1950 New York Yankees Ticket Stub - Mickey Mantle's First Appearance in a Yankees Uniform - PSA EX 5 - Only Graded Example Known!

Sold For:

$630

Year:

1950

Auction:

2020 Summer

Lot #:

1948

Category:

Post-1900 Baseball Memorabilia

Although Mickey Mantle made his Major League debut with the New York Yankees on April 17, 1951, that game did not mark his first appearance in a Yankees uniform. That historic event occurred exactly seven months earlier, on September 17, 1950. Mantle, who was enjoying a stellar season at Joplin that summer, was called up to the Yankees, along with Gil McDougald, in mid September, joining the club in St. Louis on September 17th for a doubleheader agains the Browns. Offered here is an exceedingly rare ticket stub from that game, graded EX 5 by PSA. This is the ONLY example evaluated by PSA and the only example of this historic ticket we have ever seen. Mantle's first game in a Yankees uniform was covered by The New York Times on September 17th, which reported “The highly touted Mickey Mantle, brilliant 18-year-old shortstop prospect, also will join the Yanks on this jaunt (road trip). 'Nothing like giving these kids first-hand demonstration of what it’s like on a ball club shooting for a pennant,’ says Casey (Stengel). Mantle, a switch-hitter, batted at a .390 clip for Joplin during the past season.” In his 1985 autobiography, The Mick (Doubleday & Company, Inc., New York, Mantle described the moment in his own words: "It was Sunday, September 17, 1950, and I was at Sportsman's Park, moments before the Yankees-St. Louis Browns doubleheader. I can't imagine anyone being more scared. There was a big crowd and the noise kept building while the Yankees took infield practice. I watched, in awe of Phil Rizzuto. A human vacuum cleaner, going wide to his left or right, snapping balls into his glove with unerring quickness. They didn't give him the nickname Scooter for nothing." The Yankees were in a tight pennant race with both the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox at the time, and held a slim one game lead on the Tigers heading into the doubleheader on September 17th. Because the race was so tight down the stretch, Mantle never saw any action during his two weeks with the club. This ticket stub (1.5 x 2.5 inches), issued for a "Balcony Chair," is a superb, tangible souvenir from Mantle's first game in a New York Yankees uniform, making it among the most desirable of all Mantle items and one that would be a welcomed addition to even the most advanced Mickey Mantle collection. Reserve $200. Estimate (open).