1957 Topps #43 Connie Johnson
About Connie Johnson
Clifford 'Connie' Johnson Jr. — nicknamed for his habit of singing Connie Boswell's 'Basin Street Blues' until teammates hung the name on him — entered pro ball at 17 in 1940, recruited by Olympic hero Jesse Owens for the Toledo Crawfords. Starring for the Kansas City Monarchs alongside Satchel Paige, he led the Negro American League in strikeouts in 1942, pitched in that year's East-West All-Star Game, and earned a second All-Star nod in 1950 after Army service. In 1953 he became the White Sox's first Black pitcher, and a May 1956 trade alongside George Kell sent him to Baltimore. This card catches him at his peak: in 1957 Johnson went 14-11 with a 3.20 ERA and 177 strikeouts — third in the AL — fanning 14 on September 2, the league's top single-game total that year. He finished 40-39 (3.44 ERA). Buck O'Neil insisted he 'was a great pitcher in the Negro Leagues... Could have won 20 games in the big leagues.'
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 716 | 0 | 36 | 267 | 233 | 97 | 48 | 35 | 0 |
| SGC | 34 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 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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Related cards
More Baltimore Orioles cards:
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- #26 Bob Boyd
- #59 Dick Williams
- #106 Ray Moore
- #116 Mike Fornieles
- #146 Don Ferrarese
- #151 Willie Miranda
- #156 Gus Triandos
- #184 Tito Francona
- #194 Hal Brown
- #230 George Kell
- #236 Joe Ginsberg
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1957 Topps Connie Johnson card?
It is card #43 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 Connie Johnson, Baltimore Orioles.
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.