1953 Topps #218 Les Fusselman
1953 Topps #218 Les Fusselman
About Les Fusselman
Lester Leroy "Les" Fusselman (March 7, 1921 – May 21, 1970) was a right-handed catcher who spent parts of two major-league seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. Born in Pryor, Oklahoma and raised in Illinois, he graduated from Payson-Seymour High School and attended Western Illinois University before entering the Cardinals farm system in 1942; his climb was interrupted by three years in the U.S. Army during World War II. A durable minor leaguer who batted .274 with 717 hits across 823 games in the bushes, the 6-foot-1 backstop finally reached the majors, debuting on April 16, 1952. He appeared in 43 big-league games (32 in 1952, 11 in 1953) as a reserve catcher behind the Cardinals' regulars, hitting .169 with one home run and 3 RBI. His signature big-league moment came on May 9, 1952, when he went 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored against Cincinnati's Ken Raffensberger. This 1953 Topps card (#218, black nameplate for the National League) captures him near the end of a short major-league run. He died in Cleveland in 1970 at age 49.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 372 | 0 | 6 | 34 | 67 | 93 | 77 | 94 | 1 |
| SGC | 56 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 25 | 1 |
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 Les Fusselman card?
It is card #218 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 St. Louis Cardinals player.
Is the 1953 Topps Les Fusselman 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.