1956 Topps #174 Glen Gorbous
1956 Topps #174 Glen Gorbous
About Glen Gorbous
Glen Edward Gorbous (July 8, 1930 – June 12, 1990) was a Canadian outfielder from Drumheller, Alberta who batted left and threw right. He reached the majors in 1955, debuting April 11 with the Cincinnati Redlegs before a trade sent him to the Philadelphia Phillies, the club pictured on this 1956 Topps rookie card. Overmatched at the plate, Gorbous hit .238 with 4 home runs and 29 RBI across 117 big-league games spanning 1955 to May 1957, when the Phillies traded him to the Double-A Omaha Cardinals of the American Association. There, on August 1, 1957 — after his brief MLB career had effectively ended — he authored his lasting claim to fame: with a running start, he hurled a baseball 445 feet, 10 inches, from one outfield corner to the other, breaking Don Grate's mark by nine inches. Recognized by Guinness as the longest throw of a baseball, the record still stands, a fitting legacy for a man whose rifle arm outlasted his hitting. As a 1956 Topps second-series card, #174 exists with both the scarcer white and more common gray back stock.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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 | 796 | 3 | 19 | 208 | 237 | 168 | 96 | 65 | 0 |
| SGC | 57 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 14 | 6 | 13 | 13 | 1 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 729 · White Back 67
SGC by variation: Gray Back 52 · White Back 5
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 Glen Gorbous card?
It is card #174 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 Philadelphia Phillies player, and is his first Topps card (rookie).
Does the 1956 Topps Glen Gorbous 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 Glen Gorbous 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.