1956 Topps #261 Bobby Shantz
1956 Topps #261 Bobby Shantz
About Bobby Shantz
Robert Clayton "Bobby" Shantz, born September 26, 1925, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, was a left-handed pitcher whom scouts nearly passed over for his size—he stood just 5-foot-6½—before the Philadelphia Athletics signed him, and he debuted in the majors on May 1, 1949. In his breakout 1952 season he went 24-7 and was named American League Most Valuable Player with 83 percent of the vote; in that summer's All-Star Game he struck out Whitey Lockman, Jackie Robinson, and Stan Musial in succession. Serious arm injuries derailed him from 1953 to 1956, and he was pitching for the relocated Kansas City Athletics—the club shown on this Series 4 high-number card—when he was traded to the New York Yankees before the 1957 season. Reborn as a reliever and spot starter in New York, he helped the Yankees win the 1958 World Series. A superb fielder nicknamed the "Mighty Mite," Shantz won the first Gold Glove Award ever given to a pitcher in 1957 and took the honor eight straight years through 1964. Over 16 seasons he went 119-99 with a 3.38 ERA, 1,072 strikeouts, and three All-Star selections.
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 | 603 | 0 | 11 | 149 | 172 | 143 | 73 | 53 | 2 |
| SGC | 53 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 14 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
More Kansas City Athletics cards
- Elmer Valo
- Hector Lopez
- Jim Finigan
- Gus Zernial
- Arnie Portocarrero
- Vic Power
- Bill Renna
- Joe Astroth
- Enos Slaughter
- Spook Jacobs
- Joe DeMaestri
- Alex Kellner
- Kansas City Athletics Team
- Harry Simpson
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1956 Topps Bobby Shantz card?
It is card #261 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 Kansas City Athletics player.
Is the 1956 Topps Bobby Shantz 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.