1956 Topps #28 Bobby Hofman
1956 Topps #28 Bobby Hofman
About Bobby Hofman
Robert George "Fat Boy" Hofman (1925-1994) was a St. Louis-born, right-handed utility infielder and catcher who spent his entire seven-year major-league career with the New York Giants (1949; 1952-1957). Signed by the Giants in 1944 on the recommendation of scout Gordon Maguire, he interrupted his climb to serve two years in the Army, including combat in Europe, then worked up through the minors at Springfield, Trenton, Sioux City, Minneapolis and Oakland before sticking with New York in 1952. Managers Leo Durocher and Bill Rigney used him as a versatile bench man, and over his career he logged games at second base (86), first base (49), third base (45) and catcher (26). Hofman hit .248 with 32 home runs and 101 RBI over 341 games, but his real specialty was pinch-hitting: he led the National League with three pinch-hit home runs in both 1953 and 1954 and tied a major-league record with nine career pinch-hit homers. He was on the roster of the Giants' 1954 World Series championship team, though Durocher leaned on Dusty Rhodes off the bench during the four-game sweep of Cleveland. A childhood American Legion teammate of Yogi Berra in St. Louis, Hofman later managed in the minors and coached for over a decade in the American League, serving on Alvin Dark's staff for Oakland's 1974 World Series champions. His card is one of the Series 1 issues (#1-180) that exists with both the common white and scarcer gray card-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 | 897 | 1 | 27 | 268 | 254 | 192 | 84 | 71 | 0 |
| SGC | 70 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 24 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 1 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 268 · White Back 629
SGC by variation: Gray Back 32 · Gray Back (Overprint - Torgeson) 1 · White Back 37
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 Hofman card?
It is card #28 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 New York Giants player.
Does the 1956 Topps Bobby Hofman 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 Hofman 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.