1952 Topps #378 Les Fusselman
1952 Topps #378 Les Fusselman
About Les Fusselman
Lester Leroy Fusselman (March 7, 1921 - May 21, 1970) was a right-handed catcher who signed into the St. Louis Cardinals farm system in 1942, then had his career interrupted by three years in the U.S. Army during World War II. Born in Pryor, Oklahoma, he graduated from Payson-Seymour High School in Illinois and attended Western Illinois University before spending years climbing through upper-level Redbird affiliates, including the Columbus Cardinals, Houston Buffaloes, and Rochester Red Wings, where he batted .274 with 717 hits across his minor-league career. Fusselman finally reached the majors at age 31, debuting on April 16, 1952, and serving as the backup to workhorse catcher Del Rice, who started 137 of the Cardinals' 154 games that year. He appeared in just 43 big-league games over the 1952 and 1953 seasons, hitting .169 with 1 home run and 3 RBI; his lone highlight came on May 9, 1952, when he went 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored against Cincinnati. He played his final MLB game on June 12, 1953, and died in Cleveland in 1970 at age 49. His card is part of the scarce high-number series (#311-407) of the landmark 1952 Topps set - the same run that contains the famous Mickey Mantle #311 - printed in far smaller quantities and heavily discarded, which makes even common-player cards like this rookie issue genuinely rare and desirable today.
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 | 445 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 48 | 89 | 67 | 206 | 5 |
| SGC | 81 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 47 | 9 |
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 Les Fusselman card?
It is card #378 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the St. Louis Cardinals 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 Les Fusselman 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.