1952 Topps #298 Bob Ross
1952 Topps #298 Bob Ross
About Bob Ross
Floyd Robert "Bob" Ross was a left-handed pitcher (who batted right-handed) born November 2, 1928, in Fullerton, California. Signed at 16 by Brooklyn Dodgers scout Tom Downey in 1945, he spent five seasons in the Dodgers farm system, at one stop playing alongside future Hall of Famer Roy Campanella and pitching for future Dodgers skipper Walter Alston at St. Paul, before the Washington Senators claimed him in the minor-league draft after the 1949 season. Ross debuted for Washington on June 16, 1950, and pitched in relief across two seasons with the Senators (1950-51); his only big-league hit was a double in 1951. Military service in the Army during the Korean War cost him the 1952 and 1953 campaigns, and he resurfaced briefly with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1956. Over 20 major-league appearances he went 0-2 with a 7.17 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 47⅔ innings. After baseball he earned a degree from Long Beach State and spent decades as a teacher, principal, and administrator in the Anaheim area, later scouting for the Houston Astros and tending a 20-acre avocado grove. This 1952 Topps card (#298) is his rookie card and a short print, one of the tougher cards to find well-centered in the set's fifth series, though it sits just below the truly scarce high-number run (#311-407) headlined by the iconic Mickey Mantle at #311.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
Short Print
Cards 281-300 were single-printed relative to the rest of series 5 — EXCEPT #289 Holmes, #295 Cavarretta and #296 Rolfe. 17 SP cards in all.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 597 | 2 | 10 | 70 | 114 | 124 | 113 | 161 | 3 |
| SGC | 74 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 37 | 0 |
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 Ross card?
It is card #298 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Washington Senators player, and is his rookie card.
Is the 1952 Topps Bob Ross 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.