1952 Topps #144 Ed Blake
1952 Topps #144 Ed Blake
About Ed Blake
Edward James Blake (December 23, 1925 - April 15, 2009) was a right-handed pitcher whose 1952 Topps card, a Cincinnati Reds rookie card in the set's third series, captures one of the many career minor-leaguers who briefly touched the majors in the early 1950s. A native of the St. Louis area, Blake signed with the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 1944 out of Central Catholic High School in East St. Louis, Illinois, and pitched that first pro season for clubs including Columbus, Allentown, and Mobile. His path was interrupted by World War II: he enlisted in the U.S. Army, served as an infantryman with the 40th Infantry Division in the Pacific, and was wounded in the Philippines, requiring roughly nine months of recovery. Returning to baseball, Blake made his major-league debut with the Reds on May 1, 1951, and appeared in the majors across parts of four seasons with Cincinnati (1951-1953) and the Kansas City Athletics (1957). His big-league totals were slight - no decisions (0-0), an 8.31 ERA, one strikeout, and roughly 8.2 innings over 8 games - as he spent the bulk of his career in the high minors, including a strong run with Toronto in the International League. After baseball he worked for nearly 50 years as a plumber and served as president of Plumbers Local 360. He died in 2009 at age 83.
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 | 669 | 0 | 3 | 37 | 116 | 174 | 145 | 189 | 5 |
| SGC | 100 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 13 | 33 | 46 | 0 |
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 Ed Blake card?
It is card #144 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Cincinnati Reds player, and is his rookie card.
Does the 1952 Topps Ed Blake 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 Ed Blake 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.