1956 Topps #326 Connie Johnson
1956 Topps #326 Connie Johnson
About Connie Johnson
Clifford "Connie" Johnson (1922-2004) was a lanky right-handed pitcher whose baseball life spanned the Negro Leagues and the integrated majors. Recruited in 1940 off his father's Stone Mountain, Georgia granite quarry by scouts tied to the Toledo Crawfords, he was soon pitching for the storied Kansas City Monarchs alongside Satchel Paige, appearing in the East-West All-Star Game as a teenager in 1940 and again in 1950. After Army service in World War II (1943-1946), he returned to dominate for the Monarchs, leading the Negro American League in strikeouts and earning acclaim as one of its finest arms. Purchased by the Chicago White Sox, he debuted on April 17, 1953, becoming the franchise's first Black pitcher, and pitched in the majors across five seasons with the White Sox and Baltimore Orioles. His best year came in 1957 with Baltimore, going 14-11 with a 3.20 ERA and three shutouts. The nickname "Connie" traced to his love of the song "Basin Street Blues" sung by Connee Boswell. This high-number card (#326) is Johnson's Topps rookie.
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 | 531 | 1 | 8 | 129 | 179 | 126 | 43 | 45 | 0 |
| SGC | 43 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 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 Connie Johnson card?
It is card #326 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 White Sox player, and is his first Topps card (rookie).
Is the 1956 Topps Connie Johnson 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.