Highlights from the 1957 Topps Football Set
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What we know today was The NFL was in its infancy back in the 1950s. Future legends like Bart Starr and Johnny Unitas were just beginning their careers. To put things further in perspective, the first "official" Super Bowl was still years away. The 1957 Topps football card set capitalized on the sport's growing popularity, hitting the jackpot by including rookie cards of future Hall of Famers and other greats. Just imagine-back then, a pack of 6 cards and a stick of gum cost 5 cents!
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TOPPS 1957 JOHNNY UNITAS
Johnny Unitas is up there with the greatest Quarterbacks to have played the game. His three MVPs and heroics in 1958's "Greatest Game Ever Played" cement his legacy. The cards in the '57 Topps set were all horizontal and includes a portrait of Unitas as well as an action pose. Centering and print defects can be an issue like most cards from this era.
TOPPS 1957 PAUL HORNUNG
One interesting thing about Paul Hornung's rookie card is that he's pictured throwing the ball, but he wasn't a quarterback, rather a halfback and kicker. No matter, he was absolutely a force to be reckoned with on the field. He was the first overall draft pick in 1957 and went on to have a Hall of Fame career.
TOPPS 1957 RAYMOND BERRY
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For such an iconic card set, it would have been nice for Topps to use a bigger range of colors in their design. You might notice that Raymond Berry's rookie card has the exact same color scheme as Johnny Unitas's. Berry was dominant in his position as wide receiver during his time with the Baltimore Colts and led the league in receiving 3 times.
TOPPS 1957 DICK "NIGHT TRAIN" LANE
Dick "Night Train" Lane had been around awhile by the time he finally had a rookie card to his name. He began his pro football career in 1952 and became one of the baddest hitters and defenders the game has ever seen. He still holds the record for interceptions in a season, which he accomplished his rookie year - 14 picks in just 12 games! The records still hasn't been broken, even with longer seasons. His rookie card most likely shows him going up for yet another interception.
Brian Hough became a fan of the hobby by opening packs of 1986 Donruss and 1987 Topps baseball with his dad and little brother. He has been writing about the collectibles industry for years, initially as a price guide editor for Tuff Stuff Magazine, which was a monthly sports magazine focused on sports cards and collectibles, particularly known for its price guides and checklists, that initially launched in April 1984.