The 1957 Topps basketball card set is, indisputably, one of the vital sports activities card problems with the classic period.
Between the discharge of the 1948 Bowman set and the 1961 Fleer set, it was just about the one sport on the town for basketball card collectors.
Certain, there have been some small, regional units right here and there.
However 1957 Topps was the one main basketball set launched in the course of the Fifties.
For that motive, most of the sport’s greatest stars made their cardboard debuts when Topps printed these playing cards.
If you happen to scan by way of the 80-card guidelines, you will discover one thing unimaginable:
25 of them are Corridor of Fame rookie playing cards…
To say this set is loaded with superstars could be placing it flippantly.
And on this information, I will run by way of the 15 most useful.
Let’s leap proper in!
1957 Topps #77 Invoice Russell Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $11,000
Would you like a daring, italicized instance of Invoice Russell’s dominance over the NBA?
Look no additional than November sixteenth, 1957.
Russell bodied the Philadelphia Warriors all night time lengthy, selecting up a ridiculous 32 rebounds within the first half.
He adopted that new NBA document with the full-game mark, flattening 49 in a 111-87 beatdown.
The 23-year-old heart added insult to harm by holding former document holder Neil Johnston to 0-for-11 capturing whereas on the ground.
Russell did all that in only one sport of an eye-opening MVP season for the younger celebrity.
With out different facilities’ heft and bruiser body, the Boston phenom used pinpoint positioning and uncooked athleticism to outwork and outthink opposing huge males.
He gained his first MVP, averaging 16.6 factors and pacing the league with 22.7 rebounds per contest.
The defending champion Celtics in the end misplaced their title to St. Louis after Russell suffered an ankle harm in Recreation 3.
They’d go on to win the subsequent eight.
And Russell would go on to grow to be one of many biggest NBA gamers of all time.
Right this moment, his rookie card is the unquestioned key to the set and a must have for any basketball card collector.
1957 Topps #17 Bob Cousy Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $2,100
Invoice Russell owned the boards.
Bob Cousy made the performs.
It was a traditionally successful mixture.
With Russell terrorizing the league in his first MVP 12 months, Cousy’s work as an all-around level guard was the right praise.
He did every thing for the common season’s finest crew, tallying the second most factors per sport on the squad (18.0) whereas main the NBA in assists (7.1).
Cousy was additionally a tenacious rebounder at simply six-foot-one, flattening 5.0 boards per sport.
The 29-year-old’s biggest asset, as all the time, was his adaptability.
Cousy had a knack for diagnosing the sport’s circulate, switching from facilitator to main scorer on a dime.
Cousy was the straw that stirred the drink.
He additionally created ample area for Invoice Russell and main scorer Invoice Sharman to work with.
Boston could not defend their title with Russell right down to harm within the Finals, however Cousy dragged them shut in a six-game loss to St. Louis.
1957 Topps #1 Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $750
Nat Clifton received his flowers in 1957.
He rode into the sundown shortly thereafter.
The primary African-American to signal an NBA contract, Clifton pushed the New York Knicks to a few consecutive Finals appearances from 1951 to 1953.
He averaged a close to double-double over these three playoff appearances (9.3 ppg, 10.5 rpg).
In 1957, Clifton made his first All-Star Recreation at 34 years outdated to grow to be the oldest sport participant in historical past.
It was a profession achievement award for “Sweetwater,” a bruising 6-foot-6 energy ahead with a sneaky shot and playmaking streak.
It was additionally the final hurrah for Clifton as a Knick.
In April 1957, the Knicks traded Clifton to the Pistons in a five-player deal.
He was effectively previous his prime at this level, nevertheless it was an enormous get for a franchise seeking to make a splash after relocating from Fort Wayne to Detroit.
Detroit completed 33-39 to earn a Western Division playoff berth.
Clifton performed simply 10.6 minutes per sport in his last postseason earlier than retiring within the offseason.
Like most playing cards of this period that have been primary within the set sequence and confronted extra publicity to wreck, it normally instructions the next premium than normal if present in excessive grade.
1957 Topps #24 Bob Pettit Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $375
1957 was the heartbreak for Bob Pettit.
1958 was the precise reverse.
