Joe DeMaestri - 1957 Topps #44
1957 Topps #44 Joe DeMaestri
About Joe DeMaestri
A San Francisco-born shortstop out of Tamalpais High School, Joe DeMaestri signed into the Boston Red Sox organization, was plucked by the Chicago White Sox in the November 1950 Rule 5 draft, and debuted in 1951. After a year with the St. Louis Browns, he spent seven seasons (1953-59) as the Athletics' shortstop in Philadelphia and Kansas City, going 6-for-6 against Detroit on July 8, 1955. This card lands in his best season: 1957 brought his only All-Star selection, and he led AL shortstops in fielding percentage (.980) in both 1957 and 1958. In December 1959 Kansas City sent him to the Yankees in the blockbuster that delivered Roger Maris to New York. In Game 7 of the 1960 World Series he replaced Tony Kubek after the infamous bad-hop grounder struck Kubek in the throat, and he collected a ring with the 1961 champions. A .236 hitter with 49 homers over 11 seasons, he later built one of Marin County's largest Anheuser-Busch beer distributorships.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 489 | 0 | 10 | 156 | 169 | 92 | 39 | 23 | 0 |
| SGC | 41 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 14 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 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 Joe DeMaestri card?
It is card #44 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 Joe DeMaestri, 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 2026-07-10.