1955 Topps #171 Dick Brodowski
1955 Topps #171 Dick Brodowski
About Dick Brodowski
A right-handed pitcher from Bayonne, New Jersey, Dick Brodowski was signed by Red Sox scout Bill McCarren in 1951 as a third baseman, then converted to the mound mid-season at Class-D Marion, where he won 21 games. He reached Boston in June 1952 at age 19, going 5-5 with a 4.41 ERA and famously beating the eventual AL-champion Yankees with a four-hit shutout that had Yogi Berra tabbing him a future star. Military service at Fort Dix, New Jersey cost him all of 1953 and 1954. Returning in 1955, he was dealt that November to Washington in a large multi-player trade (the package sending Mickey Vernon and Bob Porterfield to Boston), and later moved to Cleveland (1958-1959). Over six seasons (1952, 1955-1959) with the Red Sox, Senators, and Indians, Brodowski went 9-11 with a 4.76 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 72 games. This card is a Series 2 high number. He died in 2019 at age 86.
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 | 580 | 1 | 8 | 96 | 147 | 163 | 88 | 75 | 2 |
| SGC | 57 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 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 1955 Topps Dick Brodowski card?
It is card #171 of 206 in the 1955 Topps set - Topps' first fully horizontal design. It pictures the Boston Red Sox 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 Dick Brodowski 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.