1953 Topps #231 Solly Hemus
1953 Topps #231 Solly Hemus
About Solly Hemus
Solomon Joseph "Solly" Hemus (1923-2017), a scrappy, left-handed-hitting shortstop and second baseman from Phoenix, signed with the St. Louis Cardinals organization after Navy service in World War II and hit .363 at Class-C Pocatello in 1946 before reaching the majors in 1949. He spent 11 seasons (1949-1959) split between the Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies, batting .273 with 736 hits, 51 home runs, and 263 RBI over 961 games. A combative table-setter who crowded the plate, Hemus led the National League in being hit by pitches three times (1952, 1953, 1958) and scored 105 and 110 runs in his best seasons of 1952 and 1953; sportswriter Bob Broeg dubbed the pesky 5-foot-9 infielder "Mighty Mouse." After a flattering letter to owner Gussie Busch, Hemus returned to St. Louis as player-manager, running the Cardinals from 1959 to 1961 to a 190-192 record. His tenure is remembered largely for his documented mistreatment of young Black stars Bob Gibson and Curt Flood, a stain both recounted for decades afterward. He later coached for the Mets and Indians.
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.
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.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 490 | 0 | 1 | 50 | 96 | 126 | 104 | 110 | 3 |
| SGC | 67 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 15 | 25 | 3 |
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 Solly Hemus card?
It is card #231 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.
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.
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 Solly Hemus 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.