1979 Topps #35 Ed Figueroa
About Ed Figueroa
Figueroa stood 7-7 with a 3.91 ERA on July 19, 1978, when he shut out the Twins. He went 13-2 from that start on as the Yankees came from 14 games back to overtake Boston. Bob Lemon gave him the ball every fourth day after Billy Martin left. Figueroa said of Lemon, "He treats me like a man. He lets me pitch to the hitters my way." Card #35 followed that season; an arm injury in 1979 limited him to 16 starts.
Ed Figueroa was a right-handed starter from Ciales, Puerto Rico, and the only Puerto Rican pitcher to win 20 games in a major league season. Signed by the Mets in 1966, he hurt his arm in 1968, was released, and served in the Marine Corps, including time in Vietnam. He signed with the Giants in 1970, came to the Angels in a July 1973 trade, and debuted on April 9, 1974. After going 16-13 with a 2.91 ERA in 1975, he was sent to the Yankees with Mickey Rivers for Bobby Bonds on December 11, 1975. He led the Yankees with 19 wins in 1976 and finished fourth in the American League Cy Young voting, then won 16 in 1977 and 20 in 1978 for back-to-back champions. Elbow trouble ended his run: he went to Texas in 1980 and made his last appearances for Oakland in 1981, finishing 80-67 with a 3.51 ERA.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 90 | 6 | 41 | 25 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| SGC | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Shop 1979 Topps cards Live auctions Buy It Now on eBay Sold prices
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Related cards
Team card: #626 New York Yankees / Bob Lemon
More New York Yankees cards:
- #5 1978 Victory Leaders
- #7 1978 ERA Leaders
- #8 1978 Leading Firemen
- #16 Fred Stanley
- #60 Mickey Rivers
- #89 Dick Tidrow
- #114 Cliff Johnson
- #140 Don Gullett
- #159 Roy White
- #179 Jim Beattie
- #202 Ron Guidry
- #225 Rich Gossage
- #250 Willie Randolph
- #278 Andy Messersmith
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1979 Topps #35 card?
It is card #35 of the 726-card 1979 Topps Baseball set, picturing Ed Figueroa of the New York Yankees.
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.