Hank Thompson - 1957 Topps #109
1957 Topps #109 Hank Thompson
About Hank Thompson
Hank Thompson joined the Kansas City Monarchs as a teenager in 1943, then served as an Army machine gunner through the Battle of the Bulge; Cuban winter-league fans later nicknamed the .300-hitting Havana star "Ametralladora" — Spanish for machine gun. A pioneer twice over, he integrated the St. Louis Browns on July 17, 1947, and on July 8, 1949, he and Monte Irvin became the New York Giants' first Black players — making Thompson the first Black man to play in both major leagues, and, facing Don Newcombe that night, the first Black batter to face a Black pitcher. The Giants' third baseman through 1956, he hit .302 with 24 homers in 1953, then a career-high 26 in 1954, batting .364 with a record seven walks in the World Series sweep of Cleveland. He finished with 129 AL/NL home runs; 1956 proved his final season, making this 1957 Topps card his last.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 646 | 0 | 39 | 233 | 198 | 100 | 38 | 38 | 0 |
| SGC | 50 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 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).
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1957 Topps Hank Thompson card?
It is card #109 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 Hank Thompson, New York Giants.
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.