Tony Perez (born 1942) played first and third base in MLB from 1964 to 1986. The peak of his career came with the Cincinnati Reds from 1964 to 1976, and he had shorter stints to wind down his career with the Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, and back to the Cincinnati Reds.
Perez finished his career with a .279 batting average, 2,732 hits, 379 home runs, and 1,652 RBIs. He was a seven time All Star, and a three time World Series champion.
He also worked as the Cincinnati Reds manager in 1993 and the Florida Marlins manager in 2001. He had a record of 74-84.
Perez was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000 on 77.15% of the ninth ballot. Additionally, the Cincinnati Reds retired his jersey and inducted him into their Hall of Fame.
Born in Cuba, Perez grew up near a sugar mill where his father worked. Perez began working there too when he became of age, and he joined the mill’s baseball team.
He was scouted by the Cincinnati Reds, and he signed a professional contract in 1960 at the age of 17. He joined the minor leagues in the United States that year. He was soon joined on the team by a 19 year old named Pete Rose.
After a few years of consistent improvement, Perez was named the MVP of the Pacific Coast League, so he was called up to the Reds.
He worked as a substitute at first base from 1964 to 1966, and in 1967 he was named the third base starter, and he became a regular All Star. In 1970 he hit .317 with 129 RBIs and 40 home runs.
The Reds would go on to make four World Series, winning two of them, and Perez was an important member of the Big Red Machine.
Perez was traded after the 1976 championship to the Expos, and the Big Red Machine faltered. The Reds manager Sparky Anderson later said that Perez’s passion and leadership was key to the success of the Big Red Machine, which is often considered one of the greatest teams ever.
His greatest years were behind him, but Perez continued to play well, and he was regularly picked up. He won a third World Series with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1990 where he functioned in reserve.
He left for the Red in 1983 at the age of 41, and he would remain with his old team until he retired. He is the oldest player to hit a walk off home run as a pinch hitter at 42, and at 44 he hit a grand slam, which broke a record set by Honus Wagner. The record was broken again in 2004.
For the last week of his career, he went 8 for 19 with a home run, three doubles, and six RBIs. He was named NL Player of the Week.
Perez retired and lived an active life. He was often seen at induction ceremonies, retiree events, and big games.
Below are a few details on the best cardboard representations of Tony Perez.
1965 Topps Tony Perez Rookie Card
There are 598 cards in this set, and each card has standard measurements (2 ½” x 3 ½”). The rookie cards of Tony Perez and Steve Carlton
are a couple of keys. Perez sits at #581 on a card titled “National League Rookie Stars” which he shares with Kevin Collins and Dave Ricketts.
For reference, PSA has over 240,000 cards registered from this set, and over 2,500 copies are Perez rookies.
A PSA Gem Mint 10 copy sold for over $45,600
In the first half of 2021, PSA Mint 9 copies were selling for around $1,500 to $2,000.
1966 Topps Tony Perez
There are 598 cards in this set, and each card has standard measurements. A few keys to the set include Whitey Ford, Hank Aaron, and Mickey Mantle. Perez sits at #72 on the set.
For reference, PSA has over 190,000 cards registered from this set, and over 800 cards are Perez copies.
PSA 9’s were mostly selling for around $1,000 for the last decade, but more recently cards of this grade have gone for as high as $5,000.
There are 609 cards in this set, and each card has standard measurements. A couple keys to the set include the rookie cards of Tom Seaver and Rod Carew. Perez sits at #476 on the set.
For reference, PSA has over 250,000 cards registered from the set, and over 900 cards are Perez copies.
1968 Topps Tony Perez
There are 598 cards in this set, and each card has standard measurements. The anchors of the set are the rookie cards of Nolan Ryan and
Johnny Bench.
For reference, PSA has over 300,000 cards registered from this set, and over 550 cards are Perez copies.
Since this is a fairly common card that is often found in great condition, PSA Mint 9 copies sell for in upwards of $1,000.
1969 Topps Tony Perez
There are over 664 cards on this set, and each card has standard measurements. The keys to the set are the rookie cards of Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, and Bobby Bonds. Perez sits at #295 on the set.
For reference, PSA has over 270,000 cards registered from this set, and over 800 cards are Perez copies.
Conclusion
There are a few more quality Topps cards that cover his career, and as you move on into the 70s and 80s, his cards become more and more affordable, even in high grade. The best cards for Perez were covered here.
After the embargo was placed in 1963, Perez was no longer allowed to return to Cuba to see his family. Years later, he said, “I could feel it in my bones, how I missed the heat of my country and the love of my family.
He was given a 20 day visa in 1972. It was his first time home since 1963, but his wife and children were not allowed to go and see their family. After a plane ride and a 400 mile train ride, Perez arrived home with 17 suitcases of clothes, medical supplies, and gifts.
30 years later in 2002, Perez was allowed to return home again to see his living sisters and mother. His mother was 90 years old. Perez was allowed to bring his sons this time to meet their grandmother and aunts as adults. It offers a perspective on the difficulties that Perez faced during his career. That is not easy hardship, but he showed up with poise, class, and superb ability for a 23 year career.