This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/4/2016
During the month of September, 1959, Mickey Mantle and several teammates wandered into a Greenwich Village haunt by the name of the “Village Restaurant and Bakery Corporation” located at 575 Hudson Street. Our consignor, a young boy, the son of the owners, was working that night and had the courage to strike up a conversation with the Yankee super star. At some point it was discovered that they both shared the same birthday, October 20th. Mantle, taking a liking to his new friend, gifted our consignor with this very glove.
In a series of extensive interviews by MEARS with the consignor, I can state I am 100% confident that the facts of the story are accurate and correct. The bar is still standing, although under new management, and a google image is provided in his listing for verification. Our consignor has agreed to speak with all interested parties, and will gladly share the memories (in great detail) of the day he met Mickey Mantle and received this glove.
Upon the evaluation performed by the expert staff of MEARS, we were able to find images of Mantle wearing the Mickey Mantle Personal Model Rawlings glove during the era and verify that the bar was at the Greenwich Village location during the 1959 season per our consignor.
According to the book, “A Vintage Baseball Glove Price Guide” by Joe Phillips & Dave Bushing, the first Mickey Mantle Rawlings personal model gloves were manufactured during 1954. The design feature, the Snugger and laced pocket were first introduced in 1956-19567, thus our dating of 1956-1959. Although the Mickey Mantle Personal Model was offered by Rawlings from 1954 through 1959, the Snugger and laced pocket allow us to date the glove to the 1956-1959 time frame. Unlike bats and jerseys, it was not uncommon for players to use their own professional model gloves which were offered via the Rawlings dealer catalogs. With the Mickey Mantle Personal Model being top of the line, this is the glove which would have been appropriate for Mantle to have used.
Mantle has been photographically documented using the Harvey Haddix model during the era and this is considered his main model glove as supported by examples that have entered the hobby and an abundance of period images.
Our research has found two photos of Mantle posing with the Mickey Mantle personal model. The first is the 1956 Rawlings Adversary Staff photo where Mantle is sitting in the lock room. This may have been a posed shot. The second, is a 1954 dated spring training image.
During 1959, the Yankees had been eliminated from post season play by the Chicago White Sox. Our consignor received the glove and kept it has his prized possession. Upon review, MEARS could not find any evidence of a player identification written on the glove, which was typically a “7” or the word “Mick”. I do not believe it was ever applied. The glove is heavily worn with one broken finger lace, which was the result of our consignor playing with his special gift.
The actual degree of game use cannot be determined, but by provenance and the consistency of the actual glove when compared to the two images of Mickey Mantle holding a Personal Model Rawlings glove, it is with high probability that this glove was owned and worn by the Mick. It was certainly owned by Mickey Mantle and gifted to our consignor in 1959. With absolute certainty he recalled that the glove was not brand new and was already broken in and used when he received it from the hands of Mantle, indicating use during the season by Mantle. LOA consignor, MEARS Auctions.
(97Y0387)