1952 Topps #238 Art Houtteman
1952 Topps #238 Art Houtteman
About Art Houtteman
Arthur Joseph "Hard Luck" Houtteman was a right-handed pitcher signed off the Detroit sandlots by Tigers scout Wish Egan in late 1944, reportedly for $20,000 just after he turned 17. He debuted on April 29, 1945, as the youngest player in the American League that season, and pitched 12 major-league years (1945-1957) for the Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, and Baltimore Orioles. His nickname was earned in 1948, when he lost his first eight decisions despite pitching well, and the hard luck only deepened in March 1949 when a near-fatal spring-training crash near Lakeland, Florida left him with a fractured skull; remarkably, he returned that same year. Houtteman's finest season came in 1950, when he went 19-12 with a 3.53 ERA, led the league with four shutouts, and made his only All-Star team. After a June 1953 trade to Cleveland, he went 15-7 for the 1954 Indians, who won an American League-record 111 games and the pennant before being swept by the New York Giants in the World Series. He finished 87-91 with a 4.14 ERA, 639 strikeouts, 14 shutouts, and 78 complete games across 325 games, and was not elected to the Hall of Fame. This #238 card sits in the set's fourth series, printed in fuller supply than the famously scarce high-number run (#311-407) that includes the iconic Mickey Mantle #311.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 692 | 0 | 5 | 67 | 141 | 178 | 131 | 167 | 3 |
| SGC | 100 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 16 | 23 | 38 | 3 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-22. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8); totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1952 Topps Art Houtteman card?
It is card #238 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Detroit Tigers player.
Is the 1952 Topps Art Houtteman valuable?
Value depends on grade and (where it applies) the back variation. Use the links above to check current T206 Cards inventory and live eBay listings.
Sources: the Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, and PSA & SGC population reports. Card data & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-01.