1955 Topps #21 Alex Grammas
1955 Topps #21 Alex Grammas
About Alex Grammas
A slick-fielding shortstop of Greek heritage, Alexander Peter Grammas was born April 3, 1926, in Birmingham, Alabama, and signed with the Chicago White Sox in 1949 after serving in World War II and earning a business degree at Mississippi State. He reached the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1954 and played ten National League seasons (1954-1963) for the Cardinals, Cincinnati Redlegs, and Chicago Cubs, serving as St. Louis's starting shortstop in 1954, 1955, and 1959. Never a big hitter, he batted .247 with 512 hits, 12 home runs, and 163 RBI over 913 games, but his glove defined him: he led NL shortstops in fielding average in 1955, the year of this card. Nicknamed "Greek" by Sparky Anderson and others for his ancestry, Grammas found greater fame after his playing days, spending 25 seasons as a respected big-league third-base coach, chiefly under Anderson with Cincinnati's Big Red Machine and the Detroit Tigers, and earning three World Series rings tied to the 1975 Reds and 1984 Tigers champions. He also managed the Pirates (1969, interim) and Brewers (1976-77). This card is a known uncorrected error, listing his birth year as 1928 rather than 1926.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Card-back note
Uncorrected error on the back: Birth year should be 1926 (shown 1928).
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 658 | 0 | 4 | 118 | 217 | 150 | 98 | 69 | 2 |
| SGC | 56 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 10 | 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 1955 Topps Alex Grammas card?
It is card #21 of 206 in the 1955 Topps set - Topps' first fully horizontal design. It pictures the St. Louis Cardinals player.
Is the 1955 Topps Alex Grammas valuable?
Value depends on grade. 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.