1952 Topps #401 Bob Schultz
1952 Topps #401 Bob Schultz
About Bob Schultz
Robert Duffy "Bullet Bob" Schultz was a 6-foot-3 left-handed pitcher from Louisville, Kentucky, who served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II before dominating the high minors. He starred for the Class AA Nashville Vols in 1950, going 25-6 with a 2.68 ERA in the Southern Association, which earned the 27-year-old a promotion to the Chicago Cubs, where he made his major-league debut on April 20, 1951. Schultz pitched four big-league seasons for the Cubs (1951-1953), Pittsburgh Pirates (1953) and Detroit Tigers (1955), finishing 9-13 with a 5.16 ERA and 67 strikeouts over 183 innings. His finest game came September 14, 1952, when he threw a ten-inning complete-game victory over the Boston Braves at Braves Field, driving in the winning run himself with an RBI double. On June 4, 1953, he was dealt to the Pirates as part of the blockbuster that brought seven-time NL home-run king Ralph Kiner to Chicago. After baseball he settled in Nashville as a house painter; he died in 1979 at age 55. As card #401, his rookie card falls within the scarce high-number series (#311-407) of the landmark 1952 Topps set, cards printed in far smaller quantities and famously dumped at the time, making them prized rarities for collectors today.
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 | 497 | 0 | 5 | 40 | 58 | 73 | 102 | 215 | 4 |
| SGC | 124 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 22 | 75 | 6 |
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 Schultz card?
It is card #401 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 Schultz 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.