1953 Topps #7 Bob Borkowski
1953 Topps #7 Bob Borkowski
About Bob Borkowski
A Dayton, Ohio native who enlisted in the Navy on his 18th birthday, Bob Borkowski was discovered playing service ball in Hawaii and signed with the Cubs in 1946 as a pitcher, going 18-9 while hitting .384 in the Class-D Appalachian League before converting to the outfield full time. He tore up the minors, leading the Double-A Southern Association with a .376 average for Nashville in 1949, and reached the majors with the Chicago Cubs in 1950. The right-handed outfielder played six big-league seasons (1950-1955) for the Cubs, Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs, and Brooklyn Dodgers, batting .251 with 294 hits, 16 home runs, and 112 RBI in 470 games; his best year came in 1953, when he hit .269 with seven homers for Cincinnati. Nicknamed "Bush" — a shortening of Borkowski adopted by Dayton neighbors who couldn't pronounce the Polish surname — he was traded to Brooklyn midway through 1955 to fill in for an injured Duke Snider, but hit .105 in nine games and was optioned to the minors before the Dodgers' World Series championship run.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Designations, variations & errors
Double Print
Marked DP. Roughly 50% more of these cards were printed than their neighbors (the hobby calls it 'double-printed'), so they are the most plentiful cards in the set. TCDB flags 103 of them, concentrated in the low series. Five cards normally in the low run - #94, #107, #131, #145 and #156 - were also printed on the more-plentiful #166-220 sheet. A print-quantity designation, not an error or a separate card.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 580 | 0 | 9 | 95 | 137 | 146 | 113 | 79 | 1 |
| SGC | 73 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 14 | 9 | 13 | 25 | 2 |
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 Bob Borkowski card?
It is card #7 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 Cincinnati Reds player.
What does 'double print' mean for this card?
Roughly 50% more of these cards were printed than their neighbors, so double prints (DP) are the most plentiful cards in the set. It is a print-quantity note, not an error or a separate card.
Is the 1953 Topps Bob Borkowski 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.