1956 Topps #7 Ron Negray
1956 Topps #7 Ron Negray
About Ron Negray
Ronald Alvin Negray (February 26, 1930 - November 8, 2018) was a right-handed pitcher born in Akron, Ohio, whom Brooklyn Dodgers scout Phil "Lefty" Weinert signed in 1948 out of Garfield High School for a reported $5,000 bonus. He dominated the low minors first, going 21-6 with a 2.17 ERA for Valdosta in the Class D Georgia-Florida League in 1949 and later winning 17 games for the St. Paul Saints in 1954 en route to more than 110 minor-league victories across a 15-year pro career. Negray debuted with Brooklyn on September 14, 1952, then was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in June 1955, the team he appears with on this 1956 Topps card, his rookie card. Over four big-league seasons (1952, 1955-56, 1958) with the Dodgers and Phillies he went 6-6 with a 4.04 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 66 games, 15 of them starts. His most historic outing came April 15, 1958, when he pitched in relief in the first regular-season game in Los Angeles Dodgers history, an 8-0 loss to the Giants at Seals Stadium. As a rookie in 1952 he was famously gifted Jackie Robinson's own World Series watch. Like other Series 1 cards, #7 exists with both white and gray back stock, the gray back being the scarcer variety.
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 | 825 | 2 | 21 | 230 | 225 | 194 | 85 | 68 | 0 |
| SGC | 65 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 21 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 1 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 197 · White Back 628
SGC by variation: Gray Back 33 · Gray Back (Overprint - Ashburn) 1 · White Back 31
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 Ron Negray card?
It is card #7 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 Ron Negray 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 Ron Negray 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.