1954 Topps #172 Hal Brown
About Hal Brown
Hector Harold "Skinny" Brown was a right-handed knuckleball pitcher renowned for pinpoint control. A World War II bomber gunner, he signed with the Boston Red Sox in 1946 for a $1,750 bonus arranged by coach Bunn Hearn, converting from shortstop to the mound in the minors, where he once won 15 straight decisions at Class C Durham. Brown reached the majors in 1951 and pitched 14 seasons (through 1964) for the Chicago White Sox, Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, and Houston Colt .45s, working as both starter and reliever. He went 85-92 with a 3.81 ERA and 710 strikeouts over 358 games. His best year came in 1960, when he went 12-5 with a career-low 3.06 ERA and led the AL in WHIP for a contending Baltimore club; on June 1 that season he one-hit the Yankees, retiring 16 straight after a Mantle homer. The "Skinny" nickname was ironic self-mockery, hung on him as a fat baby, one of eight children in a North Carolina mill town. He spent eight seasons with the Orioles and was elected to the club's Hall of Fame in 1991. This 1954 Topps card (#172) captures him during his mid-1950s Red Sox tenure, just before the long Baltimore run that defined his career.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 429 | 1 | 8 | 81 | 115 | 105 | 58 | 61 | 0 |
| SGC | 46 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 12 | 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 Hal Brown card?
It is card #172 of 250 in the 1954 Topps set, issued at the peak of the Topps-Bowman 'Card Wars'. It pictures the Boston Red Sox player.
Is the 1954 Topps Hal Brown 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.