1979 Topps #70 John Candelaria
About John Candelaria
Candelaria went 14-9 with a 3.22 ERA in the Pirates' championship year, working through a string of small injuries including a ribcage pull late in the season. He started Game 1 of the NLCS against Cincinnati and gave up two runs in seven innings in a 5-2, 11-inning win. In the World Series he shut out Baltimore with Kent Tekulve in a 4-0 Game 6 win. His 1979 Topps card is #70.
John Candelaria was a 6-foot-7 left-handed starter who pitched 19 major league seasons (1975-1993) for eight teams. Nicknamed the Candy Man, he was born in Brooklyn, became La Salle's all-time leading basketball scorer, and signed with Pittsburgh as a second-round pick in 1972, reportedly on advice from Roberto Clemente to hold out for more money. He debuted in June 1975 and struck out 14 Reds in the NLCS that October. He won a World Series with the 1979 Pirates, then moved to the bullpen in 1985 and was traded to the Angels, later pitching for the Mets, Yankees, Expos, Twins, Blue Jays and Dodgers before finishing in Pittsburgh in 1993. He retired with 177 wins, a 3.33 ERA and 1,673 strikeouts. Recurring back pain shaped much of his career.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 97 | 9 | 43 | 29 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| SGC | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 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: #244 Pittsburgh Pirates / Chuck Tanner
More Pittsburgh Pirates cards:
- #1 1978 Batting Leaders
- #4 1978 Stolen Base Leaders
- #28 Steve Brye
- #55 Willie Stargell
- #92 Jim Bibby
- #117 Grant Jackson
- #147 Dave Hamilton
- #165 Frank Taveras
- #189 Eddie Whitson
- #208 Clarence Gaston
- #223 Kent Tekulve
- #264 Don Robinson
- #286 Duffy Dyer
- #308 Bert Blyleven
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1979 Topps #70 card?
It is card #70 of the 726-card 1979 Topps Baseball set, picturing John Candelaria of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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.