1952 Topps #188 Clarence Podbielan
1952 Topps #188 Clarence Podbielan
About Clarence Podbielan
Clarence Anthony "Bud" Podbielan was a right-handed pitcher born March 6, 1924, in Curlew, Washington. Signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent after World War II, he broke into organized ball at age 22 with the Santa Barbara Dodgers (14-9, 3.83), then posted strong marks for the Fort Worth Cats (14-8, 2.38 in 1947) and the Montreal Royals (13-8, 2.79 in 1948) before debuting in the majors on April 25, 1949, with Brooklyn. He pitched for the Dodgers from 1949 to 1952, then was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs on June 15, 1952 (with whom he spent 1952-1955 and 1957), and closed his nine-season career with Cleveland in 1959. Working mostly as a swingman between the rotation and bullpen, he went 25-42 with a 4.49 ERA and 242 strikeouts over 172 games. He is best remembered for a dubious feat: on May 18, 1953, pitching for Cincinnati, he walked a franchise-record 13 batters in a 10-inning game against his old Dodgers club. This card places him on Brooklyn shortly before that mid-1952 trade; it is part of the third series and carries the set's white-back/gray-back stock variation. Podbielan died October 26, 1982, in Syracuse, New York.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Variations & how to tell them apart
White Back / Gray Back Series 3 (cards 131-190)
The third series exists on two different card stocks. The standard issue is on white/cream stock; a much scarcer parallel was printed on gray cardboard. The gray stock was used at the END of the series-3 run — leftover stock run through the same press, not a separate or foreign printing. Gray backs have a duller, gloss-less front and are never found with gum stains.
- White Back: Standard issue. White/cream card stock, normal red-ink back. Sharper, glossier front.
- Gray Back — scarcer: Scarce parallel on gray card stock. Duller, gloss-less front; never gum-stained. #189 Pete Reiser is the rarest of the run; #146 Frank House appears with a pale/yellow Tiger logo. NOTE: long mislabeled 'Canadian' (borrowed from the genuinely-Canadian 1954 Topps issue) — there is no evidence the 1952 grays were a Canadian release. TCDB catalogs these as 'Grey Back' against the normal 'Red Back'.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 530 | 0 | 4 | 36 | 101 | 125 | 105 | 156 | 3 |
| SGC | 75 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 21 | 33 | 2 |
SGC by variation: Standard 74 · Gray Back 1
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 Clarence Podbielan card?
It is card #188 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Brooklyn Dodgers player, and is his rookie card.
Does the 1952 Topps Clarence Podbielan have back variations?
Yes. The third series exists on two different card stocks. The standard issue is on white/cream stock; a much scarcer parallel was printed on gray cardboard. The gray stock was used at the END of the series-3 run — leftover stock run through the same press, not a separate or foreign printing. Gray backs have a duller, gloss-less front and are never found with gum stains.
Is the 1952 Topps Clarence Podbielan 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.