1954 Topps #82 Milt Bolling
About Milt Bolling
Milton Joseph Bolling was a slick-fielding right-handed shortstop signed out of Mobile, Alabama, by Boston Red Sox scout George Digby as a 17-year-old in 1948, turning down scholarship offers from Yale and Alabama. After climbing through the Red Sox farm system (Roanoke, Scranton, Birmingham), he debuted with Boston in September 1952 and won the starting shortstop job as a 1953 rookie, batting a career-high .263. Over seven big-league seasons (1952-1958) with the Red Sox, Washington Senators (1957), and Detroit Tigers (1958), he hit .241 with 19 home runs and 94 RBI in 400 games. His trajectory was derailed in spring training 1955 when he suffered a serious elbow injury that limited him to six games and cost him his job. With the 1958 Tigers he reunited with younger brother Frank Bolling to form one of only a handful of brother keystone combinations in major-league history (their uncle Jack Bolling also reached the majors). After retiring, Bolling spent decades as a respected Red Sox scout, credited with signing Tony Conigliaro and George Scott. He was inducted into the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame and died in 2013 at age 82. This is not his rookie card; his 1953 issues predate it.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 517 | 0 | 16 | 110 | 120 | 127 | 86 | 58 | 0 |
| SGC | 59 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 14 | 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 Milt Bolling card?
It is card #82 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 Milt Bolling 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.