1956 Topps #258 Art Ditmar
1956 Topps #258 Art Ditmar
About Art Ditmar
Arthur John Ditmar, a right-handed pitcher born April 3, 1929 in Winthrop, Massachusetts, signed with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1947 for a $1,000 bonus after graduating high school. He reached the majors in 1954 and pitched nine big-league seasons, moving with the franchise from Philadelphia to Kansas City (1954-56), then to the New York Yankees (1957-61), and back to Kansas City (1961-62). A workhorse starter, he finished 72-77 with a 3.98 ERA over 1,268 innings. In 1956 -- the year of this card -- Ditmar led the American League with 22 losses for a weak Athletics club. That February he was dealt to the Yankees with Bobby Shantz, and in New York he found his best form, winning 15 games in 1960 to lead the pennant-winning staff. He was a member of the Yankees' 1958 World Series championship team. He is perhaps best remembered for the 1960 World Series, when manager Casey Stengel controversially chose him over Whitey Ford to start Game 1 against Pittsburgh; Ditmar retired only one batter in the Yankees' 6-4 loss and struggled again in Game 5. He last pitched in the majors in 1962 and died June 11, 2021, at age 92.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 581 | 0 | 6 | 147 | 183 | 125 | 73 | 47 | 0 |
| SGC | 47 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-30. 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 1956 Topps Art Ditmar card?
It is card #258 of 340 in the 1956 Topps set - Topps' first set after buying out rival Bowman, and one of the most attractive issues in the hobby. It pictures the Kansas City Athletics player.
Is the 1956 Topps Art Ditmar valuable?
Value depends on grade and (where it applies) the back or front variation. Use the links above to check current T206 Cards inventory and live eBay listings.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, BaseballCardPedia, PSA & SGC population reports, and Baseball-Almanac. Card data, images & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-01.