1953 Topps #117 Sid Gordon
1953 Topps #117 Sid Gordon
About Sid Gordon
A Brooklyn-born, right-handed slugger, Sid Gordon (1917-1975) was signed off the New York sandlots by Giants scout George Mack as an undrafted amateur in January 1938 and worked his way up through the minors at Milford, Delaware, and Jersey City. He debuted with the New York Giants in 1941 and spent 13 major-league seasons split among the Giants (1941-43, 1946-49, 1955), the Boston/Milwaukee Braves (1950-53), and the Pittsburgh Pirates (1954-55), mostly in the outfield but also at third base. A two-time National League All-Star (1948 and 1949), he broke out in 1948 with a career-high 30 home runs and a fourth-place MVP finish. He hit four grand slams in 1950 to tie the then-record and once homered twice in a single inning. Over his career he batted .283 with 202 home runs and 805 RBIs, pairing power with rare discipline (731 walks against just 356 strikeouts). Known as the "Solid Man," a nickname popularized by Harold Ribalow's book The Jew in American Sports, Gordon was one of the era's most respected Jewish stars; he died of a heart attack in 1975 while playing softball in Central Park. This 1953 Topps card (#117), a series-2 double print, is known with the back biography printed in either black or white text, a minor cataloged variation rather than a headline error.
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.
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 | 517 | 0 | 6 | 66 | 118 | 144 | 100 | 83 | 0 |
| SGC | 73 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 11 | 15 | 31 | 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 Sid Gordon card?
It is card #117 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 Boston Braves 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 Sid Gordon 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.