{"product_id":"1954-topps-36-hoyt-wilhelm-psa-nm-mt-8","title":"1954 Topps #36 Hoyt Wilhelm PSA NM-MT 8","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cspan role=\"text\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1954 Topps #36 Hoyt Wilhelm PSA 8 - The Knuckleballer Who Changed the Bullpen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e1954 Topps #36 Hoyt Wilhelm\u003c\/strong\u003e features one of baseball’s great pitching originals at a fascinating point in his career. Topps’ celebrated 1954 design pairs a large illustrated portrait with an action image, giving Wilhelm a classic presentation from the heart of the post-war era. By then, the unpredictable \u003cstrong\u003eknuckleball\u003c\/strong\u003e had already made him one of the National League’s most difficult pitchers to solve—and helped begin a career that would redefine what was possible for a relief pitcher.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGraded \u003cstrong\u003ePSA NM-MT 8\u003c\/strong\u003e, this example offers \u003cstrong\u003eimpressive high-grade preservation\u003c\/strong\u003e for a card more than 70 years old. The bold backgrounds and large areas of color found throughout 1954 Topps place added emphasis on \u003cstrong\u003ecentering, corners, surfaces, and print quality\u003c\/strong\u003e, making strong examples particularly satisfying in hand. Wilhelm may not carry the immediate name recognition of some of the set’s offensive superstars, but for advanced Hall of Fame and high-grade set collectors, his card represents an important piece of one of the decade’s most celebrated Topps issues.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWilhelm’s career was anything but conventional. As a \u003cstrong\u003e29-year-old rookie in 1952\u003c\/strong\u003e, he immediately led the National League with a 2.43 ERA while appearing almost exclusively in relief. Six years later, in one of his rare starts, he remarkably \u003cstrong\u003ethrew a no-hitter against the New York Yankees\u003c\/strong\u003e. Wilhelm ultimately pitched until age 49, appearing in \u003cstrong\u003e1,070 games\u003c\/strong\u003e and retiring as the first pitcher in Major League history to surpass 1,000 appearances. In 1985, he became the \u003cstrong\u003efirst relief pitcher elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hall of Fame Exchange","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53447608205621,"sku":null,"price":650.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0920\/7827\/6917\/files\/1954Topps_36HoytWilhelmPSANM-MT8.png?v=1788377147","url":"https:\/\/halloffameexchange.com\/products\/1954-topps-36-hoyt-wilhelm-psa-nm-mt-8","provider":"Hall of Fame Exchange","version":"1.0","type":"link"}