1952 Topps

Card #238 - Art Houtteman

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This is the set that many collectors call the "Cadillac" of modern-era baseball card sets. At the time it came out, it was huge. With 407 cards, the 1952 Topps set was the largest of its day, both in the total number of cards and their physical size. 407 cards may not seem large by today's standards, but there would not be another set having that many cards until 1957. Cards measure 2-5/8" by 3-3/4" with a brightly hand-colored black and white photo on the front. Time has been kind to this set. Its design -- which marked the first use of color team logos as an integral part -- is viewed as classic by many of the hobby's admirers.

The 1952 Topps set included a few other innovations. As the cards were larger, there was more room on the backs for biographical and statistical info. The set also marked the first use of previous season and career stats. A major variation is that the first 80 cards can be found with backs entirely in black or black and red. Backs entirely in black command a slight premium. They were issued in both penny and nickel wax packages.

There were six series, issued approximately six weeks apart. Series 1 consisted of cards 1-80. In addition to the red and black back variations, there were two error cards. Two Yankee pitchers, Joe Page and Johnny Sain, had their biographies (but not their statistics) swapped. The error was corrected, and the "wrong" back versions are quite valuable. Series 2 (81-130), 3 (131-180) and 4 (181-250) are the least scarce. Series 5 (251-310) is considered to be the semi-high number series and is scarcer than cards from the first series. Series 6 (311-407) were printed in limited quantities and are extremely rare; in fact, this series is so scarce that some collectors view the set as "virtually complete" at 310 cards. Since Topps used 100-card printing sheets for each series, many cards were single- and double-printed. Three cards from the high series (Mickey Mantle, Jackie Robinson and Bobby Thomson) were double-printed but since two are Hall of Famers and one hit a famous home run, none are devalued by the fact that they're less scarce.

Another variation involves #307 Frank Campos. In the standard design, two stars appear at the bottom, one on each side of a bold "Topps Baseball" graphic. For most cards, the stars are red (except for the black back cards 1-80, which have two black stars). A few Campos cards can be found with the right star black and the left red. Another widely overlooked variation involves the 3rd series cards; while most feature white cardboard stock, some were printed with a gray cardboard stock similar to that used in other series.

Many stars of the era are represented in the set (except for the retiring Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams, who was serving as a U.S. Marine fighter pilot in Korea in 1952). Other notables missing are Stan Musial, Ralph Kiner, Nellie Fox and Whitey Ford (who was also in the service). Among managers, Casey Stengel, Lou Boudreau and Rogers Hornsby are also missing. The key to the set is card #311 of Mickey Mantle. Perhaps the most sought-after card of the post-World War Two era, it is not Mantle's true rookie (as he appeared on a 1951 Bowman card), but it is part of the scarce high series. Other notable cards in the high series include Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, and the rookie cards of Hall of Famers Eddie Mathews (the last card in the set) and Hoyt Wilhelm.

In addition to its popularity as a legendary set, collectors of high-grade 1952 Topps cards often pay significant premiums for well-centered examples. Many cards are found off-center, miscut or "diamond cut" (appearing slightly tilted). Evidently, quality control wasn't such a big deal for Topps then, since cards were seen as a kids' commodity rather than something for adults to save. As a result, a top-notch set is quite a challenge to piece together.

Card #57 - Ed Lopat (Back Back)	Card #57 - Ed Lopat (Red Back)

