1952 Topps #299 Ray Murray
About Ray Murray
Raymond Lee "Deacon" Murray was a right-handed catcher from Spring Hope, North Carolina, whose colorful personality made him one of the era's most memorable backstops. He broke into pro ball in 1940 with the Class D Pocomoke City Chicks, then lost nearly four years to Army Air Force service in World War II before finally reaching the majors with the Cleveland Indians in 1948. Over parts of six big-league seasons he played for the Indians (1948, 1950-51), Philadelphia Athletics (1951-53) and Baltimore Orioles (1954), batting .252 with 184 hits, 8 home runs and 80 RBI across 250 games. A strong-armed defender, he ranked among the top American League catchers in throwing out base-stealers, and his best year came sharing the Athletics' catching job in 1953, when he set career highs with a .284 average, 84 games, 6 homers and 41 RBI. He earned the nickname "Deacon" as a minor leaguer for delivering theatrical mock "sermons" to his teammates, and was famous for his antics with umpires, once dropping to his knees at home plate to loudly pray over a ball-strike call. After baseball he served roughly 16 years as a deputy sheriff in Tarrant County, Texas. This is Murray's rookie card, issued as a short print in the fifth series of the landmark 1952 Topps set.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
Short Print
Cards 281-300 were single-printed relative to the rest of series 5 — EXCEPT #289 Holmes, #295 Cavarretta and #296 Rolfe. 17 SP cards in all.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 572 | 2 | 6 | 66 | 106 | 123 | 124 | 142 | 3 |
| SGC | 77 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 25 | 32 | 1 |
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 Ray Murray card?
It is card #299 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Philadelphia Athletics player, and is his rookie card.
Is the 1952 Topps Ray Murray 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.