1952 Topps #288 Chet Nichols
About Chet Nichols
A left-handed pitcher from Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Chet Nichols Jr. was the son of former big-league hurler Chet Nichols Sr., who groomed his son and taught him to throw strikes. After signing with the Boston Braves and spending 1949-1950 in their farm system, Nichols made the roster out of spring training in 1951 and delivered one of the great rookie seasons in franchise history. At just 20, he posted a 2.88 ERA in 156 innings to win the National League ERA title, edging Sal Maglie's 2.93, and went 11-8 with 12 complete games and three shutouts. Those numbers made him the runner-up to Willie Mays for the 1951 NL Rookie of the Year Award. Nichols then lost the 1952 and 1953 seasons to U.S. Army service during the Korean War, and he was never quite the same, though he pitched nine seasons through 1964 for the Boston/Milwaukee Braves, Boston Red Sox, and Cincinnati Reds, finishing 34-36 with a 3.64 ERA and 266 strikeouts over 189 appearances. This 1952 Topps card is his rookie card and part of the tougher, short-printed fifth series (#251-310), issued just ahead of the scarce high-number run (#311-407) that includes the celebrated Mickey Mantle #311. After baseball he went into banking and later helped Ben Mondor purchase the Pawtucket Red Sox in 1977. He died in 1995.
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 | 591 | 1 | 7 | 71 | 109 | 144 | 113 | 143 | 3 |
| SGC | 79 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 18 | 31 | 3 |
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 Chet Nichols card?
It is card #288 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Boston Braves player, and is his rookie card.
Is the 1952 Topps Chet Nichols 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.