1952 Topps #135 Dixie Howell
About Dixie Howell
Homer Elliot "Dixie" Howell — not to be confused with the contemporaneous pitcher Millard "Dixie" Howell, a fellow Kentuckian who was his 1949 Cincinnati teammate — was a right-handed catcher born April 24, 1920, in Louisville, Kentucky. He entered professional baseball in 1938 after graduating from Louisville Male High School, and his climb was interrupted by U.S. Army service in World War II. Along the way he caught for the Montreal Royals in 1946 alongside Jackie Robinson; a Southern-born player, Howell was struck by the abuse Robinson faced, later recalling that "the way he was thrown at that year was unbelievable. Unbelievable and disgraceful." He debuted in the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 6, 1947, then spent 1949–1952 with the Cincinnati Reds — the team shown on this 1952 Topps card — serving as their most-used catcher in both 1950 and 1951, before finishing with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1953, 1955–1956). Over eight big-league seasons and 340 games he batted .246 with 224 hits, 12 home runs, and 93 RBI, and he earned a 1955 World Series ring with Brooklyn though he did not appear in that Series. He died October 5, 1990. Card #135 falls in the set's common early series (not the scarce #311–407 high numbers) and is found with both white and gray back stock.
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 | 679 | 0 | 3 | 40 | 128 | 179 | 161 | 165 | 3 |
| SGC | 89 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 40 | 2 |
SGC by variation: Standard 87 · Gray Back 2
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 Dixie Howell card?
It is card #135 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Cincinnati Reds player.
Does the 1952 Topps Dixie Howell 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 Dixie Howell 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.