1934 Goudey #66 Mel Harder
About Mel Harder
Mel Harder signed with Omaha at 17 in 1927 and reached Cleveland by 1928, debuting that September as the youngest player in the league. The right-hander spent his entire 20-year career with the Indians, winning the AL ERA title in 1933 and breaking out in 1934 with 20 wins and a league-leading six shutouts — the season captured on card #66, his recognized rookie card. That year also brought the first of four straight All-Star selections; he won the 1934 All-Star Game and set a record with 13 consecutive innings pitched without allowing an earned run in All-Star play. Harder finished 223-186 with a 3.80 ERA over 3,426⅓ innings, the only major leaguer to win 15-plus games every season from 1932 through 1939. Teammates nicknamed him "Wimpy" for his fondness for hamburgers and "The Chief" for the leadership that made him a ringleader of the 1940 "Crybabies" revolt against Ossie Vitt. He never reached Cooperstown, but as Cleveland's pitching coach from 1948 to 1963 he helped shape Bob Feller, Bob Lemon, Early Wynn, and Herb Score, becoming the first man to play 20 years and coach 20 more in the majors. The Indians retired his No. 18 in 1990.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 206 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 59 | 84 | 10 |
| SGC | 72 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 42 | 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 Mel Harder card?
It is card #66 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 Mel Harder with the Cleveland Indians.
Is the 1934 Goudey Mel Harder #66 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 cards carry the rookie-card (RC) designation.
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 2026-08-16.