1952 Topps #86 Ted Gray
1952 Topps #86 Ted Gray
About Ted Gray
Signed by the Detroit Tigers in 1942 at age 17, Ted Gray was a hard-throwing left-handed pitcher who broke in with Winston-Salem of the Piedmont League (13-14, 2.04 ERA) before Navy service in World War II. He starred for the Great Lakes Naval Training Station under manager Mickey Cochrane alongside fellow Tigers Schoolboy Rowe and Dizzy Trout, then dominated in the Pacific's New Hebrides, reportedly winning 12 straight games. Gray reached the majors briefly in 1946 and pitched nine big-league seasons, spending most of his career with Detroit (1946, 1948-1954) before a final 1955 season split among the White Sox, Indians, Yankees and Orioles. Known for his forkball and power arm, he won 10 games with a career-best 3.51 ERA in 1949 and made the 1950 American League All-Star team, opening that year 10-0 by some accounts before the break. He drew a memorable footnote as the losing pitcher in the 1950 All-Star Game, the first to go extra innings, surrendering Red Schoendienst's decisive home run in the 14th inning. Plagued by chronic blisters, Gray finished 59-74 with a 4.37 ERA and 687 strikeouts over 222 games. This card sits in the second series of Topps' landmark 1952 debut set, printed years before the scarce high-number run (#311-407) that includes the hobby's famous Mickey Mantle.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 777 | 0 | 5 | 81 | 109 | 171 | 172 | 235 | 4 |
| SGC | 118 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 11 | 29 | 55 | 1 |
SGC by variation: Standard 117 · Red Back 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 Ted Gray card?
It is card #86 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Detroit Tigers player.
Is the 1952 Topps Ted Gray 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.