1979 Topps #531 Fernando Gonzalez
About Fernando Gonzalez
Claimed by San Diego on June 5, 1978, Gonzalez took over at second base and hit two home runs against the Cubs on July 14. In a three-game sweep of his old Pirates he went four for ten with four RBIs. In 1979 he hit .217 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs, both career highs. The Padres then acquired Dave Cash and released him; #531 lists him with the Padres.
Fernando Gonzalez, an infielder from Arecibo, Puerto Rico, played parts of six major league seasons between 1972 and 1979 for the Pirates, Royals, Yankees and Padres, mostly at second and third base. He signed with the Seattle Pilots in 1968, was released by the Brewers in 1970, and caught on with Pittsburgh in 1971. In 1972 he led the Eastern League with 43 doubles and 256 total bases and earned a September call-up. Having grown up idolizing Roberto Clemente, he joined several of the search parties that looked for Clemente after the plane crash on New Year's Eve 1972. After his release by the Yankees he played in the Mexican League, and he returned to the majors with Pittsburgh in 1977. His career line was 404 games and a .235 average. He later played for the St. Lucie Legends of the Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989.
Sources: Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 79 | 0 | 22 | 34 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| SGC | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 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: #479 San Diego Padres / Roger Craig
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- #8 1978 Leading Firemen
- #30 Dave Winfield
- #57 Eric Rasmussen
- #116 Ozzie Smith
- #138 Mark Lee
- #164 Mickey Lolich
- #194 Randy Jones
- #247 Tucker Ashford
- #263 Oscar Gamble
- #292 Don Reynolds
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1979 Topps #531 card?
It is card #531 of the 726-card 1979 Topps Baseball set, picturing Fernando Gonzalez of the San Diego Padres.
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.