1955 Topps #8 Hal Smith
1955 Topps #8 Hal Smith
About Hal Smith
Harold Wayne "Hal" Smith, a right-handed catcher born December 7, 1930, in West Frankfort, Illinois, signed with the New York Yankees out of high school in 1949 and spent years climbing the minors, capping his ascent by winning the Triple-A International League batting crown at Columbus in 1954 (.350). He never played for the Yankees: after that season he was swept up in the massive 17-player Yankees-Orioles trade and became Baltimore's regular catcher, appearing in 135 games as a 1955 rookie (this card is his rookie card, and its back famously prints his minor-league record). Over a 10-year career (1955-1964) with the Orioles, Kansas City Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Colt .45s, and Cincinnati Reds, he batted .267 with 715 hits, 58 home runs, and 323 RBI in 879 games. His signature moment came in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, when his three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth gave the champion Pirates a 9-7 lead, moments before Bill Mazeroski's walk-off. Smith died January 9, 2020.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Card-back note
Uncorrected error on the back: Back record should be his minor-league line.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 534 | 0 | 2 | 56 | 141 | 148 | 91 | 95 | 1 |
| SGC | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 22 | 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 Hal Smith card?
It is card #8 of 206 in the 1955 Topps set - Topps' first fully horizontal design. It pictures the Baltimore Orioles player, and is his rookie card.
Is the 1955 Topps Hal Smith 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.