1957 Topps #360 Johnny Groth
About Johnny Groth
John Thomas Groth (1926-2021) was a center fielder signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in August 1946 for a $30,000 bonus. After tearing up the minors - leading the International League in hits for Buffalo in 1948 - he reached Detroit, where Life magazine touted him as "another Joe DiMaggio," a comparison the Tigers eagerly promoted. Groth delivered as a 1949 rookie, batting .293 before a wrist fracture ended his season, then peaked in 1950 at .306 with career highs of 173 hits, 12 home runs, and 85 RBIs. A brutal 1953 beaning by White Sox pitcher Billy Pierce, while Groth was with the St. Louis Browns, is often blamed for blunting his bat. He also played for the Chicago White Sox, Washington, and the Kansas City Athletics (1956-57) shown on this card, finishing 15 seasons with a .279 average and elite .987 fielding before a long scouting career.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 738 | 1 | 30 | 254 | 273 | 103 | 42 | 35 | 0 |
| SGC | 44 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 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 Johnny Groth card?
It is card #360 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 Johnny Groth, 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.