1956 Topps #276 George Zuverink
1956 Topps #276 George Zuverink
About George Zuverink
George Zuverink was a right-handed relief pitcher whose card sits in the scarcer high-number fourth series of the 1956 Topps set. Discovered while playing service ball in the Philippines during World War II, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 1946 and later climbed through Cleveland's farm system, going 20-14 for the San Diego Padres in 1950. A sidearming sinkerballer, he reached the majors with the Cleveland Indians in 1951 and pitched parts of eight seasons (1951-52, 1954-59) for the Indians, Cincinnati Redlegs, Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles. He found his niche in the Baltimore bullpen: in 1956 he led the American League with 62 appearances and 16 saves, and he topped the AL in appearances again in 1957. Known as the Orioles' "Fireman," he also formed the first battery in big-league history with two "Z" surnames when he paired with catcher Frank Zupo in 1957. For his career he went 32-36 with a 3.54 ERA, 40 saves and 223 strikeouts over 265 games. After baseball he sold life insurance in Arizona and was inducted into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame in 2009; he died in 2014 at age 90.
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 | 522 | 0 | 12 | 139 | 169 | 107 | 39 | 56 | 0 |
| SGC | 34 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 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 George Zuverink card?
It is card #276 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 Baltimore Orioles player.
Is the 1956 Topps George Zuverink 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.