1960 Topps #296 Nelson Chittum
About Nelson Chittum
Nelson Boyd Chittum was a right-handed reliever who signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1953 for $250 a month, then broke into pro ball in 1956 by going 23-7 and winning California League Rookie of the Year with Fresno. After helping Houston capture the 1957 Dixie Series and going 12-8 at Triple-A Omaha in 1958, he debuted in the majors on August 17, 1958, starting against the Dodgers and Sandy Koufax. Traded to Boston in spring 1959 for Dean Stone, Chittum became a Red Sox bullpen fixture that summer, posting a 1.19 ERA over 21 relief appearances without allowing a home run and going 3-0. His 1960 Topps card, #296, issued during that Red Sox run, is recognized as his rookie card. Boston dealt him to the Dodgers that May for outfielder Rip Repulski, closing a three-year, 68-inning big-league career. Chittum won 106 games in nine minor-league seasons before retiring in 1964, later working as a U.S. postal inspector. He died July 15, 2024, in Lexington, Kentucky, at 91.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 372 | 0 | 11 | 132 | 132 | 59 | 24 | 14 | 0 |
| SGC | 18 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-08-20. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8), and PSA's qualified grades are counted separately from the straight-grade rows shown here. The Venezuelan issue, the 1960 Topps Tattoos and Bazooka are separate products and are not counted here.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1960 Topps #296 card?
It is card #296 of the 572-card 1960 Topps Baseball set, picturing Nelson Chittum.
Is 1960 Topps #296 a rookie card?
Yes - #296 is the 1960 Topps rookie card of Nelson Chittum.
How many cards are in the 1960 Topps Baseball set?
572 cards, numbered 1-572, issued in seven series - the last Topps flagship printed entirely horizontally. Cards #375-440 exist on two back stocks, white and gray, which collectors chasing every printed variety count as 638 pieces of cardboard in all.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Cardboard Connection, the PSA price guide, Baseball-Reference, the SABR BioProject and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, PSA & SGC population reports. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-08-20.