Jim Small - 1957 Topps #33
1957 Topps #33 Jim Small
About Jim Small
James Arthur Patrick Small (born March 8, 1937, in Portland, Oregon) signed with the Detroit Tigers as a bonus baby in 1955 after graduating from Bellarmine College Preparatory, and the bonus rule kept the teenaged outfielder on Detroit's big-league roster through 1955 and 1956. A left-handed hitter used largely as a pinch-hitter and pinch-runner, he batted .270 with 38 hits — and no home runs — in 108 games for the Tigers (1955-57) and Kansas City Athletics (1958). This card captures his final Detroit season: seven weeks after the 1957 campaign, Small was shipped to Kansas City in the blockbuster 13-player trade that brought Billy Martin and Gus Zernial to the Tigers. In the minors the Athletics even tried converting him to a pitcher in 1960, but after being shelled in 12 outings he returned to the outfield, playing through 1962.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 415 | 1 | 9 | 117 | 142 | 79 | 47 | 20 | 0 |
| SGC | 27 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 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 Small card?
It is card #33 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 Small, Detroit Tigers.
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.