Rocky Bridges - 1957 Topps #294
1957 Topps #294 Rocky Bridges
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 Rocky Bridges
Everett “Rocky” Bridges picked up his nickname at Class-A Greenville in 1948 — as he told it, someone decided he simply looked like a Rocky. Signed by Brooklyn scout Tom Downey out of a 1946 tryout camp, he debuted with the Dodgers in 1951, then went to Cincinnati in the deal that sent slugger Joe Adcock to the Braves; Rogers Hornsby wanted him, declaring “That Bridges is my kind of player. He fights.” The Redlegs' regular second baseman in 1953 and a utility infielder thereafter, he was waived to Washington early in 1957 — making this scarce fourth-series card, picturing him at shortstop for Cincinnati, effectively a farewell. Casey Stengel named him the Senators' lone All-Star in 1958. A .247 hitter across 11 seasons and seven teams, the tobacco-chewing “baggy-pants comedian” — Sports Illustrated called him one of baseball's best stand-up comics — later managed two decades in the minors, winning more than 1,300 games.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 458 | 0 | 10 | 144 | 155 | 94 | 37 | 18 | 0 |
| SGC | 27 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 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 Rocky Bridges card?
It is card #294 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 Rocky Bridges, Cincinnati Redlegs.
Is the 1957 Topps #294 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 #294 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 2026-07-05.