1952 Topps #258 Steve Gromek
1952 Topps #258 Steve Gromek
About Steve Gromek
Stephen Joseph Gromek, born January 15, 1920, in Hamtramck, Michigan, to Polish immigrant parents, signed with the Cleveland Indians in 1941 as an infielder but switched to the mound after a shoulder problem hampered his hitting. The right-hander debuted that same year and pitched 17 major-league seasons (1941-1957) for the Indians (1941-1953) and Detroit Tigers (1953-1957), finishing 123-108 with a 3.41 ERA and 904 strikeouts in 447 games. His breakout came in 1945, when he went 19-9 with a 2.55 ERA. Gromek was a member of Cleveland's 1948 World Series champions and won the pivotal Game 4, throwing shutout ball into the seventh before holding on for a 2-1 victory decided by Larry Doby's home run. He is best remembered for the celebratory clubhouse photograph taken afterward, in which he embraced Doby, the American League's first Black player, an image widely regarded as an enduring symbol of baseball's integration. He later won 18 games for the Tigers in 1954. This card is a fifth-series number from the 1952 Topps set, Topps' landmark first flagship issue whose scarce high-number series (#311-407, headlined by the famous #311 Mickey Mantle) makes those later cards far tougher to find today.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 544 | 1 | 8 | 50 | 81 | 150 | 109 | 142 | 3 |
| SGC | 78 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 20 | 38 | 0 |
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 Steve Gromek card?
It is card #258 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Cleveland Indians player.
Is the 1952 Topps Steve Gromek 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.