1953 Topps #251 Sid Hudson
1953 Topps #251 Sid Hudson
About Sid Hudson
Signed off the sandlots by manager Guy Lacy for the Class D Sanford Lookouts in 1938, Sid Hudson entered pro ball as a first baseman before converting to the mound, then dominated the 1939 Florida State League with a 24-4 record and 1.80 ERA. The lanky right-hander debuted with the Washington Senators in 1940, winning 17 games as a rookie, and earned American League All-Star selections in both 1941 and 1942. After three years in the Army Air Forces during World War II (1943-45), he battled a shoulder bone spur and reinvented himself with a sidearm delivery. On Babe Ruth Day, April 27, 1947, Hudson blanked the Yankees 1-0 at Yankee Stadium. Traded to the Boston Red Sox in June 1952, he pitched through 1954, finishing 104-152 with a 4.28 ERA and 734 strikeouts over 12 seasons. He later spent decades as a pitching coach for the expansion Senators/Texas Rangers, dying in 2008 at age 93. This high-number series-4 card carries no documented error.
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 | 407 | 0 | 4 | 33 | 64 | 95 | 70 | 139 | 2 |
| SGC | 68 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 14 | 44 | 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 Sid Hudson card?
It is card #251 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 Red Sox 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 Sid Hudson 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.