1956 Topps #132 Bobby Avila
1956 Topps #132 Bobby Avila
About Bobby Avila
A soccer standout in his native Veracruz before turning to baseball, Roberto "Beto" Ávila starred in the Mexican League with Puebla, where he hit .346 to lead the circuit in 1947, prompting Cleveland Indians scout Cy Slapnicka to sign him for a $17,500 bonus. Ávila debuted for Cleveland on April 30, 1949, and manned second base for the Indians through 1958 before brief 1959 stops with Baltimore, Boston, and Milwaukee. His signature 1954 season made him the first Mexican-born player to win an American League batting title, hitting .341 with career highs of 15 home runs and 112 runs; his average sat at .392 when a broken thumb slowed him in June. That year the 111-win Indians took the pennant but were swept by the Giants, and Ávila managed just 2 hits in 15 at-bats in the Series. An All-Star in 1952 and 1954, he retired with a .281 average, 1,296 hits, 80 homers, and 467 RBI over 11 seasons. Known as "Beto" at home, he later served as Mexican League president, mayor of Veracruz, and in Mexico's Congress, and was inducted into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971 and the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010. This second-series card (#132) exists with both the scarcer white and more common gray back-stock.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
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 | 888 | 0 | 12 | 218 | 250 | 204 | 90 | 114 | 0 |
| SGC | 61 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 15 | 5 | 9 | 19 | 1 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 809 · White Back 79
SGC by variation: Gray Back 50 · White Back 11
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 Bobby Avila card?
It is card #132 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.
Does the 1956 Topps Bobby Avila 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 Bobby Avila 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.