1953 Topps #135 Al Rosen
1953 Topps #135 Al Rosen
About Al Rosen
Al Rosen signed his first pro contract at 17 with Thomasville, North Carolina in 1941, served as a Navy lieutenant in the Pacific during World War II, then tore through the minors—winning 1947 Texas League Player of the Year—before sticking with the Cleveland Indians, the only club he ever played for (1947-1956). A powerful right-handed third baseman, Rosen was a four-time All-Star (1952-1955) who twice led the AL in home runs (37 in 1950, 43 in 1953) and twice in RBI (105 in 1952, 145 in 1953). His 1953 season is legendary: he batted .336 with 43 homers and 145 RBI, was voted the AL's unanimous MVP—the first since Hank Greenberg in 1935—and missed the Triple Crown by a single point on the season's final day. Bill James later called it the greatest season ever by a third baseman. Rosen hit .285 with 192 home runs, 717 RBI and 1,063 hits over 1,044 games, and was a member of Cleveland's 1948 World Series champions and 1954 pennant winners. Nicknamed "Flip" as a teen and later the "Hebrew Hammer" after his idol Greenberg, he retired early at 32 due to chronic injuries. On this series-2 card the back biography exists in both black-text and white-text printings, a minor catalogued variation. (Not in Cooperstown, though later named an MLB Executive of the Year as a front-office chief.)
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Designations, variations & errors
White-text biography
A minor printing variation: on some copies the back biography is printed in white text, on others in black text. Catalogued by TCDB (and noted by price guides for the series-2 range) but considered a minor variation, not a headline.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 694 | 1 | 6 | 66 | 110 | 182 | 159 | 167 | 3 |
| SGC | 130 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 15 | 20 | 26 | 57 | 4 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-26. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8). PSA counts are straight-graded.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1953 Topps Al Rosen card?
It is card #135 of the 1953 Topps Baseball set - one of the most beautiful sets ever made, with hand-painted color portraits numbered to 280 (274 cards issued). It pictures the Cleveland Indians player.
Is the 1953 Topps Al Rosen valuable?
Value depends on grade and eye appeal. Use the links above to check current T206 Cards inventory and live eBay listings.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and Baseball-Almanac. Card data & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-01.