1953 Topps #52 Ted Gray
1953 Topps #52 Ted Gray
About Ted Gray
A hometown product, Detroit-born Ted Gray starred at Highland Park High School and signed with the Tigers in 1942 at age 17, debuting that summer with Winston-Salem of the Piedmont League. He enlisted in the Navy at 18, pitching at Great Lakes Naval Training Station under Mickey Cochrane before serving in the Pacific. A hard-throwing left-hander with a sharp forkball, Gray reached the majors on May 15, 1946, and spent nine seasons in the big leagues, almost all with Detroit (1946, 1948-1954) before brief 1955 stops with the White Sox, Indians, Yankees, and Orioles. His signature moment came in the 1950 All-Star Game: called on in extra innings, he surrendered a 14th-inning home run to Red Schoendienst and took the loss. Gray ranked among the American League's strikeout leaders for five straight years (1950-1954), though chronic finger blisters plagued his career. He finished 59-74 with a 4.37 ERA and 687 strikeouts over 222 games, and died in 2011 at age 86.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 592 | 2 | 15 | 89 | 131 | 167 | 107 | 79 | 2 |
| SGC | 72 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 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 Ted Gray card?
It is card #52 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 Detroit Tigers 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 Ted Gray 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.