1953 Topps #81 Joe Black
1953 Topps #81 Joe Black
About Joe Black
A powerful 6-foot-2 right-hander out of Plainfield, New Jersey, Joe Black (1924-2002) pitched for the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro Leagues from 1943-1950 — a three-time Negro-league All-Star — while earning a Morgan State psychology degree, before Brooklyn purchased his contract in 1951. Called up in 1952 at age 28, the reliever authored one of the great rookie seasons, going 15-4 with 15 saves and a National League-best 2.15 ERA to win the 1952 NL Rookie of the Year Award. That October he made history as the first Black pitcher to win a World Series game, out-dueling the Yankees' Allie Reynolds 4-2 on a six-hitter in Game 1; manager Chuck Dressen started him three times in the seven-game Series. Arm trouble cut his run short: over six MLB seasons (Dodgers 1952-55, Cincinnati Redlegs 1955-56, Washington Senators 1957) he finished 30-12 with a 3.91 ERA. His #81 card exists in a minor variation, with the back biography printed in either black or white text. After baseball he became a Greyhound executive and civil-rights advocate.
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 | 654 | 0 | 5 | 41 | 112 | 159 | 148 | 187 | 2 |
| SGC | 160 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 22 | 105 | 8 |
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 Joe Black card?
It is card #81 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 Brooklyn Dodgers player.
Is the 1953 Topps Joe Black 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.