1954 Topps
1954 · Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. (Brooklyn, NY)
250-card set known for the dual-image design (player portrait + action photo). Includes Hank Aaron RC #128, Ernie Banks RC #94, Al Kaline RC #201, and the famous Ted Williams #1 + #250 bookends.
Key Facts
- Release
- 1954
- Manufacturer
- Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. (Brooklyn, NY)
- Distribution
- One card plus bubble gum per nickel pack throughout the 1954 baseball season; Mickey Mantle was famously absent (exclusive to Bowman that year)
- Card stock
- Cardstock with dual-photo design — large headshot plus a smaller action shot, set against pastel team-color backgrounds, 2⅝″ × 3¾″
- Printer / Designer
- Sy Berger (Topps)
- Series
- Single 250-card issue; the only major Topps set without Mickey Mantle until 1992
- Total cards
- 250
Key Cards
Hank Aaron RC (#128)
Hammerin' Hank's rookie card — one of the most coveted post-war rookies in the hobby.
Ernie Banks RC (#94)
Mr. Cub's rookie card — Banks was a 19-year-old shortstop in his first full season.
Al Kaline RC (#201)
Kaline's rookie card — the 19-year-old Tiger who'd win the AL batting title the following year.
Ted Williams (#1)
Williams holds the #1 spot — and reappears at #250 as a set bookend; only player with two cards in the issue.
Willie Mays (#90)
Mays's return-from-the-Army card; he would win NL MVP, the World Series, and his iconic Series catch all in 1954.
Jackie Robinson (#10)
Robinson late in his career — still anchoring the Dodgers infield in his penultimate season.
Yogi Berra (#50)
Berra in his second MVP-winning season — his third such trophy would come in 1955.
Whitey Ford (#37)
Chairman of the Board in his first full Topps season post-military, ace of the Yankees rotation.
Warren Spahn (#20)
Spahn's first card as a Milwaukee Brave after the franchise's 1953 move.
Duke Snider (#32)
Silver Fox in his 40-homer prime, batting cleanup behind Robinson and ahead of Campanella.
Phil Rizzuto (#17)
Scooter in the twilight of his career — one of his last Yankees cards before his 1956 retirement.
Larry Doby (#70)
Doby coming off back-to-back AL HR titles — Cleveland's All-Star center fielder.