1957 Topps #253 Gus Zernial
About Gus Zernial
Gus Zernial signed into pro ball with the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 1941, then spent World War II as a Navy radio operator before reaching the majors with the Chicago White Sox in 1949. Broadcaster Fred Haney nicknamed the slugging Hollywood Stars outfielder "Ozark Ike" in 1948, after the blond comic-strip sports hero, and it stuck. Dealt to the Philadelphia Athletics in an April 1951 three-team trade that sent Minnie Miñoso to Chicago, Zernial led the American League in both home runs (33) and RBIs that year — the only player to win those crowns after being traded — and tied an AL record with six homers in three straight games. He started in left field for the 1953 AL All-Stars, slugged 42 home runs that season, and posed with Marilyn Monroe in 1951, prompting Joe DiMaggio to ask how to meet her. This card captures his last Kansas City campaign, a 27-homer 1957 that ranked fifth in the league; he finished with Detroit in 1959, holding 237 career home runs.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 627 | 2 | 45 | 249 | 191 | 86 | 34 | 20 | 0 |
| SGC | 41 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 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 Gus Zernial card?
It is card #253 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 Gus Zernial, Kansas City Athletics.
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.