1954 Topps #171 Leo Kiely
About Leo Kiely
A left-handed relief specialist born in Hoboken, New Jersey, Leo Patrick Kiely was signed by Red Sox scout Bill McCarren in 1948 and worked his way up through Boston's farm system (Wellsville, Scranton, Birmingham, Louisville). He debuted with the Red Sox on June 27, 1951, and pitched parts of seven big-league seasons for Boston (1951, 1954-56, 1958-59) and the Kansas City Athletics (1960), finishing 26-27 with a 3.37 ERA, 29 saves, and 212 strikeouts over 209 games. Korean War Army duty interrupted his career, and while stationed in Japan in 1953 he pitched for the Mainichi Orions, going 6-0 with a 1.80 ERA and becoming the first major leaguer to play in Japanese professional baseball. His finest year came in the minors: for the 1957 San Francisco Seals he went 21-6 with a 2.22 ERA and won 20 games in relief, earning PCL All-Star honors. His best big-league season was 1958, when he led the Red Sox with 12 saves. Known as a control artist with a sinking fastball, and nicknamed "Blackie," Kiely died of cancer in 1984 at age 54.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 371 | 1 | 4 | 87 | 96 | 77 | 48 | 58 | 0 |
| SGC | 47 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 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 Leo Kiely card?
It is card #171 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 Leo Kiely 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.