1954 Topps #214 Arnold Portocarrero
About Arnold Portocarrero
Arnold Mario "Arnie" Portocarrero (July 5, 1931 – June 21, 1986) was a right-handed pitcher born in New York City of Puerto Rican descent. A dominant schoolboy who went 29-0 at George Washington High School, he signed with the Philadelphia Athletics, then served two years in the Army during the Korean War before debuting in 1954 — the rookie season captured on this card. Standing 6-foot-3, he pitched for the Philadelphia/Kansas City Athletics (1954–1957) and the Baltimore Orioles (1958–1960). His first year with the last-place A's was rough — a 9-18 record with a 4.06 ERA while leading the AL in wild pitches — though he memorably out-dueled Bob Feller on June 14, 1954, retiring the last 19 batters in a hard-luck 2-1 loss. His finest campaign came after a 1958 trade to Baltimore, when he won 15 games (fifth-most in the American League) with a 3.25 ERA and three shutouts. Over seven seasons he went 38-57 with a 4.32 ERA and 338 strikeouts across 166 games. He was never an All-Star and carried no documented nickname; arm troubles shortened his career, and he died in 1986 at age 54.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 471 | 0 | 7 | 94 | 140 | 118 | 67 | 43 | 2 |
| SGC | 59 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 16 | 7 | 16 | 11 | 1 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-26. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1954 Topps Arnold Portocarrero card?
It is card #214 of 250 in the 1954 Topps set, issued at the peak of the Topps-Bowman 'Card Wars'. It pictures the Philadelphia Athletics player, and is his rookie card.
Is the 1954 Topps Arnold Portocarrero valuable?
Value depends on grade and (where it applies) the back variation. 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 2026-10-05.