1954 Topps #203 Harry Brecheen
1954 Topps #203 Harry Brecheen
About Harry Brecheen
Harry "The Cat" Brecheen was a crafty left-handed screwball pitcher who reached the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1940 and established himself from 1943, pitching 12 big-league seasons. Cardinals writer Roy Stockton dubbed him "The Cat" for his quick, feline reflexes fielding bunts and swinging comebackers off the mound. A two-time All-Star (1947, 1948), Brecheen enjoyed his finest year in 1948, going 20-7 and leading the National League in ERA (2.24), strikeouts (149), and shutouts (7). His signature moment came in the 1946 World Series, when he became the first left-hander to win three games in a single Series, winning Games 2 and 6 and coming out of the bullpen to nail down Game 7 as the Cardinals beat Boston. He finished 133-92 with a 2.92 ERA and 901 strikeouts, pitching for the Cardinals (1940, 1943-52) and the St. Louis Browns (1953). This 1954 Topps card pictures him as a coach: after moving with the franchise to Baltimore, Brecheen served as the Orioles' pitching coach for roughly 14 seasons (1954-1967), mentoring a young Jim Palmer. He died January 17, 2004.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 538 | 0 | 9 | 102 | 165 | 129 | 75 | 58 | 0 |
| SGC | 63 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 21 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 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 Harry Brecheen card?
It is card #203 of 250 in the 1954 Topps set, issued at the peak of the Topps-Bowman 'Card Wars'. It pictures the Baltimore Orioles coach.
Is the 1954 Topps Harry Brecheen 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.