Mickey Mantle Jersey Hits Home Run at LiveAuctionTalk.com
Rosemary McKittrick is a storyteller. Her weekly art and antiques column brings the world of collecting into focus.


SANTA FE, NM, July 17, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Long before Mickey Mantle was born, his dad, a miner from northeast Oklahoma dreamed about having a kid who would escape the mines and grow up to be a great professional baseball player. Nicknamed Mutt, Mantle's dad, shared his dream more than once with the woman he married.

At a year-old Mutt was trying to figure out what kind of athlete the baby would turn out to be. At six-years-old a young Mickey Mantle came home from school and found his father and grandfather in the yard. They had a small bat and several tennis balls.

"Just try to hit the balls we throw," Mutt said. The boy swung. It was a smooth, natural right-handed swing.

"When I throw the ball, you go ahead and swing the way you're doing now," Mutt added. But when Grandpa throws the ball, I want you to turn around and swing the other way."

With two devoted coaches the young Mantle learned to drive the ball left-handed with the same power he did right-handed. Mutt understood even then that if his son was going to make it in the Big Leagues he needed an edge.

Mantle found it..

On April 29, Grey Flannel Auctions, Westhampton Beach, N.Y., featured the earliest known Mickey Mantle, game-used and autographed Home pinstripe flannel jersey.

Mantle signed the left front tail in black marker. The signature is vintage and large. The 1952 jersey sold for $188,318. It came with a 16 inch by 20 inch autographed photo of Mantle wearing the same shirt.

A sweet piece of baseball history.

Read the full story at: http://www.LiveAuctionTalk.com

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About LiveAuctionTalk

LiveAuctionTalk.com is devoted to the rare, weird and wonderful objects people love to collect.

• One of the largest "Live" auction information databases on the Internet.
• Over 800 articles including photographs are currently FREE to website visitors.
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Rosemary has provided auction coverage and analysis on thousands-and-thousands of antiques and collectibles sold since the column started 16-years ago. She includes auction sale results to give readers a feel for what their treasures are worth because the power of auctions is simple.

When the bidding stops and the hammer falls, the value of an item is set. The buyer, not the seller, sets the price, and this simple distinction cuts through all the chitchat about what art, antiques and collectibles are really worth. The emphasis is on today's values, not yesterday's wishful thinking.

Each week another new article is posted featuring a particular area of collecting.

• Every article showcases an auction item and how it fits into the big picture.
• A compelling, historical context is provided for the treasures people collect.
• Collecting tips are offered.
• Current "prices realized" are listed.

Rosemary is the co-author of The Official Price Guide to Fine Art published by Random House and received her training in the trenches working as a professional appraiser and weekly columnist.

Contact:

Rosemary McKittrick
info@LiveAuctionTalk.com

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