Bill Sarni - 1957 Topps #86
1957 Topps #86 Bill Sarni
About Bill Sarni
Bill Sarni was a genuine prodigy: the Pacific Coast League's Los Angeles Angels put him behind the plate in 1943, when he was just 15 years old. He reached the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1951 and broke through in 1954, batting .300 with nine home runs and 70 RBI while leading National League catchers with a .996 fielding percentage. On June 14, 1956, St. Louis sent Sarni, Red Schoendienst, Jackie Brandt, and Dick Littlefield to the New York Giants in an eight-player blockbuster that returned Alvin Dark and Whitey Lockman. This card proved to be his last: during spring training in 1957, the 29-year-old suffered a heart attack that ended his career at 390 games, a .263 average, and 22 home runs. After briefly coaching in the minors, he left baseball to sell stocks and bonds, and died in 1983 at age 55.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 600 | 0 | 17 | 184 | 214 | 103 | 49 | 33 | 0 |
| SGC | 32 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 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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Related cards
More New York Giants cards:
- #10 Willie Mays
- #39 Al Worthington
- #49 Daryl Spencer
- #58 Ruben Gomez
- #61 Dusty Rhodes
- #105 Johnny Antonelli
- #109 Hank Thompson
- #123 Steve Ridzik
- #148 Don Mueller
- #154 Red Schoendienst
- #191 Joe Margoneri
- #197 Hank Sauer
- #216 Marv Grissom
- #232 Whitey Lockman
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1957 Topps Bill Sarni card?
It is card #86 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 Bill Sarni, New York Giants.
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 2026-07-10.