1934 Goudey #53 George Watkins
About George Watkins
George Archibald Watkins got his start in 1925 with Marshall of the East Texas League, batting his way up through Beaumont, Houston and Rochester before the St. Louis Cardinals called him up in 1930. His rookie season remains one of the greatest ever: a .373 batting average, still a National League rookie record, with 17 home runs and 87 RBI in 119 games. On June 24, 1931, he tied the modern major-league mark by ripping three straight home runs in the nightcap of a doubleheader against the Phillies, driving in all four Cardinal runs. That fall he helped beat Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics in the World Series, punctuating it with a Game Seven two-run homer one writer called the richest four-bagger any Series mortal ever hit. A salary holdout in 1934 shipped the outfielder to the Giants, the season captured on card #53 of the 1934 Goudey set — his first mainstream gum card and the recognized rookie card for a five-year big-league veteran.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 213 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 18 | 36 | 52 | 91 | 4 |
| SGC | 84 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 17 | 43 | 3 |
SGC by label variation: Standard 83 · White Background 1.
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-08-14. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8). PSA counts are straight-graded.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1934 Goudey George Watkins card?
It is card #53 of the 1934 Goudey (R320) Baseball set - the 96-card, 2-3/8 by 2-7/8 inch color-art set issued in 1934 with Big League Chewing Gum. It pictures George Watkins with the New York Giants.
Is the 1934 Goudey George Watkins #53 a rookie card?
By modern catalog convention, yes. Sheet 1 of the set reused returning 1933 subjects, but most of the remaining cards picture players getting their first major gum card - 63 of the 96 are rookie cards.
How many cards are in the 1934 Goudey set?
96 cards, printed on four 24-card press sheets. 84 fronts carry the blue 'Lou Gehrig says' strip and 12 carry the red 'Chuck Klein says' strip (#80-91). The high numbers #73-96 are the scarcest cards.
Sources: PSA CardFacts, Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and hobby press-sheet research (SABR). Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-08-23.