1979 Topps #45 Al Hrabosky
About Al Hrabosky
Hrabosky's first card with the Royals is #45. In 1978 he went 8-7 with a 2.88 ERA and 20 saves. He worked 75 innings in 58 games and struck out 60. He pitched the eighth inning of the first three games of the ALCS against the Yankees, allowing three hits and one run, and Kansas City lost in four games. In 1979 he went 9-4 with 11 saves and a 3.74 ERA.
Al Hrabosky was a left-handed relief pitcher known as the Mad Hungarian, a nickname that came from his unusual last name and colorful character. He pitched 13 major league seasons, 1970 to 1982, for the St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves, and finished 64-35 with a 3.10 ERA and 97 saves. A Fullerton College product, he was drafted by the Cardinals in the first round in January 1969. He stuck for good in 1974, then led the National League with 22 saves in 1975 and won the Sporting News Fireman of the Year award. Before entering games he turned his back to the hitter, walked toward second base, rubbed up the ball and pounded it into his glove, a routine paired with long hair and a horseshoe moustache. He signed with Atlanta as a free agent after the 1979 season and has worked Cardinals broadcasts since 1985.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 83 | 6 | 37 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| SGC | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 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: #451 Kansas City Royals / Whitey Herzog
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1979 Topps #45 card?
It is card #45 of the 726-card 1979 Topps Baseball set, picturing Al Hrabosky of the Kansas City Royals.
How many cards are in the 1979 Topps Baseball set?
726 cards, numbered 1 through 726 with none skipped and issued as a single series, tracked as 727 collectible states: #369 Bump Wills comes with a Rangers or a Blue Jays team banner, and the master set counts both.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA, 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.