1952 Topps #52 Don Mueller Black Back PSA VG-EX 4

1952 Topps #52 Don Mueller Black Back PSA 4 - Don’t Call Him Mandrake

The 1952 Topps #52 Don Mueller features the smooth-swinging New York Giants outfielder near the beginning of what would become his finest years in the majors. Nicknamed “Mandrake the Magician,” Mueller built his reputation around an exceptional ability to put the bat on the ball, developing into one of the National League’s toughest hitters to strike out.

This PSA VG-EX 4 features the Black Back variation and shows Mueller as a young member of a Giants club loaded with talent. While Willie Mays commanded center field, Mueller became a fixture in right, giving New York a dependable left-handed bat that would soon play an important role in a championship lineup.

Mueller’s peak arrived in 1954, when he collected a league-leading 212 hits, batted .342, earned All-Star honors, and helped the Giants sweep Cleveland to win the World Series. He finished his career with a .296 batting average and struck out only 146 times in more than 4,200 plate appearances. The 1952 Topps Don Mueller Black Back PSA 4 catches “Mandrake” before his biggest season—a gifted contact hitter on his way to becoming a World Series champion.