A 12 months after his finest efforts have been laid to waste in a Recreation 7 additional time loss to the Boston Celtics, the St. Louis Hawks energy ahead received yet one more probability to crack the Boston code within the 1958 NBA Finals.
The 25-year-old energy ahead was predictably superior within the common season, ending third within the scoring title race (24.6) and third in rebounds (17.4).
Pettit made his dwelling on the line, sinking the second most free throws within the league (744).
St. Louis positioned first within the Western Division but once more (41-31) and punched by way of the Pistons within the Western Finals to arrange one other date with the Celts.
This time, the Hawks gained their championship. Russell suffered an ankle harm in Recreation 3 and was ineffective in his Recreation 6 return.
Pettit averaged 29.3 factors and 17.0 rebounds within the six-game triumph, together with a brand new playoff-record 50 factors within the deciding contest.
1957 Topps #19 Tom Heinsohn Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $350
Tom Heinsohn did the soiled work for the good Boston Celtics of the 50s and 60s.
The Holy Cross product entered the league similtaneously Invoice Russell to type one of the formidable frontcourt duos in NBA historical past.
He offered the punch, as Russell offered the grace.
Named Rookie of the 12 months in 1956-57, Heinsohn adopted up his first-year spectacular with arguably a greater sophomore effort.
The 23-year-old averaged a double-double for the primary time, posting 17.8 factors (on 38.2% capturing) and 10.2 rebounds in 32.0 minutes per sport.
His capturing effectivity went down, but his confidence as a shooter started to develop.
As Heinsohn advanced right into a main scoring possibility, his work within the muck turned much more admirable.
He put his nostril down, drawing prices and backing up opposing defenders, and the factors felt like a bonus.
Heinsohn helped push the Celtics to one more Japanese title in 1957-58, including one other sturdy constructing block to a burgeoning dynasty.
1957 Topps #54 Earl Lloyd
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $325
The NBA’s first African-American participant was a defensive stalwart.
Earl Lloyd averaged double digits in scoring simply as soon as in his nine-year profession and by no means shot higher than 37.4% from the sphere.
He was a robust rebounder at small ahead, but he was by no means among the many league leaders within the class.
What Lloyd did finest was lockdown all 5 positions on D.
The Syracuse Nationals positioned close to the highest of the league in defensive score a number of occasions in his six years with the crew, and Lloyd spearheaded the trouble.
Issues started to wind down in 1957-58 in his final 12 months with the crew.
Lloyd struggled with harm and performed the fewest regular-season contests (61) and minutes per sport (17.1) of his profession.
After Syracuse was bounced within the Japanese Division Semifinals, the veteran star was traded to the Pistons to complete out his historic NBA run.
1957 Topps #13 Dolph Schayes Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $300
Dolph Schayes was one of the computerized buckets of the late Fifties and early Sixties.
A perennial MVP candidate, Schayes averaged a minimum of 21 factors per sport for six consecutive seasons from 1955 by way of 1961.
A lot of Schayes’ factors got here from the free-throw line.
He led the league in charity stripe share in three of these six campaigns and shot no worse than 86.4%.
In 1957-58, Schayes tied a career-best with an NBA-leading 90.4% free throw share.
He completed second to Detroit’s George Yardley within the scoring title race (24.9) and averaged a career-topping 14.2 rebounds.
Named NBA MVP runner-up, Schayes performed all 72 regular-season video games and led the league with 40.5 minutes per contest.
He averaged one other double-double within the playoffs, dropping a 26.7/15.0 in a three-game Japanese Division Semifinal loss to Philadelphia.
With the Celtics clamping in a stranglehold on the East, Schayes would grow to be no stranger to postseason heartaches.
1957 Topps #5 Invoice Sharman Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $180
The Boston Celtics did not win the NBA title solely as soon as within the 5 years when Invoice Sharman and Invoice Russell teamed collectively.
And it took an premature harm to maintain it from five-for-five.
Sharman and Russell have been the right guard/heart duo.
Sharman shot the lights out from all around the courtroom whereas Russell cleaned up the misses within the put up, with the 2 expertly linked by the good Bob Cousy.
Throughout the 1957-58 season, Sharman averaged a career-best 22.3 factors per sport on 42.4% capturing.
