1956 Topps #281 Art Houtteman
1956 Topps #281 Art Houtteman
About Art Houtteman
A Detroit sandlot product, right-hander Art Houtteman was signed by legendary Tigers scout Wish Egan in 1945 and debuted on April 29 of that year at age 17, briefly the youngest player in the American League. He spent 12 big-league seasons with the Detroit Tigers (1945-1953), Cleveland Indians (1953-1956), and Baltimore Orioles (1957). His peak came in 1950, when he went 19-12 with a 3.54 ERA over 274.2 innings, led the AL in shutouts, and earned his lone All-Star selection. Nicknamed "Hard Luck" Houtteman after losing his first eight decisions in 1948 with meager run support, he lived up to the name off the field too: he survived a fractured skull in a 1949 spring-training car crash and lost his infant daughter in a 1952 auto accident. Traded to Cleveland in June 1953, he went 15-7 with a 3.35 ERA as a starter for the pennant-winning 1954 Indians, appearing in relief in Game 3 of that year's World Series. He retired with an 87-91 record, a 4.14 ERA, 639 strikeouts, 14 shutouts, and 78 complete games. This card is part of the 1956 Topps high-number fourth series.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
High Number (Series 4)
Cards 261-340. Unlike most vintage sets, the 1956 high numbers carry NO series premium - they were distributed in similar quantities to the rest of the set.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 799 | 0 | 18 | 248 | 263 | 168 | 61 | 41 | 0 |
| SGC | 75 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 27 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 0 |
SGC by variation: Standard 74 · Gray Back 1
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 Houtteman card?
It is card #281 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 Cleveland Indians player.
Is the 1956 Topps Art Houtteman 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.