Smoky Burgess - 1957 Topps #228
1957 Topps #228 Smoky Burgess
Uncorrected error: Mispelled "Smokey" on back. 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 Smoky Burgess
Forrest "Smoky" Burgess signed with the Chicago Cubs in 1944 — a year after Commissioner Landis voided his original Cardinals contract because he was underage — and the origin of his nickname was debated even then: the Smoky Mountains near his North Carolina birthplace, his father's own nickname, his lack of speed, or the fact that he didn't smoke. One of the era's purest bad-ball hitters, he caught for the Cubs, Phillies, Redlegs (1955-58), Pirates, and White Sox across 1949-67, making nine All-Star Game appearances in six seasons. For Cincinnati he blasted three homers with nine RBIs in a single July 1955 game; in Pittsburgh he caught all 12 perfect innings of Harvey Haddix's 1959 heartbreaker and hit .333 in the Pirates' 1960 World Series triumph. He retired with a .295 average, 126 home runs, and a then-record 145 pinch hits, entering the Reds Hall of Fame in 1975. Topps compounded the name confusion by misspelling him "Smokey" on this card's back — a recognized error.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 564 | 0 | 27 | 198 | 176 | 95 | 42 | 26 | 0 |
| SGC | 41 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 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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Related cards
More Cincinnati Redlegs cards:
- #9 Johnny Temple
- #32 Hershell Freeman
- #35 Frank Robinson
- #66 Brooks Lawrence
- #69 Roy McMillan
- #73 George Crowe
- #93 Hal Jeffcoat
- #103 Joe Nuxhall
- #128 Ed Bailey
- #157 Wally Post
- #165 Ted Kluszewski
- #180 Gus Bell
- #219 Tom Acker
- #222 Alex Grammas
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1957 Topps Smoky Burgess card?
It is card #228 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 Smoky Burgess, Cincinnati Redlegs.
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.