1957 Topps #118 Bob Porterfield
About Bob Porterfield
Born Erwin Coolidge Porterfield in Newport, Virginia — the nickname “Bob” came from his plumber father when he was six — Porterfield signed with the Yankees in 1946 and rocketed through their farm system, reeling off 36 straight scoreless innings at Triple-A Newark before his August 1948 debut. Injuries stalled him in New York, and the June 1951 trade that sent him to Washington — dismissed by one headline as “Three Losers” — became a steal: in 1953 he went 22-10, led the American League with nine shutouts and 24 complete games, and was named The Sporting News AL Pitcher of the Year, then made the 1954 All-Star team. Traded to Boston with Mickey Vernon in November 1955, he slumped to 3-12 in 1956, and this card catches him in 1957, a season spent mostly in the Red Sox bullpen battling arm trouble. He wound down with the Pirates and Cubs, finishing 87-97 with a 3.79 ERA — or, as Casey Stengel put it, “There was always something wrong.”
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 502 | 0 | 9 | 161 | 149 | 103 | 49 | 31 | 0 |
| SGC | 21 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 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 Porterfield card?
It is card #118 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 Porterfield, Boston Red Sox.
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.