1952 Topps #101 Max Lanier PSA NM 7

1952 Topps #101 Max Lanier PSA 7 - A Championship Lefty in Near Mint Form

The 1952 Topps #101 Max Lanier features a pitcher whose best years were intertwined with one of the National League’s great wartime clubs. The hard-throwing left-hander became a major part of the St. Louis Cardinals’ powerhouse rotations of the 1940s, twice earning All-Star honors and helping the franchise collect multiple pennants.

This example stands tall at PSA NM 7, making it an especially impressive card within this complete-set run. Lanier’s finest season came in 1943, when he went 15–7 and led the National League with a brilliant 1.90 ERA. He followed that by helping St. Louis win the 1944 World Series, giving him a championship résumé well established before this Topps issue appeared.

Lanier finished his 14-year Major League career with 108 victories and a 3.01 ERA, spending most of that time in a Cardinals uniform before later pitching for the Giants and Browns. His career also included the fascinating and controversial chapter of leaving the majors for the Mexican League in 1946 before eventually returning. The 1952 Topps Max Lanier PSA 7 combines a superb Near Mint grade with the story of an All-Star, an ERA champion, and a key left-hander from one of St. Louis baseball’s greatest eras.