1951 Topps Blue Back #48 Billy Cox
About Billy Cox
Cox's 1950 was a fielding year more than a hitting one. He appeared in 119 games for Brooklyn, 107 at third base and 13 at second, and batted .257 with 8 home runs, 44 RBI and 62 runs scored. His .957 fielding percentage led National League third basemen, the season after he tied a league record with three errors in one inning on August 6, 1949, at Cincinnati.
Billy Cox was a third baseman and shortstop whose glove drew praise from Casey Stengel, George Kell and Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley. He debuted with Pittsburgh on September 20, 1941, then lost four seasons to Army service with the 814th Signal Corps in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. Back with the Pirates in 1946 he hit .290, and in 1947 he set career highs with 15 home runs and 54 RBI. On December 8, 1947, Pittsburgh sent him with Preacher Roe and Gene Mauch to Brooklyn for Dixie Walker, Hal Gregg and Vic Lombardi. He played third base for the Dodgers' pennant winners of 1949, 1952 and 1953, and hit .304 in the 1953 World Series with a three-run home run in Game 5. George Kell said he never dreamed third base could be played with such artistry until he saw Cox in the 1952 Series. Baltimore acquired him on December 14, 1954, and he hit .211 in 53 games. Traded to Cleveland that June, he refused to report and retired, citing a bad leg and a hernia. He finished with 1,058 games and a .262 average, and entered the Capital Area Hall of Fame in 1971.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 151 | 0 | 31 | 42 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 24 | 0 |
| SGC | 14 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Data as of 2026-10-19. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted.
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Related cards
Team card: Team card Brooklyn Dodgers
More Brooklyn Dodgers cards:
- Red Back #11 Gene Hermanski
- Red Back #16 Preacher Roe
- Red Back #31 Gil Hodges
- Red Back #38 Duke Snider
- Blue Back #20 Ralph Branca
- Blue Back #42 Bruce Edwards
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1951 Topps Blue Back #48 card?
It is Blue Back #48 in the 135-card 1951 Topps Baseball checklist, picturing Billy Cox of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
How many cards are in the 1951 Topps Baseball set?
135 cards across five issues - the Red Backs and Blue Backs (52 each), nine Team cards, and eleven each of Connie Mack's All-Stars and the Major League All-Stars. With the Zernial and Holmes variations and both versions of each Team card the master set is 146. All 135 count toward the full set; Jim Konstanty, Robin Roberts and Eddie Stanky, the three rarest Major League All-Stars, are so rarely seen that collectors often count a complete set as 132 without them.
Sources: PSA, BaseballCardPedia, Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-26.