1957 Topps #368 Bob Purkey
About Bob Purkey
Robert Thomas Purkey (July 14, 1929 - March 16, 2008), a right-handed pitcher born in Pittsburgh, signed out of the sandlots in 1948 and debuted in the low minors with Greenville, where he went 19-8 and threw a no-hitter. He reached the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1954 and pitched through 1966, also playing for the Cincinnati Redlegs/Reds (1958-1964) and St. Louis Cardinals (1965) before a final Pirates season. Branch Rickey taught him the knuckleball in 1955, and control-first pitching made him an All-Star and a Cincinnati mainstay. He started Game 3 of the 1961 World Series against the Yankees, losing 3-2 when Roger Maris homered in the ninth. His peak came in 1962: a 23-5 record with a 2.81 ERA and a league-best .821 winning percentage. He finished 129-115 with a 3.79 ERA and was elected to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1974. This 1957 Topps card captures his final Pirates season before his December 1957 trade to Cincinnati.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 590 | 0 | 12 | 160 | 222 | 121 | 46 | 29 | 0 |
| SGC | 50 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 19 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
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).
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Related cards
More Pittsburgh Pirates cards:
- #3 Dale Long
- #12 Dick Groat
- #24 Bill Mazeroski
- #52 Lee Walls
- #76 Roberto Clemente
- #104 Hank Foiles
- #110 Bill Virdon
- #140 Frank Thomas
- #150 Bob Friend
- #161 Pittsburgh Pirates
- #166 Roy Face
- #199 Vern Law
- #209 Bob Skinner
- #234 Dick Cole
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1957 Topps Bob Purkey card?
It is card #368 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 Purkey, Pittsburgh Pirates.
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.