1952 Topps #362 Ken Heintzelman
1952 Topps #362 Ken Heintzelman
About Ken Heintzelman
Kenneth Alphonse Heintzelman (1915-2000) was a left-handed pitcher who signed with the Boston Braves in 1935 and began in the Class-D minors before being acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He debuted in 1937 and pitched 13 major-league seasons for the Pirates (1937-42, 1946-47) and Philadelphia Phillies (1947-52), losing three prime years (1943-45) to U.S. Army service in Europe during World War II. His signature season came at age 33 in 1949, when he went 17-10 with a 3.02 ERA and led the National League with five shutouts, finished ninth in NL MVP voting, and was voted the Phillies' team MVP by the fans. In 1950 he started Game Three of the World Series against the Yankees as a member of Philadelphia's "Whiz Kids," carrying a 2-1 lead into the eighth inning before being relieved in an eventual Yankees sweep. He finished with a career record of 77-98, a 3.93 ERA, 18 shutouts, and 564 strikeouts. Per SABR, he was nicknamed "Cannonball" for the speed of his fastball. His son, Tom Heintzelman, later reached the majors as an infielder in the 1970s. As card #362, this issue falls in the scarce high-number series (#311-407) of the landmark 1952 Topps set, cards printed in far smaller quantities and famously dumped at the time, making them the hardest and most valuable to find today.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
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 | 440 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 54 | 79 | 86 | 189 | 3 |
| SGC | 97 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 20 | 61 | 5 |
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 Philadelphia Phillies cards
- Con Dempsey
- Willie Jones
- Robin Roberts
- Andy Hansen
- Connie Ryan
- Jim Konstanty
- Eddie Waitkus
- Bill Nicholson
- Bob Miller
- Curt Simmons
- Howie Fox
- Nippy Jones
- Richie Ashburn
- Granny Hamner
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1952 Topps Ken Heintzelman card?
It is card #362 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Philadelphia Phillies player.
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 Ken Heintzelman 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.