1953 Topps #87 Ed Lopat
1953 Topps #87 Ed Lopat
About Ed Lopat
Born Edmund Walter Lopatynski and shortened to Lopat for the box scores, this crafty left-hander signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization out of a 1936 tryout and spent seven seasons in the minors before reaching the majors with the Chicago White Sox in 1944. Traded to the New York Yankees in 1948, he joined fireballers Vic Raschi and Allie Reynolds to form the celebrated "Big Three" that anchored New York's five straight World Series championships from 1949 through 1953. A soft-tossing "junk man," Lopat baffled hitters with an assortment of slow, slower, and slowest off-speed pitches thrown from the same motion—broadcaster Mel Allen dubbed him "Steady Eddie," and Ted Williams reportedly ranked him among the toughest pitchers he ever faced. His finest year came in 1953, when at age 35 he went 16-4 and led the American League in both ERA (2.42) and winning percentage. An All-Star in 1951, Lopat posted a 4-1 record and 2.60 ERA across seven World Series starts and finished a 12-year career (White Sox, Yankees, and briefly the 1955 Orioles) at 166-112 with a 3.21 ERA. He later managed the Kansas City Athletics and coached before his death in 1992. On this #87 card, the back biography appears in either black or white text—a minor series-2 printing variation catalogued by collectors.
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 | 644 | 0 | 8 | 46 | 116 | 181 | 139 | 154 | 0 |
| SGC | 115 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 33 | 52 | 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 Ed Lopat card?
It is card #87 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 New York Yankees player.
Is the 1953 Topps Ed Lopat 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.