1952 Topps 5-cent Wax Pack

1952 Topps

1. Andy Pafko
2. James E. Runnels
3. Hank Thompson
4. Don Lenhardt
5. Larry Jansen
6. Grady Hatton
7. Wayne Terwilliger
8. Fred Marsh
9. Bobby Hogue
10. Al Rosen
11. Phil Rizzuto
12. Monty Basgall
13. Johnny Wyrostek
14. Bob Elliott
15. Johnny Pesky
16. Gene Hermanski
17. Jim Hegan
18. Merrill Combs
19. Johnny Bucha
20. Billy Loes
21. Ferris Fain
22. Dom DiMaggio
23. Billy Goodman
24. Luke Easter
25. Johnny Groth
26. Monty Irvin
27. Sam Jethroe
28. Jerry Priddy
29. Ted Kluszewski
30. Mel Parnell
31. Gus Zernial
32. Eddie Robinson
33. Warren Spahn
34. Elmer Valo
35. Hank Sauer
36. Gil Hodges
37. Duke Snider
38. Wally Westlake
39. Dizzy Trout
40. Irv Noren
41. Bob Wellman
42. Lou Kretlow
43. Ray Scarborough
44. Con Dempsey
45. Eddie Joost
46. Gordon Goldsberry
47. Willie Jones
48a. Joe Page (Johnny Sain bio)
48b. Joe Page (Correct bio)
49a. Johnny Sain (Joe Page bio)
49b. Johnny Sain (Correct bio)
50. Marv Rickert
51. Jim Russell
52. Don Mueller
53. Chris Van Kuyk
54. Leo Kiely
55. Ray Boone
56. Tommy Glaviano
57. Ed Lopat
58. Bob Mahoney
59. Robin Roberts
60. Sid Hudson
61. Tookie Gilbert
62. Chuck Stobbs
63. Howie Pollett
64. Roy Sievers
65. Enos Slaughter
66. Peacher Roe
67. Allie Reynolds
68. Cliff Chambers
69. Virgil Stallcup
70. Al Zarilla
71. Tom Upton
72. Karl Olson
73. William Werle
74. Andy Hansen
75. Wes Westrum
76. Eddie Stanky
77. Bob Kennedy
78. Ellis Kinder
79. Gerald Staley
80. Herman Wehmeier
81. Vernon Law
82. Duane Pillette
83. Billy Johnson
84. Vern Stephens
85. Bob Kuzava
86. Ted Gray
87. Dale Coogan
88. Bob Feller
89. Johnny Lipon
90. Mickey Grasso
91. Al Schoendienst
92. Dale Mitchell
93. Al Sima
94. Sam Mele
95. Ken Holcombe
96. Willard Marshall
97. Earl Torgeson
98. Bill Pierce
99. Gene Woodling
100. Del Rice
101. Max Lanier
102. Bill Kennedy
103. Cliff Mapes
104. Don Kolloway
105. John Pramesa
106. Mickey Vernon
107. Connie Ryan
108. Jim Konstanty
109. Ted Wilks
110. Dutch Leonard
111. Harry Lowery
112. Henry Majeski
113. Dick Sisler
114. Willard Ramsdell
115. George Munger
116. Carl Scheib
117. Sherman Lollar
118. Ken Raffensberger
119. Maurice McDermott
120. Bob Chakales
121. Gus Niarhos
122. Jack Jensen
123. Eddie Yost
124. Monte Kennedy
125. Bill Rigney
126. Fred Hutchinson
127. Paul Minner
128. Don Bollweg
129. Johnny Mize
130. Sheldon Jones
131. Morrie Martin
132. Clyde Kluttz
133. Al Widmar
134. Joe Tipton
135. Dixie Howell
136. Johnny Schmitz
137. Roy McMillan
138. Bill MacDonald
139. Ken Wood
140. John Antonelli
141. Clint Hartung
142. Harry Perkowski
143. Les Moss
144. Ed Blake
145. Joe Haynes
146. Frank House
147. Bob Young
148. Johnny Klippstein
149. Dick Kryhoski
150. Ted Beard
151. Wally Post
152. Al Evans
153. Bob Rush
154. Joe Muir
155. Frank Overmire
156. Frank Hiller
157. Bob Usher
158. Eddie Waitkus
159. Saul Rogovin
160. Owen Friend
161. Bud Byerly
162. Del Crandall
163. Stan Rojek
164. Walt Dubiel
165. Eddie Kazak
166. Paul LaPalme
167. Bill Howerton
168. Charlie Silvera
169. Howie Judson
170. Gus Bell
171. Ed Erautt
172. Eddie Miksis
173. Roy Smalley
174. Clarence Marshall
175. Billy Martin
176. Hank Edwards
177. Bill Wight
178. Cass Michaels
179. Frank Smith
180. Charley Maxwell
181. Bob Swift
182. Billy Hitchcock
183. Erv Dusak
184. Bob Ramazzotti
185. Bill Nicholson
186. Walt Masterson
187. Bob Miller
188. Clarence Podbielan
189. Pete Reiser
190. Don Johnson
191. Yogi Berra
192. Myron Ginsberg
193. Harry Simpson
194. Joe Hatten
195. Orestes Minoso
196. Solly Hemus
197. George Strickland
198. Phil Haugstad
199. George Zuverink
200. Ralph Houk
201. Alex Kellner
202. Joe Collins
