1954 Topps #194 Bill Sarni
1954 Topps #194 Bill Sarni
About Bill Sarni
A Los Angeles native, William Florine "Bill" Sarni was a right-handed catcher whose pro career began remarkably early: he signed with the hometown Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League in 1943 at just 15 years old. He reached the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1951 and, after two seasons and a stint away, took over as St. Louis's regular catcher in 1954 when starter Del Rice was hurt in a home-plate collision. Sarni seized the job, batting .300 with 9 home runs and 70 RBI in 123 games while leading National League catchers with a .996 fielding percentage. His 1954 Topps card (#194) is his rookie card. He spent 1954-1956 with the Cardinals before a mid-1956 trade to the New York Giants. Over five big-league seasons (1951-52, 1954-56) he hit .263 with 311 hits, 22 home runs, and 151 RBI in 390 games. His career ended abruptly and tragically: a heart attack during 1957 spring training forced him to retire at age 29. He died in 1983 at age 55.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 586 | 1 | 14 | 155 | 173 | 119 | 71 | 53 | 0 |
| SGC | 56 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 16 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-26. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8); totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1954 Topps Bill Sarni card?
It is card #194 of 250 in the 1954 Topps set, issued at the peak of the Topps-Bowman 'Card Wars'. It pictures the St. Louis Cardinals player, and is his rookie card.
Is the 1954 Topps Bill Sarni 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 2026-07-01.