Tug McGraw was a left-handed relief pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1965 to 1984. While he had a long and successful career, McGraw is perhaps best known for getting the final out in the 1980 World Series as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. His colorful personality and willingness to speak his mind also made him a fan favorite and interesting figure. Unsurprisingly, McGraw has been featured on numerous baseball cards over the years that commemorated his playing career and accomplishments.
One of the earliest McGraw baseball cards comes from his rookie season of 1965 with the New York Mets. That year, Topps released McGraw’s rookie card as part of their main 1965 baseball card set (card #486). The simple vertical design shows McGraw in a Mets uniform from his first season in the big leagues at age 21. While not one of the rarer rookie cards due to the large print run of Topps sets in the 1960s, it remains a collectible item for McGraw and early Mets fans. McGraw struggled as a starter in his first few seasons with the hapless Mets, which made his rookie card less sought after in the ensuing decades. Interest in 1960s Mets cards grew in the 1990s and 2000s as the “lovable losers” era took on nostalgia.
In the late 1960s and 1970s, McGraw established himself as a top reliever and gained more card coverage. Topps continued to feature him annually through the 1970s in their flagship sets. One of the more visually interesting McGraw cards comes from 1972 Topps (card #600). It shows him mid-windup in bright yellow Mets colors, with an action photo that stands out from the simpler posed shots of many 1970s cards. McGraw was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1973, where he became a postseason hero. This change in teams was reflected on his 1974 Topps card (card #480), which pictured him in Phillies red pinstripes for the first time.
McGraw’s playoff heroics translated to increased baseball card popularity and value. In 1980, he helped lead the Phillies to their first World Series title since 1950. Not surprisingly, McGraw’s 1980 Topps card (card #500) from that championship season became one of his most iconic and sought-after among collectors. It pictures a smiling McGraw in a Phillies uniform along with a small cutout image of him leaping in the air after recording the final out against the Kansas City Royals. PSA has graded examples of the 1980 McGraw Topps card in high grades worth hundreds of dollars today. Various update sets in the 1980s and 1990s also featured the 1980 image showing McGraw’s World Series moment.
In addition to his standard rookie and yearly issue cards from the 1960s to 1980s in flagship Topps sets, McGraw appeared in several specialty and oddball card releases over the years that garnered collector interest. In the 1970s, he was featured in the likes of Kellogg’s 3-D Baseball cards, Red Man chewing tobacco cards, and Bazooka bubble gum cards among others. One of the more visually striking McGraw oddball cards comes from 1976’s Wacky Packages bubble gum cards. Issued by Topps, the card humorously depicts McGraw with a thought bubble reading “I yak therefore I am” in keeping with the brand’s parody packaging designs. Such offbeat issues captured McGraw’s fun-loving public persona.
After retiring in 1984, McGraw continued to be recognized on retired player and alumni cards. He appeared in issues like 1987 Topps Baseball Immortals which paid tribute to baseball greats of the past. McGraw was also part of 1995’s Topps All-Time Fan Favorites set that allowed fans to vote on players to be included. More recently, he received new card treatments in modern releases like 2017 Topps Archives Snapshots and 2019 Topps Heritage. These help to preserve McGraw’s legacy for newer generations of collectors. His 1980 World Series heroics in particular cemented him as one of the most iconic and memorable relief pitchers in baseball card history.
In summary, Tug McGraw enjoyed a prolific baseball card collecting career spanning from 1965 to the present day. As his on-field performances and postseason moments like the 1980 World Series improved over time, so too did the desirability and value of many of his vintage cards to collectors. While his early 1960s rookie cards may not demand huge prices, McGraw’s contributions to the Mets and Phillies organizations as well as his fun personality have kept him a relevant name in the card collecting community. The various standard, oddball, and tribute issues of McGraw over the decades stand as a testament to his memorable playing career and enduring fan popularity.
