1952 Topps #162 Del Crandall
1952 Topps #162 Del Crandall
About Del Crandall
Signed by the Boston Braves before the 1948 season, Del Crandall (born March 5, 1930, in Ontario, California; died 2021) debuted in 1949 at age 19 — reportedly the youngest starting catcher in major-league history. Over 16 seasons (1949-1966) with the Boston/Milwaukee Braves, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians, the right-handed backstop hit .254 with 179 home runs and 657 RBI across 1,573 games. Widely regarded as the finest defensive catcher of his era, Crandall earned eight All-Star selections and four Gold Gloves (1958-1960, 1962), leading the NL in assists a record-tying six times. He anchored Milwaukee's 1957 World Series champions, homering in the Game 7 clincher over the Yankees, and homered again in the 1958 Series. He later managed the Brewers and Mariners and was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame in 2003. This Series 3 card exists with both white and gray back stock.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
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 | 688 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 74 | 176 | 174 | 234 | 4 |
| SGC | 117 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 36 | 57 | 0 |
SGC by variation: Standard 114 · Gray Back 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 Del Crandall card?
It is card #162 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Boston Braves player.
Does the 1952 Topps Del Crandall 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 Del Crandall 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.