1955 Topps #140 Mel Parnell
1955 Topps #140 Mel Parnell
About Mel Parnell
Signed by the Red Sox out of a New Orleans high school after scouts Eddie Montague and Herb Pennock saw him strike out 17 in an early outing, Mel Parnell was a left-handed pitcher who spent his entire 10-year career (1947-1956) with Boston. A two-time All-Star (1949, 1951), he had his finest season in 1949, going 25-7 with a 2.77 ERA to lead the American League in wins and topping Babe Ruth's franchise mark for a Red Sox left-hander. He followed with a 21-8 campaign in 1953, when he shut out the rival Yankees four times. Parnell finished 123-75 with a 3.50 ERA, 732 strikeouts, and 113 complete games, and defied Fenway Park's reputation as unkind to southpaws by going 71-30 there. In his final season he threw a 4-0 no-hitter against the White Sox on July 14, 1956, Boston's first since 1923. Nicknamed "Dusty" by his high-school coach for his low, in-the-dirt pitches, he was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1997 and died in 2012.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 856 | 0 | 5 | 154 | 271 | 234 | 113 | 77 | 2 |
| SGC | 84 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 19 | 16 | 27 | 16 | 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 Mel Parnell card?
It is card #140 of 206 in the 1955 Topps set - Topps' first fully horizontal design. It pictures the Boston Red Sox player.
Is the 1955 Topps Mel Parnell 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.