1957 Topps #176A Gene Baker
The error back reads 'EUGENF W. BAKEP' — the entire name garbled on the printing plate. This is the ONLY error Topps corrected in 1957, so the error back carries the premium: PSA pop is only ~215, it tops out at PSA 8 (pop 9, none higher), and NM-MT examples bring ~$2,600 vs roughly $100 for the corrected back.
The #176 "Bakep" error: the back header reads "EUGENF W. BAKEP," the whole name garbled on the printing plate. It is the ONLY error Topps corrected in 1957, which is why the error back carries the premium — a PSA population near 215, topping out at PSA 8. See the corrected back: #176B.
About Gene Baker
Eugene Walter Baker (1925-1999), a Davenport, Iowa native, starred at shortstop for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League in 1948-49 before the Cubs signed him and sent him to the Pacific Coast League's Los Angeles Angels. Called up in September 1953, Baker was shifted to second base to accommodate rookie shortstop Ernie Banks, and together they formed the first African American keystone combination in major-league history. He hit .275 in 135 games in 1954 and earned a 1955 National League All-Star selection. Traded to Pittsburgh, he was a reserve infielder on the 1960 World Series champion Pirates, appearing as a pinch-hitter. A trailblazer beyond the field, Baker became the first Black manager in Organized Baseball (Batavia, 1961) and, on September 21, 1963, the first African American to manage a major-league game. This card carries the set's only Topps-corrected error: the plate garbled his name as 'EUGENF W. BAKEP,' making the error back far scarcer.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 203 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 23 | 40 | 31 | 99 | 1 |
| SGC | 55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 35 | 1 |
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 Gene Baker in this set: #176B
More Chicago Cubs cards:
- #16 Walt Moryn
- #42 Dee Fondy
- #55 Ernie Banks
- #74 Vito Valentinetti
- #84 Moe Drabowsky
- #134 Don Kaiser
- #137 Bob Rush
- #155 Jim Brosnan
- #159 Solly Drake
- #176B Gene Baker
- #183 Chicago Cubs
- #186 Jim King
- #218 Ray Jablonski
- #235 Tom Poholsky
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1957 Topps Gene Baker card?
It is card #176 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 Gene Baker, Chicago Cubs.
What is the 1957 Topps Gene Baker 'Bakep' error?
On the error back (#176A), the name header reads 'EUGENF W. BAKEP' - the whole name garbled on the plate. Topps corrected it (#176B), making #176 the only error Topps fixed in 1957. The error back is far scarcer and carries the premium.
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.