1952 Topps #139 Ken Wood
1952 Topps #139 Ken Wood
About Ken Wood
Kenneth Lanier Wood, a right-handed-hitting outfielder born July 1, 1924, in Lincolnton, North Carolina, signed out of American Legion ball with the Charlotte Hornets and was awarded to the St. Louis Browns after a contract dispute in which both the Browns and Senators claimed his rights. He showed early promise in the minors, batting .318 with 25 home runs and a league-leading 126 RBI for the Huntington Jewels in 1942. Wood reached the majors with the Browns on April 28, 1948, and played parts of six MLB seasons (1948-1953) with the Browns, Boston Red Sox and Washington Senators, mostly in right field. Celebrated for one of the strongest throwing arms in baseball, he twice threw runners out at home plate in the same inning during 1949 and gunned down two more in succession on August 11, 1950. His best power year came in 1951, with a career-high 15 home runs. A November 1951 trade sent him to the Red Sox, the team pictured on this 1952 Topps card, where he managed just two singles in 15 games before being dealt to Washington in June 1952. Over 342 career games he batted .224 with 34 home runs and 143 RBI. After baseball he spent 28 years as a Prudential insurance agent and died November 22, 2007. His card exists with both white and gray card-back stock, a documented back variation collectors track in the 1952 Topps set.
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 | 550 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 79 | 127 | 123 | 177 | 3 |
| SGC | 93 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 24 | 47 | 0 |
SGC by variation: Standard 90 · Gray Back 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1952 Topps Ken Wood card?
It is card #139 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Boston Red Sox player.
Does the 1952 Topps Ken Wood 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 Ken Wood 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.