1953 Topps #227 Morris Martin
1953 Topps #227 Morris Martin
About Morris Martin
A left-handed pitcher born September 3, 1922, in Dixon, Missouri, Morris Webster "Lefty" Martin signed with the Chicago White Sox organization in 1941 after former big-league catcher Wally Schang spotted him with a Missouri town team. His path to the majors was interrupted by World War II: as a combat engineer with the First Army's 49th Engineer Combat Battalion, he took part in Operation Torch in North Africa, the D-Day landings at Normandy, and the Battle of the Bulge, was wounded twice — nearly losing a leg to a 1945 wound near Bonn, Germany, saved only by penicillin — and earned two Purple Hearts, four battle stars, and an Oak Leaf Cluster. Martin finally debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949, then pitched over ten seasons (1949–1959) for the Dodgers, Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago Cubs. His best year came with the A's in 1951, going 11–4 with a 3.78 ERA and throwing the only shutout of his career, a July 19 win over Detroit. He finished 38–34 with a 4.29 ERA, 15 saves, and 245 strikeouts in 250 games, and died in 2010.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Designations, variations & errors
High Number
Series 4 (#221-280). Printed in shorter supply and distributed late in the season, when retailers cut orders for the football months. The scarcest run in the set - holding #244 Willie Mays and the #258 Gilliam and #263 Podres rookies - and routinely 3-4x the price of low-number commons.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 572 | 0 | 5 | 70 | 104 | 147 | 128 | 118 | 0 |
| SGC | 84 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 21 | 14 | 19 | 20 | 0 |
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 Morris Martin card?
It is card #227 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 Philadelphia Athletics player.
Why is this card scarce?
It is in the 1953 Topps high-number series (#221-280), released late in the season in shorter supply - the scarcest run in the set, routinely 3-4 times the price of low-number commons.
Is the 1953 Topps Morris Martin 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.