1956 Topps #1 Will Harridge
1956 Topps #1 Will Harridge
American League president Will Harridge - one of two league-president cards, a Topps first, and his first card.
About Will Harridge
Will Harridge (1881-1971) is one of two league-president cards that open the 1956 Topps set, a Topps first and his first-ever card, printed with the series-one white/gray back-stock variation. A Chicago native who never played a professional baseball game, Harridge came up through the Wabash Railroad, where he arranged travel and bookings for American League teams and umpires. That work so impressed AL founder Ban Johnson that Johnson hired him as his personal secretary in December 1911. Harridge served Johnson through the Federal League war, World War I, and the gambling scandals of the era, becoming secretary of the American League and later of Major League Baseball. Named interim AL president in 1931 after Ernest Barnard's death, he held the office for roughly 27 years, until 1959. His signature achievement came in 1933, when he backed Chicago Tribune editor Arch Ward's idea and lobbied owners to stage the first All-Star Game at Comiskey Park, a "one-time" event that became a fixture. He also famously voided the contract of 3-foot-7 Eddie Gaedel after Bill Veeck's 1951 stunt, declaring Veeck was making a mockery of the game. Harridge was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1972.
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 | 1,555 | 0 | 5 | 150 | 216 | 351 | 303 | 528 | 2 |
| SGC | 313 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 32 | 43 | 69 | 151 | 7 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 443 · White Back 1,112
SGC by variation: Gray Back 156 · White Back 157
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 Will Harridge card?
It is card #1 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 league president.
Does the 1956 Topps Will Harridge 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 Will Harridge 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.