1952 Topps #402 Earl Harrist
1952 Topps #402 Earl Harrist
About Earl Harrist
Earl "Irish" Harrist was a right-handed pitcher born April 20, 1919, in Dubach, Louisiana (d. September 7, 1998). After working his way up through the minor leagues with clubs including the Durham Bulls and Birmingham Barons, he reached the majors with the Cincinnati Reds, debuting August 18, 1945. The Chicago White Sox drafted him from Cincinnati in the 1946 Rule 5 draft, and over five big-league seasons (1945-1953) Harrist pitched for the Reds, White Sox (1947-48 and 1953), Washington Senators (1948), St. Louis Browns (1952), and Detroit Tigers (1953). Used mostly in relief, he appeared in 132 games (24 starts, 50 finished) and compiled a 12-28 record with a 4.34 ERA, 162 strikeouts, and 10 saves over 383 1/3 innings. His most distinctive mark came in 1952 with the Browns, the team shown on this card, when he led the American League in hit batsmen (10). This 1952 Topps card, #402, falls in the scarce high-number series (#311-407), a run printed in far smaller quantities and famously dumped in quantity, which makes surviving examples considerably rarer today than the lower numbers.
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 | 511 | 0 | 3 | 34 | 56 | 81 | 94 | 241 | 2 |
| SGC | 107 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 71 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
More St. Louis Browns cards
- Fred Marsh
- Gordon Goldsberry
- Bob Mahoney
- Roy Sievers
- Duane Pillette
- Les Moss
- Bobby Young
- Dick Kryhoski
- Owen Friend
- Stan Rojek
- Cuddles Marshall
- Ned Garver
- Gene Bearden
- Tommy Byrne
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1952 Topps Earl Harrist card?
It is card #402 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the St. Louis Browns 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 Earl Harrist 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.