1957 Topps #289 Jim Bolger
Scarce fourth series: #265-352 is the tough run of the 1957 set — roughly twice as hard to find as the other series ("tough, not rare"). No documented reason survives; the best-researched account is that Topps printed the hastily assembled final series in quantity and left Series 4 with the shortest run.
Double print (traditional designation): one of the 22 Series 4 cards Beckett lists as double prints. Press-sheet research (Net54 2025 / Topps Archives 2026) shows the 22 occupy exactly two full 11-card press rows and were NOT actually printed in greater quantity — the "DP" label is a catalog tradition kept because collectors expect it.
About Jim Bolger
A Cincinnati kid pursued by all 16 big-league clubs, Jim Bolger signed with his hometown Reds out of Purcell High School and debuted in June 1950 at 18, then the youngest player in the majors. Traded to the Cubs in October 1954 (with Ted Tappe and Harry Perkowski for Johnny Klippstein and Jim Willis), the outfielder broke through after a monster 1956 with the PCL's Los Angeles Angels — .326, 28 homers, 147 RBIs. His 1957 was the season this scarce fourth-series card captures: a career-high .275 in 112 games for Chicago, plus the National League's best pinch-hitting average at .355, with 17 pinch hits in 48 at-bats. He wrapped up with the Indians and Phillies in 1959, finishing at .229 with six home runs over 312 games in seven seasons. Back home in Cincinnati, Bolger worked with ex-Red Gus Bell at a trucking firm and clerked for a Hamilton County judge; he died in 2020 at 88.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 514 | 0 | 12 | 136 | 189 | 106 | 49 | 22 | 0 |
| SGC | 33 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
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 Jim Bolger card?
It is card #289 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 Jim Bolger, Chicago Cubs.
Is the 1957 Topps #289 hard to find?
It is part of the scarce fourth series (#265-352), the toughest run of the set - roughly twice as hard to find as the other series. It is tough, not rare; there is no documented distribution reason, only that Series 4 had the shortest print run.
Is the 1957 Topps #289 really a double print?
Beckett lists it among 22 Series 4 double prints, but press-sheet research shows those 22 form two full press rows and were not actually printed in greater quantity. The 'DP' tag is a catalog tradition; population and pricing show no real abundance.
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.