Sparky Adams - 1933 Goudey #213
1933 Goudey #213 Sparky Adams
No team banner: this card comes from Goudey's late-1933 press sheets 8-10, which dropped the team-name banner from the front design.
About Sparky Adams
Earl John "Sparky" Adams was born August 26, 1894, in Zerbe Township, Pennsylvania, and broke into the majors with the Chicago Cubs in September 1922. A versatile, sure-handed infielder who split time at shortstop, third base, and second base, he went on to play for the Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, and, by 1933, the Cincinnati Reds pictured on this card. At just 5-foot-4½, he was reputedly the smallest player in the National League, and Branch Rickey is said to have first mistaken him for a bat boy at spring training. He was originally nicknamed "Rabbit" for his size and speed, but switched to "Sparky" around 1923 after teammate Rabbit Maranville reportedly told him the club couldn't have two Rabbits. Adams starred for the pennant-winning Cardinals of 1930 and the 1931 World Champions, leading the NL in doubles (46) and finishing atop third basemen in fielding percentage in 1931, though a sprained ankle limited him in that Series. Traded to Cincinnati on May 7, 1933 along with Paul Derringer and Allyn Stout (in the deal that sent Leo Durocher to St. Louis), Adams became the Reds' leadoff man that season, batting .262. He finished a 13-year career with a .286 average, 1,588 hits, and 154 stolen bases over 1,424 games, and was later inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame (1990).
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 287 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 21 | 23 | 55 | 178 | 2 |
| SGC | 133 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 105 | 3 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-07-03. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8). PSA counts are straight-graded.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Related cards
More Cincinnati Reds cards:
- #40 Taylor Douthit
- #44 Jim Bottomley
- #45 Larry Benton
- #66 George Grantham
- #74 Eppa Rixey
- #80 Clyde Manion
- #97 Joe Morrissey
- #137 Red Lucas
- #150 Ray Kolp
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1933 Goudey Sparky Adams card?
It is card #213 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 Sparky Adams with the Cincinnati Reds.
Why does this card have no team banner?
It comes from Goudey's late-1933 press sheets 8-10, which dropped the team-name banner from the front design - 72 cards in the set share the bannerless look.
Is the 1933 Goudey Sparky Adams #213 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.