Bob Smith - 1933 Goudey #185
1933 Goudey #185 Bob Smith
About Bob Smith
Robert Eldridge Smith, born April 22, 1895 in Rogersville, Tennessee, broke into the majors with the Boston Braves in 1923 as a slick-fielding but light-hitting shortstop and third baseman. In 1925, at age 30, Braves coach Dick Rudolph talked manager Dave Bancroft into trying Smith on the mound, and the conversion made his career: he spent the rest of his 15 major-league seasons (1923-1937) as a right-handed pitcher, working primarily for Boston with stints for the Chicago Cubs (1931-1932) and Cincinnati Reds (1933). He finished 106-139 with a 3.94 ERA and 618 strikeouts, relying on a fastball, curve, and a sharp changeup as his best pitch once his velocity faded. His signature moment came on May 17, 1927, when he pitched all 22 innings of a marathon loss to the Cubs, 4-3 - one of the longest complete games in major-league history. He also appeared in relief for the Cubs in Game 1 of the 1932 World Series against the Yankees, striking out Red Ruffing. Smith, pictured with the Boston Braves on his 1933 Goudey card, closed out his playing days back in Boston before his death in 1987 in Waycross, Georgia.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 316 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 33 | 37 | 54 | 174 | 3 |
| SGC | 128 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 23 | 90 | 5 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-07-03. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8). PSA counts are straight-graded.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1933 Goudey Bob Smith card?
It is card #185 of the 1933 Goudey (R319) Baseball set - the 240-card, 2-3/8 by 2-7/8 inch color-art set issued in 1933 with Big League Chewing Gum. It pictures Bob Smith with the Boston Braves.
Is the 1933 Goudey Bob Smith #185 a rookie card?
By modern catalog convention, yes. 1933 Goudey is treated as the hobby's first major nationally distributed gum set, so nearly every card in it carries the rookie-card (RC) designation - a modern label applied retroactively, since many of these players had earlier tobacco, caramel, or strip cards.
How many cards are in the 1933 Goudey set?
240 numbered cards, though collectors usually count 241 collectible cards because #6 Jimmy Dykes exists in an error and a corrected version. Only 239 numbers were in 1933 packs - #106 (Nap Lajoie) was printed in 1934 and issued by mail.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and hobby press-sheet research. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-04.