1954-55 Topps #20 Bill Gadsby
About Bill Gadsby
Card #20 catches Bill Gadsby in his final days as a Black Hawk — Chicago dealt the defenceman to the Rangers just 18 games into 1954-55, making this Topps issue a farewell portrait. It's no rookie card; the Calgary native had patrolled NHL blue lines since 1946, arriving from Edmonton junior hockey at nineteen and twice wearing Chicago's captaincy. Gadsby survived the 1939 torpedoing of the liner Athenia as a boy and beat polio in 1952 without interrupting his career — toughness that carried him through 20 NHL seasons and 1,248 games with Chicago, New York, and Detroit. A seven-time All-Star (three First Team), he set a defenceman's record with 46 assists in 1958-59 and retired as the position's all-time scoring leader with 568 points, yet never raised the Stanley Cup — Detroit's seven-game 1964 final loss to Toronto was the closest call. The Hall of Fame called in 1970.
Sources: Wikipedia · Hockey-Reference · Hockey Hall of Fame
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 260 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 84 | 72 | 36 | 27 | 1 |
| SGC | 65 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 2 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-08-20. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8). PSA counts are straight-graded.
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Related cards
More Chicago Black Hawks cards:
- #1 Dick Gamble
- #12 Bucky Hollingworth
- #13 Ray Timgren
- #17 Gus Mortson
- #21 Jerry Toppazzini
- #24 Metro Prystai
- #26 Al Rollins
- #28 Lou Jankowski
- #30 Frank Martin
- #33 Pete Conacher
- #40 Larry Wilson
- #42 Red Sullivan
- #43 Jack McIntyre
- #54 Bill Mosienko
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1954-55 Topps Bill Gadsby card?
It is card #20 of the 1954-55 Topps Hockey set - Topps's first hockey issue, 60 cards at the larger 2-5/8 by 3-3/4 inch pre-1957 size. It pictures Bill Gadsby with the Chicago Black Hawks.
Is Bill Gadsby in the Hockey Hall of Fame?
Yes - Bill Gadsby was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1970. Sixteen of the set's 60 cards picture Hall of Famers.
How many cards are in the 1954-55 Topps Hockey set?
60 cards - 15 each for the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers, interleaved through the numbering. Topps's first hockey set covered the four US-based NHL clubs; Parkhurst continued to cover all six teams. Topps's next hockey set came in 1957-58.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Cardboard Connection, hockeydb, the Hockey Hall of Fame roll call, Hockey-Reference, and the 1951-55 Parkhurst checklists, PSA & SGC population reports. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-08-23.
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