1952 Topps #340 Bob Hooper
About Bob Hooper
Bob Hooper (Robert Nelson Hooper, 1922–1980) was a right-handed pitcher born in Leamington, Ontario, one of the relatively few Canadians in the majors in his era. Originally signed by the New York Giants organization, he served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II and starred in the minors — going 20-9 at Jacksonville in 1948 and 19-3 with Buffalo in 1949 — before reaching the majors with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1950. As a rookie he won 15 games against 10 losses for a last-place A's club that won only 52 all year, accounting for well over a quarter of the team's victories while both starting and relieving, work that earned him the nickname "the Leamington Workhorse." Chronic arm and shoulder trouble limited him thereafter, and after stints with the A's (1950–1952), Cleveland Indians (1953–1954), and Cincinnati Redlegs (1955) he finished 40-41 with a 4.80 ERA, 25 saves, and 196 strikeouts over six seasons. As card #340, Hooper falls in the scarce high-number series (#311–407) — printed in far smaller quantities and heavily discarded — that makes these 1952 Topps cards prized and elusive today, the same run that carries the hobby's famous #311 Mickey Mantle. Hooper later managed in the Baltimore farm system and became a physical education teacher.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
High Number
Series 6 (311-407). Minimally distributed in the fall of 1952 when retailers cut orders — the scarcest and most coveted run in the set, holding Mantle, Robinson, Campanella, the Mathews rookie and more.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 457 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 44 | 79 | 94 | 201 | 3 |
| SGC | 106 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 22 | 64 | 5 |
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 Bob Hooper card?
It is card #340 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Philadelphia Athletics player.
Why is this card scarce?
It is in the 1952 Topps high-number series (311-407), which was minimally distributed in the fall of 1952 and is the scarcest, most sought-after run in the set.
Is the 1952 Topps Bob Hooper 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.