More Montreal Expos cards:
- #15 Tony Perez
- #43 Bill Atkinson
- #72 Andre Dawson
- #97 Stan Bahnsen
- #120 Gary Carter
- #185 Ellis Valentine
- #221 Chris Speier
- #269 Wayne Twitchell
- #294 Larry Parrish
- #321 Santo Alcala
- #348 Del Unser
- #374 Jose Morales
- #399 Pete Mackanin
- #414 Darold Knowles
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1978 Topps #449 card?
It is card #449 of the 726-card 1978 Topps Baseball set, picturing Tim Blackwell of the Montreal Expos.
Is 1978 Topps #449 a rookie card?
Yes - #449 is the 1978 Topps rookie card of Tim Blackwell.
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.