Billy Goodman - 1957 Topps #303
1957 Topps #303 Billy Goodman
Scarce fourth series: #265-352 is the tough run of the 1957 set — roughly twice as hard to find as the other series ("tough, not rare"). No documented reason survives; the best-researched account is that Topps printed the hastily assembled final series in quantity and left Series 4 with the shortest run.
About Billy Goodman
Billy Goodman signed with the minor-league Atlanta Crackers out of Concord, North Carolina, as a teenager and reached Boston in 1947, spending a decade with the Red Sox before finishing with the Orioles, White Sox, and Houston Colt .45s through 1962. The ultimate utility man — he played every position except pitcher and catcher — Goodman won the 1950 AL batting title at .354 without holding a regular job, the only player ever to do so, qualifying largely by covering left field after Ted Williams broke his elbow; he finished second to Phil Rizzuto in MVP voting. A two-time All-Star (1949, 1953), he started at second base in the 1953 All-Star Game, hit .300 lifetime with 1,691 hits, and platooned at third for the pennant-winning 1959 "Go-Go" White Sox, batting 3-for-13 in the World Series. Boston dealt him to Baltimore for Mike Fornieles during the 1957 season, making this scarce fourth-series card his Topps farewell in a Red Sox uniform; the Red Sox Hall of Fame inducted him in 2004.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 454 | 0 | 1 | 60 | 152 | 137 | 70 | 34 | 0 |
| SGC | 25 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 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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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1957 Topps Billy Goodman card?
It is card #303 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 Billy Goodman, Boston Red Sox.
Is the 1957 Topps #303 hard to find?
It is part of the scarce fourth series (#265-352), the toughest run of the set - roughly twice as hard to find as the other series. It is tough, not rare; there is no documented distribution reason, only that Series 4 had the shortest print run.
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.