1954 Topps #243 Ray Blades
About Ray Blades
Francis Raymond "Ray" Blades appears in the 1954 Topps set as a Chicago Cubs coach, the role he held from 1953 to 1956, during which he helped scout a young Ernie Banks. Signed by Branch Rickey in 1919 off a Mount Vernon, Illinois semipro club, Blades reached the majors after minor-league stops at Memphis and Houston, debuting with the St. Louis Cardinals on August 19, 1922. A left fielder regarded as one of the National League's best defensive outfielders, he spent his entire 10-year playing career (1922-1932) with St. Louis, batting .301 with 50 home runs and 340 RBI; his finest season came in 1925, when he hit .342 with a .423 on-base percentage. A torn knee ligament suffered chasing a fly ball in August 1926 robbed him of his speed and shortened his prime. He was part of three pennant winners and a member of the 1931 World Series champion Cardinals. Blades later managed St. Louis (1939-1940), guiding the club to 92 wins and a second-place finish in 1939 with his aggressive use of relief pitching. He died in 1979.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 428 | 0 | 9 | 91 | 100 | 104 | 59 | 65 | 0 |
| SGC | 45 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 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 Ray Blades card?
It is card #243 of 250 in the 1954 Topps set, issued at the peak of the Topps-Bowman 'Card Wars'. It pictures the Chicago Cubs coach.
Is the 1954 Topps Ray Blades 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.