1954 Topps #131 Reno Bertoia
About Reno Bertoia
Born in San Vito al Tagliamento, Italy, in 1935 and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Reno Bertoia signed with the Detroit Tigers as a "bonus baby" in August 1953, a contract that forced the 18-year-old infielder straight onto the major-league roster. He made his debut that September, striking out against 47-year-old Satchel Paige in his only at-bat. A right-handed third and second baseman, Bertoia played ten seasons (1953-1962) for the Tigers, the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins, and the Kansas City Athletics, batting .244 with 425 hits, 27 home runs, and 171 RBI over 612 games. His most dramatic stretch came in 1957, when he opened hitting near .400 and led early All-Star balloting before fading to .275; his best full year was 1960 in Washington (.265, 121 games). A roommate and close friend of Hall of Famer Al Kaline, Bertoia had the longest career of any Italian-born big-leaguer and, on May 7, 1958, off Camilo Pascual, became the first Italian-born player to hit a grand slam. This is his rookie card. He later taught school in Windsor for 30 years and was elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 606 | 2 | 22 | 152 | 170 | 133 | 71 | 56 | 0 |
| SGC | 68 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 1 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-26. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1954 Topps Reno Bertoia card?
It is card #131 of 250 in the 1954 Topps set, issued at the peak of the Topps-Bowman 'Card Wars'. It pictures the Detroit Tigers player, and is his rookie card.
Is the 1954 Topps Reno Bertoia 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 2026-10-05.