Johnny Podres - 1957 Topps #277
1957 Topps #277 Johnny Podres
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 Johnny Podres
A left-hander from Witherbee, a tiny Adirondack hamlet in upstate New York, Johnny Podres (1932-2008) entered pro ball in Brooklyn's system in 1951 and reached the Dodgers in 1953. Two years later he authored the greatest moment in Brooklyn history: after winning Game 3 of the 1955 World Series on his 23rd birthday, he shut out the Yankees 2-0 in Game 7 at Yankee Stadium on October 4, 1955 — preserved by Sandy Amorós's legendary catch — to clinch Brooklyn's only championship, earning the first World Series MVP award ever presented (plus a new Corvette). After missing 1956 to Navy service, he returned in 1957 — Brooklyn's final season, and the year of this scarce fourth-series card — to lead the majors with a 2.66 ERA and six shutouts. A four-time All-Star, Podres went 148-116 with 1,435 strikeouts over 15 seasons with the Dodgers, Tigers, and Padres, then spent more than two decades as a pitching coach, famously mentoring Curt Schilling in Philadelphia.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 1,009 | 0 | 19 | 172 | 290 | 258 | 150 | 120 | 0 |
| SGC | 131 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 23 | 30 | 29 | 33 | 2 |
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 Podres card?
It is card #277 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 Podres, Brooklyn Dodgers.
Is the 1957 Topps #277 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 #277 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.