1956 Topps #165 Red Schoendienst
1956 Topps #165 Red Schoendienst
About Red Schoendienst
Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1942 after a hometown tryout in Germantown, Illinois, Albert "Red" Schoendienst — nicknamed for his red hair — debuted in 1945 and became one of the game's finest switch-hitting second basemen over a 19-season career (1945-1963) with the Cardinals, New York Giants, and Milwaukee Braves. A 10-time All-Star, he retired with a .289 average, 2,449 hits, 84 home runs, and 773 RBI across 2,216 games, peaking in 1953 with career highs of a .342 average, 107 runs, and 15 homers. He famously won the 1950 All-Star Game with a 14th-inning home run and was a slick fielder who set a single-season fielding-percentage record for a second baseman. Schoendienst won the 1946 World Series with St. Louis and the 1957 title with the Braves, then managed the Cardinals to the 1967 championship. On June 14, 1956 — the year of this card, which still pictures him as a Cardinal — he was traded to the Giants in an eight-player deal. He was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1989. As a mid-run card (#100-180), #165 exists with both the scarcer white and common gray backs.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
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 | 1,601 | 1 | 19 | 236 | 370 | 373 | 266 | 336 | 0 |
| SGC | 336 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 42 | 67 | 70 | 149 | 0 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 1,458 · White Back 143
SGC by variation: Gray Back 306 · White Back 30
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 St. Louis Cardinals cards
- Ken Boyer
- Nelson Burbrink
- Alex Grammas
- Wally Moon
- Luis Arroyo
- Harvey Haddix
- Larry Jackson
- St. Louis Cardinals Team
- Joe Frazier
- Bill Virdon
- Vinegar Bend Mizell
- Tom Poholsky
- Rip Repulski
- Bill Sarni
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1956 Topps Red Schoendienst card?
It is card #165 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 St. Louis Cardinals player.
Does the 1956 Topps Red Schoendienst 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 Red Schoendienst 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.