1954 Topps #23 Luke Easter
About Luke Easter
Luscious "Luke" Easter, a towering 6-foot-4 left-handed slugger, was among the great power hitters barred from the majors during segregation. He entered pro ball with the semipro St. Louis Titanium Giants in 1937, then starred in the Negro Leagues with the Cincinnati Crescents (1946) and Homestead Grays (1947-1948), batting .363 in 1948, earning an East-West All-Star nod, and helping Washington's Grays to the Negro League World Series title. Bill James later rated him the second-best first baseman in Negro Leagues history, behind only Buck Leonard. Bill Veeck signed him for Cleveland in February 1949, and Easter debuted August 11, 1949 at roughly age 33. Over six big-league seasons (1949-1954) as a first baseman/outfielder, he hit .274 with 93 home runs and 340 RBI in 491 games, driving in 107 runs in 1950 and 103 in 1951. On June 23, 1950 he crushed a 477-foot blast, the longest home run ever hit at Cleveland Stadium. A minor-league legend thereafter (Buffalo, Rochester), he was elected to the International League Hall of Fame in 2008. Easter was shot and killed in a 1979 robbery while carrying union payroll cash.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
White Back / Gray Back Series 1 (cards 1-50)
Every card in the first series exists with the standard white/cream back (United States) and a scarcer gray back printed for the Canadian market. The grays were printed in Canada on a darker, gray cardstock and distributed in Canadian nickel packs; they exist for cards 1-50 only and carry a small-to-moderate premium. This is the genuine 'Canadian' issue from which the 1952 Topps gray-back 'Canadian' myth mistakenly borrowed its name.
- White Back: Standard United States issue. White/cream card stock - the common back for cards 1-50.
- Gray Back — scarcer: The Canadian printing. Printed in Canada on a visibly gray/darker cardstock and distributed in Canadian packs; exists for the first series (#1-50) only. Scarcer than the white back and carries a premium - modest on commons, meaningful on the stars (Williams, Robinson, Spahn, Snider, Ford, Berra, etc.). Tell: the back stock is uniformly gray - not to be confused with edge-toning on a white back.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 823 | 1 | 8 | 134 | 202 | 229 | 125 | 123 | 1 |
| SGC | 112 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 17 | 19 | 27 | 34 | 0 |
PSA by back: White Back 812 · Gray Back 11
SGC by back: White Back 110 · Gray Back 2
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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
More Cleveland Indians cards
- Al Rosen
- Jim Hegan
- Larry Doby
- Dave Hoskins
- Wally Westlake
- Jim Lemon
- Bob Kennedy
- Dave Philley
- Red Kress
- Bill Glynn
- Rocky Nelson
- Al Smith
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1954 Topps Luke Easter card?
It is card #23 of 250 in the 1954 Topps set, issued at the peak of the Topps-Bowman 'Card Wars'. It pictures the Cleveland Indians player.
Does the 1954 Topps Luke Easter have back variations?
Yes. Every card in the first series exists with the standard white/cream back (United States) and a scarcer gray back printed for the Canadian market. The grays were printed in Canada on a darker, gray cardstock and distributed in Canadian nickel packs; they exist for cards 1-50 only and carry a small-to-moderate premium. This is the genuine 'Canadian' issue from which the 1952 Topps gray-back 'Canadian' myth mistakenly borrowed its name.
Is the 1954 Topps Luke Easter 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.