1933 Goudey #104 Fred Marberry
About Fred Marberry
Fred "Firpo" Marberry, born November 30, 1898, in Streetman, Texas, broke into pro ball with his Texas hometown team before Washington Senators scout Joe Engel signed him in August 1923. The hard-throwing right-hander pitched 14 big-league seasons (1923-1936), starring for Washington (1923-1932) before a December 1932 trade sent him to Detroit, where he pitched in 1933-1935. He finished with a 148-88 record and 3.63 ERA, but his true legacy was as the game's first true relief ace: he led the majors in saves a record six times, set single-season marks for relief appearances (59 in 1926) and saves (a then-record 22 that same year), and retired with roughly 100 career saves, a record that stood for decades. His imposing frame and mound scowl reminded observers of Argentine heavyweight boxer Luis Firpo, hence the nickname "Firpo," though he reportedly disliked it. Marberry helped Washington to its only World Series title in 1924, posting a sparkling 1.12 ERA over four Series games, and returned with the Senators to the 1925 Fall Classic. This Goudey card, issued during his first Detroit season, captures baseball's original bullpen specialist near the end of his prime.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 339 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 20 | 31 | 59 | 212 | 4 |
| SGC | 133 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 24 | 92 | 2 |
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 Fred Marberry card?
It is card #104 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 Fred Marberry with the Detroit Tigers.
Is the 1933 Goudey Fred Marberry #104 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.