1979 Topps #315 Jon Matlack
About Jon Matlack
In his first season with Texas, Matlack went 15-13 with a 2.27 ERA, second in the American League to Ron Guidry, and picked up his first career save. His 157 strikeouts ranked sixth in the league, and the Rangers finished 87-75 with Matlack and Ferguson Jenkins as their two aces. Elbow surgery limited him to 13 starts in 1979. His #315 card lists the Rangers.
Jon Matlack was a left-handed starter who pitched 13 seasons, 1971 to 1983, for the Mets and the Rangers. New York took him fourth overall in the 1967 draft out of a Pennsylvania high school, and he won 14 games for Tidewater in 1969 as the Tides took the International League title. He won the 1972 National League Rookie of the Year award, and along with Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman he formed the rotation core of the 1973 pennant winners. He was an All-Star in 1974, 1975 and 1976, and he ranks among the top ten Mets pitchers in wins, complete games, ERA, strikeouts and innings. He spent his last six seasons with Texas, finishing 125-126 with a 3.18 ERA and 1,516 strikeouts. He later worked as a pitching coach for Detroit from 1996 and was named to the Mets Hall of Fame in 2020.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 121 | 19 | 80 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| SGC | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 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.
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: #499 Texas Rangers / Pat Corrales
More Texas Rangers cards:
- #22 Mike Jorgensen
- #44 Kurt Bevacqua
- #67 Jim Mason
- #94 Len Barker
- #120 Jim Sundberg
- #144 Sandy Alomar
- #173 John Lowenstein
- #198 Johnny Grubb
- #209 Reggie Cleveland
- #234 Toby Harrah
- #260 Richie Zisk
- #285 Bobby Bonds
- #336 Bobby Thompson
- #369 Bump Wills
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1979 Topps #315 card?
It is card #315 of the 726-card 1979 Topps Baseball set, picturing Jon Matlack of the Texas Rangers.
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.