1956 Topps #217 Billy Klaus
1956 Topps #217 Billy Klaus
About Billy Klaus
Billy Klaus was a left-handed-hitting infielder from Spring Grove, Illinois, whose road to the majors was a long one. Originally signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1946 as a 17-year-old — a deal voided because he was still in high school — he landed in the Chicago Cubs organization in 1947 and served a nine-year minor-league apprenticeship. He debuted with the Boston Braves in 1952 and, after passing through Milwaukee and the New York Giants, broke through with the Boston Red Sox. Installed as the club's regular shortstop in June 1955, the 26-year-old rookie hit safely in a torrent of games and batted a career-best .283 with 7 home runs and 60 RBI, finishing second in American League Rookie of the Year voting behind Herb Score and taking the inaugural Harry Agganis Memorial Award as Red Sox rookie of the year. Boston writers dubbed him the "sparkplug" of that spirited pennant push, and Ted Williams called him "one of the greatest little competitors I ever played with." Over 11 seasons with five teams (Braves, Giants, Red Sox, Orioles, Senators and Phillies), Klaus batted .249 with 626 hits, 40 home runs and 250 RBI across 821 games. This is his card in the 1956 Topps set, issued after his standout Red Sox rookie campaign.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 609 | 1 | 20 | 151 | 204 | 131 | 59 | 43 | 0 |
| SGC | 45 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 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 Billy Klaus card?
It is card #217 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 Boston Red Sox player.
Is the 1956 Topps Billy Klaus 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.