He completed second within the NBA with an 89.3% clip from the free-throw line, ending a five-year run atop the league within the class.
(He positioned second.)
The NBA’s finest common season crew was an odds-on favourite to win all of it once more in 1957-58.
After splitting the primary two in a Finals rematch with St. Louis, although, Russell fell to an ankle harm in Recreation 3.
Boston by no means recovered and misplaced the collection in six.
1957 Topps #37 Cliff Hagan Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $175
Cliff Hagan’s hook shot was the best hook St. Louis wanted to off the Celtics within the 1958 NBA Finals.
Hagan and teammate Bob Pettit torched the NBA all common season lengthy.
Each All-NBA forwards averaged double-doubles, with Hagan clocking in with averages of 19.9 factors and 10.1 rebounds in 31.3 minutes per sport.
If he had 5 additional minutes on the ground like Pettit had, he may need additionally grabbed an All-NBA First Crew designation.
Because it was, Hagan slotted into the second squad and earned down-ballot MVP consideration.
His fluttering hook shot made him nearly unguardable at occasions, whether or not he was stationary or coming in off the break.
It was even higher for the sophomore standout within the postseason.
Hagan lower by way of the sphere like butter, main the NBA in factors per sport (27.7) and field-goal share (50.2%).
He ripped Boston in Video games 1 by way of 5 of the Finals earlier than taking a backseat to Pettit’s 50-spot within the 110-109 Recreation 6 clincher.
1957 Topps #71 Jack Twyman Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $175
Throughout the 1957-58 NBA season, Jack Twyman planted the seeds for a historic scoring outburst.
Transferring again to small ahead for the newly-relocated Cincinnati Royals, the 23-year-old took issues up a notch in his third skilled season.
He was already one of the environment friendly scorers within the league.
Now, he stood alone, main the complete league with a forty five.2% subject purpose share.
Twyman upped his scoring for the third consecutive season, dropping 17.4 factors in 30.3 minutes per sport.
His growing bag of put up tips made him almost unstoppable.
Even within the face of big-bodied facilities, the buckets dropped with ease.
Most significantly, Twyman’s confidence bloomed.
One 12 months later, he’d end third within the league at 25.8 factors per sport.
A 12 months after that, the Corridor-of-Famer joined Wilt Chamberlain as the primary gamers in NBA historical past to common 30.0 factors or higher per contest (31.2).
1957 Topps #78 Clyde Lovellette Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $175
The Cincinnati Royals wanted a hook to get followers within the constructing of their first 12 months within the metropolis.
That hook was former Minneapolis Lakers All-Star Clyde Lovellette.
The 28-year-old heart went huge in his last postseason with the Lakers, averaging a close to double-double (24.2 ppg, 9.4 rpg) in 5 video games.
Nonetheless, the Lakers received run out of the Western Division Finals in three by the St. Louis Hawks.
Cincinnati took their huge swing shortly after, buying Lovellette in a blockbuster five-player deal.
It was sufficient to attract curiosity and get the Royals into their first playoffs since 1955.
Lovellette solidified a three-headed frontcourt monster with Maurice Stokes and Jack Twyman, a trio that accounted for 57.5 of the crew’s 101.7 factors per sport.
Lovellette led all Royals gamers with 23.4 factors per contest, good for fourth within the NBA.
He positioned fifth within the Affiliation in subject purpose share (.441) and averaged 12.1 boards for a fourth consecutive double-double marketing campaign.
1957 Topps #42 Maurice Stokes Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $170
One of the crucial promising careers in NBA historical past ended with a stomach-churning suddenness in 1958.
Maurice Stokes was forward of his time.
He was a lot totally different than most huge males within the league when he arrived in 1955, balancing conventional back-to-the-basket drive for a bag stuffed with deft strikes and fairly pictures.
“The primary nice, athletic energy ahead,” Bob Cousy as soon as mentioned. “He was Karl Malone with extra finesse.”
Stokes was named NBA Rookie of the 12 months in 1956 and saved leveling up in his subsequent two seasons with the Royals.
In 1957-58, he completed fifth within the MVP race with 16.9 factors and 18.1 rebounds per sport.
The sky wasn’t even a restrict.
After which, tragedy struck.
Within the last sport of the common season, Stokes crashed to the ground and cracked his head into the ground.
