1957 Topps #261 Bob Chakales
About Bob Chakales
Bob Chakales — "The Golden Greek," a nod to the heritage he embraced with the quip "First there was Hercules, then there was Socrates, but along came Chakales, the Greatest Greek of all!" — signed with the Phillies out of Richmond's Benedictine High School in 1945, a 17-year-old bonus baby whose package reportedly reached $11,500. Drafted by Cleveland, the right-hander debuted in 1951 and pitched seven seasons for the Indians, Orioles, White Sox, Senators, and Red Sox, going 15–25 with a 4.54 ERA and ten saves in 171 games. Cleveland sent him to Baltimore straight up for Vic Wertz in June 1954 — regarded as that year's blockbuster trade. He appeared in a club-high 43 games for Washington in 1956, and on Opening Day 1957, after President Eisenhower threw out the first pitch, he worked seven innings and tripled home two runs. Dealt to Boston that April 29, he left this Senators card as a farewell; he later built some 200 golf courses, including the original TPC Sawgrass.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 510 | 0 | 17 | 160 | 169 | 97 | 47 | 20 | 0 |
| SGC | 35 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-07-05. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1957 Topps Bob Chakales card?
It is card #261 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 Bob Chakales, Washington Senators.
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 2026-10-13.