1955 Topps #156 Joe Black
1955 Topps #156 Joe Black
About Joe Black
A right-handed pitcher out of Plainfield, New Jersey, Joe Black starred in football, basketball and track at Morgan State College, which had no baseball team, and pitched summers for the Baltimore Elite Giants in the Negro Leagues from 1943 to 1950. Brooklyn purchased his contract, and in 1952 the 28-year-old rookie was a sensation, going 15-4 with 15 saves and a 2.15 ERA out of the bullpen. He was named National League Rookie of the Year and, pressed into starting duty in the World Series against the Yankees, threw a six-hit complete game to beat Allie Reynolds 4-2 in Game 1, becoming the first Black pitcher to win a World Series game before dropping Games 4 and 7. When manager Chuck Dressen had him add new pitches the next spring, Black lost his command and never regained his form. He pitched six big-league seasons for the Dodgers, Cincinnati Redlegs and Washington Senators, finishing 30-12 with a 3.91 ERA and 222 strikeouts. A roommate of Jackie Robinson, he later became a Greyhound executive and civil-rights advocate; the Arizona Fall League MVP award bears his name. This card #156 is a scarcer semi-high number in Series 1.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
Semi-high (#151-160)
Cards #151-160 sit just under the high numbers and run a notch scarcer than the rest of the low series, though they are not as hard to find as #161-210.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 932 | 0 | 5 | 113 | 180 | 272 | 153 | 208 | 1 |
| SGC | 166 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 22 | 22 | 50 | 65 | 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 Joe Black card?
It is card #156 of 206 in the 1955 Topps set - Topps' first fully horizontal design. It pictures the Brooklyn Dodgers player.
Is this card harder to find?
Cards #151-160 sit just below the high-number series and run a notch scarcer than the rest of the low numbers.
Is the 1955 Topps Joe Black 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.