A scary scene received even scarier when Stokes was discovered to be paralyzed with post-traumatic encephalopathy.
Stokes’ teammates rallied to assist pay his appreciable medical payments.
Sadly, he died of a coronary heart assault at simply 36 years outdated.
1957 Topps #2 George Yardley Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $150
George Yardley created the two,000 Membership with a torrid 1957-58 efficiency.
One of many few constant dunkers within the NBA, Yardley used each inch of his six-foot-five body for an epic breakthrough.
The 29-year-old Detroit Pistons small ahead gained his first and solely scoring title with 27.8 factors per sport.
He handed George Mikan (1,932) for probably the most whole factors in a season with a 49-point outburst in Recreation #70 of 72.
Coming into the ultimate sport of the 12 months towards Syracuse, Yardley sat simply 25 factors shy of turning into the primary 2,000-point scorer in NBA historical past.
The All-NBA First Teamer received it achieved like he had all 12 months by bowling his option to the free throw line.
Yardley sidestepped an inefficient 8-for-22 capturing day with a 10-for-11 effort from the stripe, pushing his season whole of free throw makes an attempt to an NBA-best 808.
All of it added as much as 26 factors for the sport and a couple of,001 for the 12 months.
1957 Topps #15 Frank Ramsey Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $145
Frank Ramsey was the sixth man who glued the Boston Celtics dynasty collectively.
The primary man behind Bob Cousy and Invoice Sharman within the backcourt, Ramsey was a tough-nosed capturing guard who might each fill it up and pull it down.
He returned from navy service in 1956-57 and performed a key reserve function in Boston’s run to a title.
One 12 months later, Ramsey took on extra work, upping his minutes to a career-high 29.7 per sport.
He set profession bests in factors (16.5) and rebounds per sport (7.3), the latter inserting third on the crew behind the crew’s star frontcourt duo of Invoice Russell and Tom Heinsohn.
Ramsey noticed his minutes enhance because the Celtics have been pressured to play smaller after Invoice Russell’s NBA Finals harm.
He averaged 32.0 minutes in 11 playoff video games, posting an 18.4/8.2 and a 91.5% mark from the free-throw line.
1957 Topps #27 Ed Macauley Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 6 EX-MT Worth: $135
Ed Macauley performed six consecutive postseasons with the Boston Celtics from 1950 by way of 1956.
Nevertheless, he was shipped to the St. Louis Hawks earlier than the Celtics grabbed the franchise’s first NBA title…
…towards the Hawks.
Mccauley performed a pivotal function in St. Louis’ run to the Finals, averaging 14.2 factors and 6.2 rebounds in 29.7 minutes per sport.
He dropped 9 factors and eight rebounds in Recreation 7 towards Boston, a gut-punching 125-123 additional time defeat.
The Hawks and McCauley have been denied their first NBA title.
A 12 months later, although, it could be totally different.
Mccauley was additionally a unique participant in 1957-58.
The 6-foot-8 heart had slowed significantly and lacked the sturdiness of his earlier six seasons.
He ended up splitting time with Chuck Share on the 5 within the common season and the playoffs.
That didn’t boring the glow of the Hawks’ six-game Finals revenge towards Boston.
Mccauley’s minutes decreased late, however the title meant greater than particular person manufacturing.
1957 Topps Basketball Playing cards In Overview
It is easy to see why this set is so coveted by not solely basketball card collectors, however by classic fans as effectively.
Enormous names like Invoice Russell, Bob Cousy, Bob Pettit, and lots of extra, made their rookie card debuts on this iconic set.
Certain, there might solely be 80 playing cards within the guidelines, however with 28 of them being Corridor of Famers and 25 of these being rookies, it provides probably the greatest probabilities of pulling a celebrity of any set within the passion.
Baseball and soccer card collectors of the Fifties have been spoiled by what number of units there have been.
Certain, “spoiled” is a relative time period, contemplating what number of totally different units there are these days.
However, in comparison with basketball card collectors, baseball and soccer card collectors had many extra choices within the Fifties.
For basketball followers, this set was just about it.
It is an important set in passion historical past and considered one of my all-time favorites.
I’ve nothing however good issues to say about 1957 Topps basketball.
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