Art Houtteman - 1957 Topps #385
1957 Topps #385 Art Houtteman
About Art Houtteman
Arthur Joseph Houtteman was a right-handed pitcher signed by Detroit scout Wish Egan out of Catholic Central High School at age 17. He debuted with the Detroit Tigers in 1945 and spent his early career battling misfortune that earned him the nickname "Hard Luck" Houtteman, coined in 1948 after he lost his first eight decisions with almost no run support. In March 1949 his convertible collided with a fruit truck during spring training in Lakeland, Florida, fracturing his skull; he recovered to win 15 games and was named the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association's "Most Courageous Athlete." His finest season came in 1950, when he went 19-12 with a 3.53 ERA and earned his lone All-Star selection at Comiskey Park. Tragedy struck again in 1952 when his infant daughter Sheryl was killed in a car accident. Traded to Cleveland in a June 1953 eight-player deal, he went 15-7 for the 1954 Indians club that won an AL-record 111 games and reached the World Series. He finished 87-91 with a 4.14 ERA. He is not in the Hall of Fame.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 536 | 0 | 10 | 210 | 179 | 80 | 38 | 19 | 0 |
| SGC | 36 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-07-05. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8). PSA counts are straight-graded (the +/Q qualifier rows are excluded).
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1957 Topps Art Houtteman card?
It is card #385 of the 1957 Topps Baseball set - the 407-card, 2-1/2 by 3-1/2 inch set that was Topps' first at the modern standard card size, with full-color photography and complete career stats on the back. It pictures Art Houtteman, Cleveland Indians.
How many cards are in the 1957 Topps set?
407 numbered cards. Collectors usually count 408 because #176 Gene Baker exists in an error ('Bakep') and a corrected back. The PSA master set adds the 8 checklists, 4 contest cards and the Lucky Penny for 421 items.
Sources: PSA CardFacts, Beckett, BaseballCardPedia, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and hobby press-sheet research (Net54 / Topps Archives). Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-05.