203. Curt Simmons
204. Ron Northey
205. Clyde King
206. Joe Ostrowski
207. Mickey Harris
208. Marlin Stuart
209. Howie Fox
210. Dick Fowler
211. Ray Coleman
212. Ned Garver
213. Nippy Jones
214. Johnny Hopp
215. Hank Bauer
216. Richie Ashburn
217. George Stirnweiss
218. Clyde McCullough
219. Bobby Shantz
220. Joe Presko
221. Granny Hamner
222. "Hoot" Evers
223. Del Ennis
224. Bruce Edwards
225. Frank Baumholtz
226. Dave Philley
227. Joe Garagiola
228. Al Brazle 
229. Gene Beardon
230. Matt Batts
231. Sam Zoldak
232. Billy Cox
233. Bob Friend
234. Steve Souchock
235. Walt Dropo
236. Ed Fitz Gerald
237. Jerry Coleman
238. Art Houtteman
239. Rocky Bridges
240. Jack Phillips
241. Tommy Byrne
242. Tom Poholsky
243. Larry Doby
244. Vic Wertz
245. Sherry Robertson
246. George Kell
247. Randy Gumpert
248. Frank Shea
249. Bobby Adams
250. Carl Erskine
251. Chico Carrasquel
252. Vern Bickford
253. Johnny Berardino
254. Joe Dobson
255. Clyde Vollmer
256. Pete Suder
257. Bobby Avila
258. Steve Gromek
259. Bob Addis
260. Pete Castiglione
261. Willie Mays
262. Virgil Trucks
263. Harry Brecheen
264. Roy Hartsfield
265. Chuck Diering
266. Murry Dickson
267. Sid Gordon
268. Bob Lemon
269. Willard Nixon
270. Lou Brissie
271. Jim Delsing
272. Mike Garcia
273. Erv Palica
274. Ralph Branca
275. Pat Mullin
276. Jim Wilson
277. Early Wynn
278. Al Clark
279. Ed Stewart
280. Cloyd Boyer
281. Tommy Brown
282. Birdie Tebbetts
283. Phil Masi
284. Hank Arft
285. Cliff Fannin
286. Joe DeMaestri
287. Steve Bilko
288. Chet Nichols
289. Tommy Holmes
290. Joe Astroth
291. Gil Coan
292. Floyd Baker
293. Sibby Sisti
294. Walker Cooper
295. Phil Cavarretta
296. "Red" Rolfe
297. Andy Seminick
298. Bob Ross
299. Ray Murray
300. Barney McCosky
301. Bob Porterfield
302. Max Surkont
303. Harry Dorish
304. Sam Dente
305. Paul Richards
306. Lou Sleater
307. Frank Campos
308. Luis Aloma
309. Jim Busby
310. George Metovich
311. Mickey Mantle
312. Jackie Robinson
313. Bobby Thomson
314. Roy Campanella
315. Leo Durocher
316. Davey Williams
317. Connie Marrero
318. Hal Gregg
319. Al Walker
320. John Rutherford
321. Joe Black
322. Randy Jackson
323. Bubba Church
324. Warren Hacker
325. Bill Serena
326. Warren Church
327. Archie Wilson
328. Bob Borkowski
329. Ivan Delock
330. Turk Lown
331. Tom Morgan
332. Tony Bartirome
333. Pee Wee Reese
334. Wilmer Mizell
335. Ted Lepcio
336. Dave Koslo
337. Jim Hearn
338. Sal Yvars
339. Russ Meyer
340. Bob Hooper
341. Hal Jeffcoat
342. Clem Labine
343. Dick Gernert
344. Ewell Blackwell
345. Sam White
346. George Spencer
347. Joe Adcock
348. Bob Kelly
349. Bob Cain
350. Cal Abrams
351. Al Dark
352. Karl Drews
353. Bob Del Greco
354. Fred Hatfield
355. Bobby Morgan
356. Toby Atwell
357. Smoky Burgess
358. John Kucab
359. Dee Fondy
360. George Crowe
361. Bill Posedel
362. Ken Heintzelman
363. Dick Rozek
364. Clyde Sukeforth
365. Cookie Lavagetto
366. Dave Madison
367. Bob Thorpe
368. Ed Wright
369. Dick Groat
370. Billy Hoeft
371. Bob Hofman
372. Gil McDougald
373. Jim Turner
374. Al Benton
375. Jack Merson
376. Faye Throneberry
377. Chuck Dressen
378. Les Fusselman
379. Joe Rossi
380. Clem Koshorek
381. Milton Stock
382. Sam Jones
383. Del Wilber
384. Frank Crosetti
385. Herman Franks
386. Eddie Yuhas
387. Billy Meyer
388. Bob Chipman
389. Ben Wade
390. Glenn Nelson
391. Ben Chapman
392. Hoyt Wilhelm
393. Ebba St. Claire
394. Billy Herman
395. Jake Pitler
396. Dick Williams
397. Forrest Main
398. Hal Rice
399. Jim Fridley 
400. Bill Dickey
401. Bob Schultz
402. Earl Harrist
403. Bill Miller
404. Dick Browdowski
405. Eddie Pellagrini
406. Joe Nuxhall
407. Ed Mathews