1954-55 Topps #17 Gus Mortson
About Gus Mortson
By the time Topps slotted Gus Mortson in at card #17 — no rookie card, this one — the rugged defenceman was wearing the "C" in Chicago, where the Black Hawks named him captain in 1954. Raised in Kirkland Lake gold-mining country, Mortson starred for Toronto's St. Michael's Majors, turned pro with Tulsa in 1945-46, then cracked the Maple Leafs' blue line in 1946-47. Paired with Jim Thomson as the "Gold Dust Twins," he helped Toronto to four Stanley Cups (1947, 1948, 1949, 1951), made the NHL First All-Star Team in 1950, and skated in eight All-Star Games — squaring off with Gordie Howe in 1948 in what remains the only fight in All-Star Game history. Nicknamed "Old Hardrock" for his punishing bodychecks and Northern Ontario mining roots, he led the league in penalty minutes four times, piling up nearly 1,400 across 797 games with Toronto, Chicago (1952-58), and Detroit (1958-59) — one of the meanest, most effective blueliners of his era.
Sources: Wikipedia · Hockey-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 281 | 0 | 6 | 71 | 87 | 64 | 26 | 27 | 0 |
| SGC | 55 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 9 | 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
- #20 Bill Gadsby
- #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 Gus Mortson card?
It is card #17 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 Gus Mortson with the Chicago Black Hawks.
Is the 1954-55 Topps Gus Mortson #17 a rookie card?
No. Parkhurst had been making hockey cards since 1951-52, and Gus Mortson has an earlier Parkhurst card, so this one is not his rookie card.
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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