1954 Topps #176 Bob Keely
About Bob Keely
Robert William Keely (August 22, 1909, St. Louis, MO - May 20, 2001, Sarasota, FL) is a rare 1954 Topps subject who was, in truth, a coach rather than a player. A strong-armed sandlot and semipro catcher in the St. Louis-Belleville area (long a mainstay of the Belleville Stags), Keely was signed by the Cardinals in 1936; injuries limited him to a single 1937 minor-league season with the Class-D Union City Greyhounds. During World War II he served as the Cardinals' bullpen catcher and appeared in just two big-league games (1944 and 1945), going 0-for-1 at the plate, yet he collected a full World Series share on the 1944 champions "by catching thousands of deliveries in the bullpen." His real career was coaching: he was the Boston/Milwaukee Braves' bullpen coach from 1946 through 1957, tutoring the pitching staff on the 1948 NL pennant winner and the 1957 World Series champions, and Johnny Sain publicly credited him with instilling confidence. He liked to note he began and ended with title teams and "never played on a losing team." A period quirk this card preserves: Keely shaved seven years off his age, so his 1954 Topps card lists a 1916 birth year rather than his actual 1909. He later scouted for the Cardinals.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 486 | 1 | 13 | 95 | 140 | 127 | 58 | 52 | 0 |
| SGC | 39 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 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 Bob Keely card?
It is card #176 of 250 in the 1954 Topps set, issued at the peak of the Topps-Bowman 'Card Wars'. It pictures the Milwaukee Braves coach.
Is the 1954 Topps Bob Keely 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.