1955 Topps #185 Don Ferrarese
1955 Topps #185 Don Ferrarese
About Don Ferrarese
A small (5-foot-9) left-handed pitcher out of Oakland, California, Don Ferrarese signed in 1948 and began his professional career with the Class-C Stockton Ports before serving in the U.S. Army in 1951-52. He reached the majors with the Baltimore Orioles in 1955 and pitched eight big-league seasons (1955-1962) as both a starter and reliever for the Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, and St. Louis Cardinals. His finest stretch came in May 1956: on May 5 he struck out 13 Cleveland batters in a hard-luck complete-game 2-1 loss, and on May 12 he carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the New York Yankees before Andy Carey broke it up with a chopper high off the plate, settling for a two-hit shutout. Ferrarese finished 19-36 with a 4.00 ERA and 350 strikeouts over 183 appearances. This 1955 Topps card is his rookie card, and as a high number (#185) it is scarcer than the set's lower-numbered cards. After baseball he ran a family liquor store and delicatessen in Apple Valley, California, and later founded a scholarship foundation; he died in 2024 at age 95.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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 | 615 | 0 | 14 | 126 | 153 | 166 | 91 | 65 | 0 |
| SGC | 54 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
More Baltimore Orioles cards
- Hal Smith
- Fred Marsh
- Bob Kennedy
- Billy O'Dell
- Gus Triandos
- Chuck Diering
- Harry Brecheen
- Willie Miranda
- Joe Coleman
- Don Johnson
- Duane Pillette
- Gene Woodling
- Ray Moore
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1955 Topps Don Ferrarese card?
It is card #185 of 206 in the 1955 Topps set - Topps' first fully horizontal design. It pictures the Baltimore Orioles player, and is his rookie card.
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 Don Ferrarese 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.