Manufacturer: Bowman
Set: 1950 Bowman Baseball ➡️
Player Name: Henry Thompson
Position/Team: 2nd Base for Giants
Card #: 174
Card Size: 2-1/16” x 2-1/2”
Card Value Snapshot: Raw/Ungraded: $7 | Grade 7: $100
⬇️ See More Pricing Data Below
Henry Curtis “Hank” Thompson was a monumental trailblazer, a versatile multi-position star, and an incredibly vital element of the post-war integration of Major League Baseball.
An extraordinarily disciplined left-handed hitter with immense raw power, Thompson holds a unique, historic distinction as the only player to break the color barrier for two entirely different MLB franchises. First appearing with the St. Louis Browns in 1947, he later joined the New York Giants, where his explosive bat and defensive versatility at third base and the outfield helped anchor the club’s dominant National League pennant runs of the early 1950s.
Before making history in the American and National Leagues, Thompson was a standout star for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro American League. Having served in the U.S. Army during World War II—where he fought directly in the Battle of the Bulge—he returned to baseball with sharp instincts and a powerful stroke.
Breaking the AL Barrier (1947): On July 17, 1947, just three months after Jackie Robinson’s historic debut with Brooklyn and eleven days after Larry Doby integrated the AL in Cleveland, the St. Louis Browns signed Thompson. He started at second base, becoming the third Black player in modern MLB history and the very first to break the barrier for the Browns.
Breaking the Giants Barrier (1949): After a brief return to the Monarchs, Thompson was signed by the New York Giants. On July 8, 1949, he and teammate Monte Irvin stepped onto the field together, officially integrating the Giants franchise.
Later that same year, on August 14, Thompson faced off against Brooklyn’s Don Newcombe. It marked the very first time in major league history that a Black batter faced a Black pitcher, a massive cultural milestone for the sport.
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Pricing Data For This Rookie Card
Tracking the current market value for the 1950 Bowman Hank Thompson Card #174. Below, find updated pricing data for ungraded (raw) copies, as well as verified PSA graded sales trends collected from secondary marketplaces.
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Raw/Ungraded: $7
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Grade 5: $40
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Grade 6: $75
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Grade 7: $100
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Grade 8: $180
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Grade 9: $2,135
Data Updated: July 2026
➡️ See All 1950 Bowman Rookie Card Prices
Pricing data includes raw card price & some graded card value estimates.
These values are collated from a variety of resources including recently sold listings, sales averages and a variety of other sports card pricing data sources. Please see full disclaimer on “Terms Page” for more information. (Rookiecardprices.com only shows values for regular base set cards. No prices are shown for errors, parallels, subsets, misprints or other cards unless noted.)
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Did You Know? While Thompson’s historical legacy is anchored by his role as a pioneer, he was a genuinely elite regular and postseason contributor at his peak.
His definitive athletic moment arrived during the 1954 World Series against the heavily favored Cleveland Indians. Serving as the Giants’ everyday third baseman, Thompson absolutely dominated the series without ever needing to hit a home run. He batted a crisp .364 (4-for-11).
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