1952 Topps #138 Bill Macdonald
1952 Topps #138 Bill Macdonald
About Bill Macdonald
Born March 28, 1929, in Alameda, California, William Paul Macdonald Jr. was a right-handed pitcher who signed his first professional contract with the Detroit Tigers in 1947 before being declared a free agent by Commissioner Happy Chandler in October 1948. He built his case in the minors, winning 15 games for the Flint Arrows in 1948 and going 13-11 with the New Orleans Pelicans in 1949, then broke in with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1950. As a 21-year-old rookie he appeared in 32 games, made 6 complete games and 2 shutouts, and won 8 of 18 decisions; in just his second big-league game, on May 23, 1950, he threw a complete-game three-hitter to blank the Philadelphia Phillies 6-0. Military service during the Korean War era cost him the entire 1951 and 1952 seasons, and after a brief, ineffective return in 1953 he finished his major-league career with an 8-11 record, a 4.66 ERA, and 64 strikeouts over 36 games, spending most of that final year with the Pacific Coast League's Hollywood Stars. He left the game after the 1954 minor-league season and died May 4, 1991, in Shasta Lake, California. This card sits in Topps' third series, printed on both the white and gray back stock that distinguishes the set's mid-run cards, well ahead of the scarce high-number series (#311-407) that begins with the hobby's famous Mickey Mantle card.
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 | 634 | 0 | 4 | 58 | 91 | 186 | 118 | 173 | 4 |
| SGC | 89 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 31 | 35 | 2 |
SGC by variation: Standard 87 · Gray Back 2
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 Macdonald card?
It is card #138 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 Macdonald 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 Macdonald 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.