Rocky Colavito - 1957 Topps #212
1957 Topps #212 Rocky Colavito
Rocky Colavito's rookie card. The back UER credits him with 68 home runs at Indianapolis (he hit 38 there in 1956; the 68 conflates two seasons).
Uncorrected error: Hit 68 HRs at Indianapolis It was never corrected, so there is only one version of the card.
The #176 "Bakep" error: the back header reads "EUGENF W. BAKEP," the whole name garbled on the printing plate. It is the ONLY error Topps corrected in 1957, which is why the error back carries the premium — a PSA population near 215, topping out at PSA 8.
About Rocky Colavito
A Bronx kid signed by Cleveland at 17 for a $3,000 bonus on the strength of a legendary throwing arm, Rocky Colavito slugged his way up the minors — 38 home runs at Indianapolis in 1954 and 30 more in 1955, the two seasons this rookie card's back conflates into its erroneous "68 homers at Indianapolis" line. Cleveland's matinee-idol right fielder became a nine-time All-Star, tied Harmon Killebrew for the 1959 AL home run crown with 42, and hit four consecutive homers at Baltimore on June 10, 1959 — just the second American Leaguer to do it after Lou Gehrig. Fans chanted "Don't Knock the Rock," then revolted when Cleveland traded him to Detroit for Harvey Kuenn in April 1960, a deal immortalized in Terry Pluto's "The Curse of Rocky Colavito." He hit 45 homers with 140 RBIs for Detroit in 1961, led the AL with 108 RBIs after returning to Cleveland in 1965, and retired with 374 home runs. Colavito died in 2024 at age 91.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 2,816 | 3 | 40 | 426 | 590 | 656 | 487 | 606 | 8 |
| SGC | 837 | 0 | 1 | 48 | 130 | 143 | 211 | 290 | 14 |
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 Colavito card?
It is card #212 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 Colavito, Cleveland Indians.
Is the 1957 Topps Rocky Colavito #212 a rookie card?
Yes - it is his Topps rookie card and one of the nine key rookies in the 1957 set.
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.