1952 Topps #348 Bob Kelly
About Bob Kelly
Robert Edward Kelly, a right-handed pitcher born October 4, 1927 in Cleveland, Ohio, signed with the Chicago Cubs in the late 1940s after a standout amateur career — he led Shaw High School to a 1944 state title and pitched at Purdue and Case Western Reserve before starring in the minors, including a 14-win, 200-inning season for the Des Moines Bruins in 1948. He reached the majors with the Cubs on May 4, 1951, going 7-4 as a rookie, and over parts of four big-league seasons (1951-1953, 1958) he pitched for the Cubs, Cincinnati Redlegs and Cleveland Indians. Kelly finished with a career record of 12-18 and a 4.50 ERA with 146 strikeouts across 123 games (35 starts). Nearly retired to run his insurance business, he returned to post a 24-win, 259-inning season for the Nashville Vols in 1957. After baseball he headed human resources at Electric Boat in Connecticut, and at his death on November 27, 2024 at age 97 he was the last surviving major leaguer managed by Hall of Famers Rogers Hornsby and Frankie Frisch. His 1952 Topps card, a rookie card, falls in the scarce high-number series (#311-407) — printed in far lower quantities and famously overstocked and dumped at the time, which makes these numbers, including Kelly's #348, considerably rarer and more sought-after today than the earlier series.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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 | 557 | 0 | 3 | 50 | 68 | 84 | 107 | 241 | 4 |
| SGC | 103 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 19 | 65 | 4 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-22. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1952 Topps Bob Kelly card?
It is card #348 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Chicago Cubs player, and is his rookie card.
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 Kelly 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 2026-10-05.