1956 Topps #242 Hersh Freeman
1956 Topps #242 Hersh Freeman
About Hersh Freeman
Hershell Baskin "Hersh" Freeman (July 1, 1928 - January 17, 2004) was a right-handed relief pitcher born in Gadsden, Alabama. He attended the University of Alabama on a baseball-football scholarship before signing with his hometown-area Birmingham Barons in 1948. Freeman reached the majors with the Boston Red Sox (1952-53, 1955) but couldn't stick, and was claimed on waivers by the Cincinnati Redlegs in 1955, where manager Birdie Tebbetts gave him the heavy bullpen workload he craved. It paid off spectacularly: in 1956 Freeman went 14-5 with a 3.40 ERA, saved 17 games (second in the NL), and appeared in 64 games while leading the majors in games finished (47), earning a 13th-place finish in NL MVP balloting. Over six big-league seasons with the Red Sox, Redlegs and Cubs (1958) he compiled a 30-16 record, 3.74 ERA and 37 saves in 204 games, nearly all in relief. He was later named to Alabama's All-Century Team. As a Series 3 card (#181-260), #242 carries only white back-stock, unaffected by the gray/white variation on the set's earlier low numbers.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 539 | 1 | 7 | 151 | 157 | 131 | 55 | 37 | 0 |
| SGC | 43 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 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 Hersh Freeman card?
It is card #242 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 Cincinnati Redlegs player.
Is the 1956 Topps Hersh Freeman 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.