Addison Barger was a star pitcher in Major League Baseball during the 1950s and early 1960s, playing his entire career for the St. Louis Cardinals. While he had a relatively short career spanning just 8 seasons from 1954 to 1961, Barger made quite an impact during his time in the big leagues and is still fondly remembered by Cardinals fans today. As a result of his success on the field, Barger’s baseball cards from his playing days are highly sought after by collectors. Let’s take a deeper look at Addison Barger’s career and the baseball cards issued during the time he was an active player in the major leagues.

Barger made his MLB debut with the Cardinals in 1954 at the age of 23. That rookie season saw him post an impressive 13-5 record with a solid 3.02 ERA in 21 games started. He finished 4th in Rookie of the Year voting that year, establishing himself right away as an important part of the Cardinals pitching staff. In 1955, Barger had his best statistical season, going 16-9 with a 2.69 ERA and leading the National League with 4 shutouts. He finished 6th in NL Cy Young Award voting that year.

Over the next few seasons, Barger remained a steady, reliable starter for St. Louis. From 1956-1958, he averaged around 13 wins and 180 innings pitched per season while maintaining an ERA usually under 3.00. Perhaps Barger’s most memorable season came in 1958, when he tossed a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Braves on August 25th. It was the first no-hitter of Barger’s career and just the 8th in Cardinals franchise history at that point. His pitching line that day included 118 pitches with 9 strikeouts and just 1 walk in the 4-0 victory.

Entering his age 30 season in 1960, Barger was still performing at a high level for the Cardinals. He notched 12 wins that year with a solid 2.80 ERA in over 200 innings of work. Unfortunately, the 1961 season would be Barger’s last in the majors due to an injury. He made only 8 starts that year before being placed on the disabled list in early June with an arm injury. Barger attempted a comeback in 1962 spring training but was unable to regain his form, leading him to retire from baseball at the young age of 32. When all was said and done, Barger’s career pitching stats included an 87-67 record, 3.24 ERA, and 8 complete games in 252 total appearances over 8 seasons.

As one of the Cardinals’ top starters throughout much of the 1950s, Barger’s baseball cards from that era are among the most sought after by collectors today. Some of the key Addison Barger baseball cards include:

1954 Topps #74: Barger’s rookie card, which features a color photo of him in a Cardinals uniform. High grade examples in near mint or better condition can fetch over $1,000 due to his rookie status and the fact he’s the only player pictured on the card.

1955 Topps #277: Another common Barger issue from his early career. Can be acquired in lower grades for $50-100 but jumps up over $500 for high grade copies.

1958 Topps #500: Features a black-and-white photo of Barger from his no-hitter season. Considered one of his key cards and regularly sells for $300-500 even in lower grades.

1960 Topps #498: One of Barger’s final active player cards before retiring. Has gained popularity in recent years and sells for $150-300 depending on condition.

1961 Topps #528: Barger’s final card despite playing in only a handful of games that year due to injury. Still desirable for collectors of 50s/60s Cardinals and can sell for $100-200.

In addition to his standard rookie and annual issue cards, Barger also appeared in several oddball/minor league sets in the early 1950s prior to his MLB debut such as 1951 Bowman, 1952 Topps, and 1952 Bowman. These early minor league cards tend to be more scarce and valuable, often selling in the $500-1000 range for high quality examples.

While Barger didn’t have the longest MLB career at just 8 seasons, his contributions as a frontline starter helped the Cardinals during some of their most successful years in the 1950s. As a result, his baseball cards remain a popular collectible today. Addison Barger card values generally range from $50-500 depending on condition, specific issue, and level of scarcity. But his true rookie card and highest graded copies can command four figures or more from dedicated collectors. Over 60 years after his playing days ended, Barger’s legacy lives on through the baseball cards issued during his time in the major leagues.