1961 Topps #452 Bob Allen
About Bob Allen
Bob Allen's 1961 Topps card, #452, comes from the set's sixth series and is his rookie card. It arrived during the season he broke into the majors with the Cleveland Indians: he debuted on April 14, 1961 at age 23 and retired all three batters he faced. Working strictly in relief, the left-hander went 3-2 with a 3.75 ERA over 81 2/3 innings in 48 appearances, finishing 17 games and picking up three saves. Those 48 outings would remain the busiest season of his career, and the 81 2/3 innings came to nearly a third of everything he would throw in the big leagues.
Robert Gray Allen was a left-handed relief pitcher who spent his entire five-season major league career with the Cleveland Indians, appearing exclusively out of the bullpen and never making a start in 204 games. Born in Tatum, Texas on October 23, 1937, he signed with Cleveland as an amateur free agent in 1956 and went 16-11 for the Indians' Mobile farm club in 1960. He reached the American League on April 14, 1961, retiring all three batters he faced, and went 3-2 over 81 2/3 innings as a rookie. He pitched for Cleveland again in 1962 and 1963, and that December the Indians traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for players to be named; the Pirates sent him back to Cleveland in April 1964 without his ever pitching a big-league game for them, and he was out of the majors through 1964 and 1965. Allen resurfaced with the Indians in 1966 and 1967, closing with a 7-12 record, a 4.11 ERA, 199 strikeouts and 19 saves. He died in Tatum in December 2023 at the age of 86.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · Baseball Almanac
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 460 | 1 | 51 | 251 | 110 | 31 | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| SGC | 19 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Data as of 2026-09-04. PSA counts are straight grades only; PSA half grades (PSA 1.5 among them) and qualified slabs are not included. SGC half grades fold down (8.5→8). Slabs of the two cards printed #463 are joined by description, never by number alone.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Shop 1961 Topps cards Live auctions Buy It Now on eBay Sold prices
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Related cards
Team card: #467 Cleveland Indians Team
More Cleveland Indians cards:
- #5 Johnny Romano
- #15 Willie Kirkland
- #18 Jim Grant
- #34 Wynn Hawkins
- #60 Woodie Held
- #77 Dick Stigman
- #101 Bubba Phillips
- #115 Johnny Antonelli
- #155 Johnny Temple
- #172 Don Dillard
- #191 Mike de la Hoz
- #222 Jimmie Dykes
- #255 Vic Power
- #274 Gary Bell
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1961 Topps #452 card?
It is card #452 of the 587-card 1961 Topps Baseball set, picturing Bob Allen of the Cleveland Indians.
Is 1961 Topps #452 a rookie card?
Yes - #452 is the 1961 Topps rookie card of Bob Allen.
Why is #452 harder to find?
It is from the sixth print series (cards 447-522) - noticeably tougher than the first five, easier than the true highs.
How many cards are in the 1961 Topps Baseball set?
587 cards, tracked as 596 collectible states. Numbers run from 1 to 589, but #426, #587 and #588 were never issued and two different cards were printed #463 - Jack Fisher and the Milwaukee Braves Team card, catalogued 463b - and eight cards carry catalogued print variations that the master set counts separately.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA CardFacts, Cardboard Connection, The Topps Archives, 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 2026-10-05.