1951 Topps Blue Back #5 Johnny Pesky
About Johnny Pesky
Pesky hit .312 in 1950 and scored 112 runs in 127 games, which made him and Ted Williams the only players with 100 or more runs in each of their first six seasons. He drew 104 walks and reached base at a .437 rate, with Vern Stephens holding shortstop and Pesky at third. Late in the year he asked manager Steve O'Neill to take him out of the lineup so Billy Goodman could gather enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title. Goodman finished at .354 and won it.
John Michael Pesky, born John Michael Paveskovich in Portland, Oregon, the son of Croatian immigrants, was a shortstop and third baseman who spent a ten-year major league career mostly with the Boston Red Sox. He broke in with a rookie-record 205 hits in 1942, then missed three prime seasons serving in the Navy during World War II. Back in 1946, he led the American League in hits again, made his only All-Star team, and helped the Red Sox to the pennant. He led the league in hits a third straight time in 1947, finishing his career a .307 hitter over 4,745 at-bats. After his playing days he stayed tied to the Red Sox for decades as manager, coach, and broadcaster, becoming one of the franchise's most enduring figures. He was nicknamed the Needle and, for his lifelong devotion to the club, Mr. Red Sox.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 190 | 0 | 34 | 46 | 18 | 21 | 25 | 46 | 0 |
| SGC | 22 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 1 |
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 Boston Red Sox
More Boston Red Sox cards:
- Red Back #4 Verne Stephens
- Red Back #10 Mel Parnell
- Red Back #20 Dominick DiMaggio
- Red Back #42 Ray Scarborough
- Red Back #43 Maurice McDermott
- Red Back #46 Billy Goodman
- Blue Back #37 Bobby Doerr
- Major League All-Star Walt Dropo
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1951 Topps Blue Back #5 card?
It is Blue Back #5 in the 135-card 1951 Topps Baseball checklist, picturing Johnny Pesky of the Boston Red Sox.
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.