1952 Topps #169 Howie Judson
About Howie Judson
Howard Kolls "Howie" Judson (1925-2020) was a right-handed pitcher from Hebron, Illinois, who reached the majors after starring in two sports at the University of Illinois, where he attended on a basketball scholarship (1943-1945), earned honorable-mention All-Western Conference honors on the hardwood, and captained and pitched for the baseball team. The Chicago White Sox signed him on July 23, 1946 after a workout impressed Hall of Fame manager Ted Lyons, and he debuted in 1948. Judson pitched seven big-league seasons, five with the White Sox (1948-1952) and two with the Cincinnati Redlegs (1953-1954), working as both a starter and reliever. He finished 17-37 with a 4.29 ERA and 204 strikeouts over 207 appearances (48 starts), never posting a winning record in the majors; his roughest stretch came in 1949, when he lost 14 of his 15 decisions for the sixth-place White Sox despite pitching capably. He remained sharp in the minors, going a perfect 11-0 for the Double-A Tulsa Oilers in 1953. Remarkably, Judson competed for years while battling vision problems from a left-eye injury suffered in his youth. This card, #169, sits in the third series of the landmark 1952 Topps set, well ahead of the scarce, coveted high-number run (#311-407) headlined by the iconic Mickey Mantle at #311.
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 | 602 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 95 | 158 | 131 | 183 | 6 |
| SGC | 95 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 34 | 46 | 0 |
SGC by variation: Standard 94 · Gray Back 1
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-22. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1952 Topps Howie Judson card?
It is card #169 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Chicago White Sox player.
Does the 1952 Topps Howie Judson 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 Howie Judson 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 2026-10-05.