Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction September 2023
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/19/2023
A big year for the Bronx Bombers, with the inclusion of a promising youngster, Casey Stengel stated "My god, the boy runs faster than Cobb" when first seeing a cherub-cheeked Mickey Mantle running windsprints against teammates at spring training in 1951. The only time the Yankees traveled west to get the club in shape for the coming season, the team would play 9 games in Phoenix against the Indians, White Sox, Cubs and Pirates, along with games in between in California, followed by additional games in San Antonio, Austin, Beaumont, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City and Louisville. Mantle would complete spring training batting .402, with nine homers and 31 RBIs. This undated 1951 Yankees spring training program was produced for Phoenix Municipal Stadium vs Cleveland, with Mantle written into the line-up. According to the schedule listed near the front of the program, the Yankees battled Cleveland on March 11th and March 13th, as well as April 2nd (the article "Yankees Go West in 1951" from the Spring Training History website mentions the first game of spring training was against Cleveland on March 10th in Tucson. The article also mentions that Jackie Jensen pitched in the March 11th and March 13th matches, then returned to the outfield, with Jensen listed in this program as the outfield). Both Cleveland and the Yankees' line-ups are handwritten, with Mantle listed at right field, crossed-out with "Mapes" (Cliff Mapes) handwritten beside it. While it cannot be definitively dated, the program is likely from the April 2nd match when considering Jensen would have been in the outfield, and it represents one of Mantle's first games with the Yankees, albeit in spring training. The program shows light handling wear, with no issues. Accompanying the program, we have a partial circa 1950 Yankees picture pack (12) with original envelope. At 8 1/2" x 11", the black and white photos sport facsimile signatures, with pictures present for DiMaggio, Dickey, Crosetti, Rizzuto, Mize, Berra and others. Most show minimal handling wear, with tears and marks to the envelope.
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