Manufacturer: Bowman
Set: 1955 Bowman Baseball ➡️
Player Name: Tom Alston
Position/Team: 1st Base for Cardinals
Card #: 257
Card Size: 2-1/2” x 3-3/4”
Card Values: See Pricing Table Below
Tom Alston holds a significant place in baseball history, not necessarily for his on-field statistics, but for his pioneering role in the integration of the St. Louis Cardinals. Thomas Edison Alston was a first baseman who played professionally for several years before making his Major League Baseball debut. He spent parts of four seasons in MLB, all with the St. Louis Cardinals, from 1954 to 1957. His career is most notable because on April 13, 1954, he became the first African American player in the history of the St. Louis Cardinals. This was a momentous occasion, as the Cardinals, a prominent National League franchise, had been one of the slower teams to integrate after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947.
Tom Alston’s most recognized and widely collected rookie card is the above 1955 Bowman #257. This card is part of the distinctive “TV set” design that characterized the 1955 Bowman issue, with Alston’s image framed within a faux wood-grained television. As with many cards from this era, the dark borders can be prone to showing wear, making high-grade examples more challenging to find.
While his playing career numbers were modest, the historical significance of Tom Alston as the first African American Cardinal makes his 1955 Bowman rookie card a meaningful piece for collectors interested in the history of baseball and civil rights.
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Pricing Data For This Rookie Card
➡️ See All 1955 Bowman Rookie Card Prices
Pricing chart includes raw card price & some graded card value estimates.
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