1952 Topps #359 Dee Fondy
About Dee Fondy
Dee Virgil Fondy (1924–1999), a lanky 6-foot-3 first baseman out of Slaton, Texas, and a World War II combat veteran who landed at Utah Beach, signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization and starred in the minors before reaching the majors with the Chicago Cubs on Opening Day 1951 — announcing himself with a bases-loaded triple in his very first big-league at-bat. He spent eight seasons in the majors (1951–1958) with the Cubs (1951–57), Pittsburgh Pirates (1957) and Cincinnati Reds (1958), settling in as Chicago's regular first baseman in 1952, when he hit .300 with 67 RBI. A left-handed hitter regarded as arguably the fastest first baseman of his era, Fondy batted over .300 three times, peaking in 1953 with a .309 average, 184 hits and 18 home runs, and stole 20 bases in 1954. He retired with a .286 career average, exactly 1,000 hits, 69 home runs and 373 RBI. Fondy earned a footnote in history as the last man ever to bat at Ebbets Field, grounding out to Don Zimmer on September 24, 1957. After his playing days he scouted and worked in front offices, signing future Hall of Famer Paul Molitor for the Milwaukee Brewers. This is Fondy's rookie card, and as one of the scarce 1952 Topps high numbers (#311–407, printed in far smaller quantities), card #359 is considerably tougher to find than the set's low-number commons.
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 | 469 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 55 | 79 | 72 | 228 | 3 |
| SGC | 99 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 23 | 60 | 7 |
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 Dee Fondy card?
It is card #359 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 Dee Fondy 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.