The 1975 Oakland A’s were coming off back-to-back World Series championships in 1972-1973 and seemed poised to continue their dynasty with another strong season in 1974. Injuries and lesser performances from their stars derailed their title defense. They finished 87-75, behind the East Division champion Baltimore Orioles. Still, the A’s talent level remained high entering the 1975 season.

Topps captured this talented Oakland squad on their iconic baseball cards that year. The A’s were featured prominently in the 1975 Topps set, with 17 members of the team receiving individual cards. This included superstars like Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Rollie Fingers, Sal Bando, and Bert Campaneris. Manager Alvin Dark also got a manager card, making it a total of 18 cards spotlighting the defending American League West champions.

Some of the more notable individual A’s cards from the 1975 Topps set include:

Reggie Jackson (#54): In the prime of his Hall of Fame career, Mr. October graced the cover of the rack pack. He was coming off a huge 1974 season where he won MVP, batting .301 with 32 HR and 117 RBI.

Catfish Hunter (#65): The workhorse righty was the ace of the A’s staff. He had just come off his third 20-win season in 1974 and would win 21 games in 1975.

Rollie Fingers (#211): The mustachioed Fingers had become one of the top relievers in baseball, making his first All-Star team in 1974. He would become the first full-time closer in MLB history.

Sal Bando (#247): The slick fielding third baseman was coming off a season where he hit .281 with 28 HR and 105 RBI in 1974.

Bert Campaneris (#281): “Campy” brought energy and great defense to shortstop, coming off a 1974 season where he hit .278 with 26 stolen bases.

Vida Blue (#448): Coming off his epic 1971 rookie season, the hard throwing lefty was trying to regain dominance after battling injuries the prior two years.

In addition to the stars, role players like outfielders Joe Rudi (#60), Gene Tenace (#66), and Claudell Washington (#239) also received individual cards, showcasing the depth of this Oakland team. Rudi had played a crucial part in the prior championship runs while Tenace was coming off a breakthrough 1974 season. Washington was a talented young outfielder getting more playing time.

The A’s franchise was clearly a big draw for collectors in 1975. Beyond the individual players, Topps also included team cards highlighting the A’s. Card #79 featured a team action shot of the A’s while card #125 showcased the starting lineup and pitching rotation. This gave collectors a complete portrait of the defending American League champs through photography and stats.

On the field, the 1975 A’s got off to a sizzling start. Led by the big bats of Jackson, Bando, Tenace, and Rudi, stellar pitching from Hunter, Blue, and Fingers closing things out, Oakland raced to a 30-11 record after six weeks. They seemed poised to run away with the division.

Injuries began taking their toll. Catfish Hunter landed on the disabled list in June with an elbow injury and was lost for the season after pitching just 84 innings. Rudi also hit the DL with an injury plagued year. The consistent production also began falling off for some stars. By late July, the A’s lead had dwindled to just 1.5 games over the Kansas City Royals.

A 13-20 slump in August saw the A’s fall back in the standings. They made a late push but it was too late. The Royals overtook them down the stretch. On the final day of the 1975 season, Kansas City sealed their first division title with a 6-3 win over the Twins while the A’s lost 7-1 to the Angels. Oakland finished 87-75, two games behind the Royals. It was a disappointing title defense sparked partially by injuries.

For collectors of the iconic 1975 Topps set, the A’s individual stars and team cards remain some of the most popular. They memorialize the talented roster that was unable to three-peat as champions. Superstar Reggie Jackson’s popular cover image endures as one of the most iconic in baseball card history. Nearly 50 years later, these 1970s A’s Topps cards continue to transport fans back to Oakland’s dynasty days, telling the visual story of their 1975 season. While they fell short of another title, the memories of their great teams remain immortalized in the classic design of the 1975 Topps set.