1961 Topps #511 Joe Morgan
The 1930-born utility infielder who played briefly for Cleveland, not the Hall of Fame second baseman of the same name, whose own first Topps card did not arrive until 1965.
About Joe Morgan
Card 511 shows him with Cleveland, his fourth club in two seasons. Milwaukee traded him to the Phillies for Al Dark in June 1960, and Philadelphia sold him to the Indians on August 9. Cleveland produced the highlights of a thin major league record: he hit .298 in 47 at-bats for the 1960 Indians and struck both career home runs, solo shots off Chuck Estrada on August 30 and Ted Sadowski on September 10. On May 10, 1961, the Indians sent him, cash and a player to be named to St. Louis for outfielder Bob Nieman, so this sixth-series card was out of date before collectors opened it. Number 511 is not his first Topps card: Topps had already pictured him on card 229 in the 1960 set.
Joseph Michael Morgan was born November 19, 1930, in Walpole, Massachusetts, and starred in both baseball and hockey at Boston College before signing with the Boston Braves organization in June 1952. A left-handed hitter who played second base, third base and the outfield, he did not reach the majors until April 1959, at age 28, after Army service from 1953 through 1955 and a long minor league apprenticeship. He appeared in parts of four big league seasons with the Milwaukee Braves, Kansas City Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Cardinals, batting .193 with 36 hits, 2 home runs and 10 RBI in 88 games. He was a far more productive minor leaguer, compiling 1,353 hits and a .278 average over 13 seasons and taking International League MVP honors in 1964 after hitting .290 for the Jacksonville Suns. He then managed in the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox farm systems, spent nine years running Pawtucket, and took over the Red Sox in July 1988, winning American League East titles in 1988 and 1990. Known around New England as Walpole Joe, he entered the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2006 and the International League Hall of Fame in 2008; he is not the Joe Morgan enshrined in Cooperstown.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · Baseball Almanac (1) · Baseball Almanac (2)
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 309 | 2 | 22 | 158 | 96 | 16 | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| SGC | 15 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 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.
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Related cards
Team card: #467 Cleveland Indians Team
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- #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 #511 card?
It is card #511 of the 587-card 1961 Topps Baseball set, picturing Joe Morgan of the Cleveland Indians.
Is this the Hall of Fame Joe Morgan?
No. The Joe Morgan on #511 is the Cleveland Indians infielder who later managed the Boston Red Sox. The Hall of Famer of the same name did not reach the majors until 1963 and has no 1961 Topps card.
Why is #511 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.