1954 Topps #240 Sam Mele
1954 Topps #240 Sam Mele
About Sam Mele
Sabath Anthony "Sam" Mele — his shortened given name, surname pronounced "MEE-lee" — starred in baseball and basketball at New York University before the Boston Red Sox signed him in 1946, with negotiations helped by his uncle Al Cuccinello (he and uncle Tony were both big-league infielders). The right-handed outfielder debuted on Opening Day 1947, going 2-for-2 and hitting .302 with 12 homers and 73 RBI as a rookie. Over a 10-year career (1947–1956) he played right field for six clubs — the Red Sox, Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles (the 1954 club shown on this card), Cincinnati Redlegs, and Cleveland Indians — leading the American League with 36 doubles for Washington in 1951, when he drove in a career-high 94 runs. He batted .267 with 916 hits, 80 home runs, and 544 RBI across 1,046 games. Mele later managed the Minnesota Twins to the 1965 AL pennant (102 wins) and a seven-game World Series, earning Manager of the Year honors. He was born January 21, 1922, in Astoria, New York, and died May 1, 2017, in Quincy, Massachusetts, at 95.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 417 | 2 | 5 | 80 | 110 | 115 | 49 | 56 | 0 |
| SGC | 49 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 16 | 7 | 1 |
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 Sam Mele card?
It is card #240 of 250 in the 1954 Topps set, issued at the peak of the Topps-Bowman 'Card Wars'. It pictures the Baltimore Orioles player.
Is the 1954 Topps Sam Mele 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.