1955 Topps #197 Al Smith
1955 Topps #197 Al Smith
About Al Smith
Alphonse "Fuzzy" Smith (1928-2002) broke in with the Negro American League's Cleveland Buckeyes in 1946 before the Cleveland Indians signed him in 1948, where he became the first Black player in the Eastern League. A right-handed outfielder and third baseman, he reached the majors in 1953 and played 12 seasons for Cleveland (1953-57, 1964), the Chicago White Sox (1958-62), Baltimore (1963) and Boston (1964). His finest year was 1955, the season of this card: he hit .306 with 22 homers, led the AL with 123 runs, made the All-Star team and finished third in MVP voting, ahead of Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle. Smith hit a leadoff home run in Game 2 of the 1954 World Series, but is best remembered for Game 2 of the 1959 Series, when a fan's spilled beer doused him as he tracked a home run at Comiskey Park. He retired a .272 hitter with 1,458 hits, 164 home runs and 676 RBI. Nicknamed "Fuzzy" for sprouting a beard young, he was later named one of the 100 Greatest Indians. As a Series 2 high number, his card is scarcer than the set's low numbers.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
High Number (#161-210)
Series 2 (#161-210) shipped in the fall against the new football-card season, so retailers cut their orders and far fewer were printed. As a result the set's biggest high-number names - Roberto Clemente (RC), Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, Gil Hodges and Duke Snider - are tougher than low-number stars such as Williams, Robinson and Aaron.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 631 | 0 | 2 | 80 | 167 | 191 | 104 | 86 | 1 |
| SGC | 57 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 23 | 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 1955 Topps Al Smith card?
It is card #197 of 206 in the 1955 Topps set - Topps' first fully horizontal design. It pictures the Cleveland Indians player.
Why is this card scarce?
It is in the 1955 Topps high-number series (#161-210), which shipped in the fall against the new football cards, so far fewer were printed - the scarcest run in the set.
Is the 1955 Topps Al Smith valuable?
Value depends on grade and its scarce high-number status. 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.