1956 Topps #96 Bill Tremel
1956 Topps #96 Bill Tremel
About Bill Tremel
Right-hander William Leonard "Mumbles" Tremel (July 4, 1929 – December 22, 2013) reached the majors after the Chicago Cubs purchased his contract from the unaffiliated Shreveport Sports, where he had worked his way up through the minor leagues. He debuted for the Cubs on June 12, 1954, and pitched parts of three big-league seasons (1954–1956), all in Chicago. His first major-league win came in relief in 1954 when he threw seven scoreless innings against the Milwaukee Braves. Tremel's best year was 1955, when he was recalled from the minors in July and posted a 3–0 record with a 3.72 ERA and two saves in 23 games. Over 57 career appearances covering 91 innings, the reliever went 4–2 with a 4.05 ERA, six saves, and 34 strikeouts. After leaving the game in 1959, he spent 31 years with the SKF corporation in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and was later inducted into the Cambria County Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. As a first-series card, his 1956 Topps issue (#96) is found with both the common white and the scarcer gray back stock.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Variations & how to tell them apart
White Back / Gray Back Series 1 & 2 (cards 1-180)
Every card #1-180 exists with the reverse printed on white/cream card stock OR on gray card stock. Cards #181-340 are gray-back only. The scarcity FLIPS at #100: on cards 1-100 the gray back is slightly scarcer (a modest premium); on cards 101-180 the gray backs are far more common (about 12-15 to 1), so the WHITE back is the scarce, premium variation - often +50% or more, and disproportionately so in high grade, since the white-stock cards tend to be more brittle.
- White Back: Printed on white/cream card stock. The standard/common look on cards 1-100; the SCARCE, premium variation on cards 101-180.
- Gray Back: Printed on gray card stock. The scarcer variation on cards 1-100 (modest premium); the common look on cards 101-180; the ONLY back on cards 181-340.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 766 | 1 | 24 | 213 | 245 | 159 | 64 | 59 | 1 |
| SGC | 52 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 15 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 0 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 215 · White Back 551
SGC by variation: Gray Back 28 · White Back 24
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 Bill Tremel card?
It is card #96 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 Chicago Cubs player.
Does the 1956 Topps Bill Tremel have back variations?
Yes. Every card #1-180 exists with the reverse printed on white/cream card stock OR on gray card stock. Cards #181-340 are gray-back only. The scarcity FLIPS at #100: on cards 1-100 the gray back is slightly scarcer (a modest premium); on cards 101-180 the gray backs are far more common (about 12-15 to 1), so the WHITE back is the scarce, premium variation - often +50% or more, and disproportionately so in high grade, since the white-stock cards tend to be more brittle.
Is the 1956 Topps Bill Tremel 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.