1979 Topps #345 Tug McGraw
About Tug McGraw
After Philadelphia traded Gene Garber to Atlanta in 1978, McGraw took on more bullpen work. He struck out 63 batters in 89 2/3 innings that season. His Phillies card was 1979 Topps #345. In 1979 he led the club with 65 appearances, 43 games finished and 16 saves.
Tug McGraw signed with the Mets after his older brother Hank urged scout Roy Partee to give him a look. The $7,000 bonus brought the California left-hander into professional baseball in 1964. His mother had called him Tugger as an infant because of the way he nursed, and he insisted on Tug even when his kindergarten teacher called the name Frank. Across 19 major league seasons with New York and Philadelphia, he recorded 180 saves. His shout of "Ya Gotta Believe" became the Mets' rallying cry in 1973. In 1980, he struck out Willie Wilson to end the World Series and secure the Phillies' first championship. McGraw later worked as a television sports reporter in Philadelphia. He died of brain cancer in 2004; his son Tim became a country singer.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 151 | 18 | 79 | 39 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| SGC | 4 | 0 | 1 | 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1979 Topps #345 card?
It is card #345 of the 726-card 1979 Topps Baseball set, picturing Tug McGraw of the Philadelphia Phillies.
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.