Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige made his Major League debut for the St. Louis Browns on July 9, 1948, two days after what is reported to be his 42nd birthday and making him the American League's first black pitcher. While Bowman was quick to produce a debut card of Paige in 1949, Topps chose to bypass Paige in their inaugural collection and produce their first card of Satchel in 1953, the piece featured here. The offered example bears the lofty grade of PSA 8 NM/MT, showing audacious contrast in the flesh tones of Satchel's aging face against a clearly and concisely registered sky-blue background. The corners appear to easily meet NM/MT standards and perhaps reach even higher to the next grading tier. The borders are clean and predominately blemish-free with a reflective application of factory gloss bringing the surface colors to life. As of this writing, only 12 copies have graded higher, with no 10s on record, out of a whopping 5,400 submissions, so suffice it to say, the offered pasteboard is among the best of the best!