1952 Topps #167 Bill Howerton
1952 Topps #167 Bill Howerton
About Bill Howerton
William Ray "Hopalong" Howerton was a left-handed-hitting outfielder from Lompoc, California, who reached the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1949 and played four big-league seasons (1949-1952) with the Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Giants. Signed by Red Sox scout Earl Sheely after he starred at Saint Mary's College of California, Howerton drifted out of Boston's farm system before the Cardinals landed him, and he punished minor-league pitching—.329 with 21 homers at Triple-A Columbus in 1949—to earn his call-up. His best year came in 1950, when he hit .281 with 59 RBI as a Cardinals regular, platooning in the outfield alongside Hall of Famers Stan Musial and Enos Slaughter. On June 15, 1951 he was dealt to Pittsburgh in the blockbuster that also sent Howie Pollet, Ted Wilks, and Joe Garagiola to the Pirates, and in 1952 the Giants acquired him for outfield depth after Willie Mays was drafted into military service. Over 247 games he batted .274 with 22 home runs and 106 RBI. His nickname "Hopalong" traced to a childhood ankle injury—an infection (osteomyelitis) from closing a corral gate on the family ranch required four operations and left him with a permanent limp. This common-series card (#167) is found with both white and gray back stock, the standard printing variation across the 1952 Topps set.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Variations & how to tell them apart
White Back / Gray Back Series 3 (cards 131-190)
The third series exists on two different card stocks. The standard issue is on white/cream stock; a much scarcer parallel was printed on gray cardboard. The gray stock was used at the END of the series-3 run — leftover stock run through the same press, not a separate or foreign printing. Gray backs have a duller, gloss-less front and are never found with gum stains.
- White Back: Standard issue. White/cream card stock, normal red-ink back. Sharper, glossier front.
- Gray Back — scarcer: Scarce parallel on gray card stock. Duller, gloss-less front; never gum-stained. #189 Pete Reiser is the rarest of the run; #146 Frank House appears with a pale/yellow Tiger logo. NOTE: long mislabeled 'Canadian' (borrowed from the genuinely-Canadian 1954 Topps issue) — there is no evidence the 1952 grays were a Canadian release. TCDB catalogs these as 'Grey Back' against the normal 'Red Back'.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 534 | 0 | 3 | 31 | 94 | 128 | 125 | 148 | 5 |
| SGC | 83 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 18 | 47 | 2 |
SGC by variation: Standard 82 · Gray Back 1
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 Bill Howerton card?
It is card #167 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Pittsburgh Pirates player.
Does the 1952 Topps Bill Howerton have back variations?
Yes. The third series exists on two different card stocks. The standard issue is on white/cream stock; a much scarcer parallel was printed on gray cardboard. The gray stock was used at the END of the series-3 run — leftover stock run through the same press, not a separate or foreign printing. Gray backs have a duller, gloss-less front and are never found with gum stains.
Is the 1952 Topps Bill Howerton 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.