This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/24/2020
The passing of the torch from Joe DiMaggio to Mickey Mantle as the leader of the New York Yankees in 1951 didn't go quite as smoothly as the transition of Ruth to Gehrig and Gehrig to DiMaggio before it. While the previous conversions appeared almost seamless, Mantle sputtered in his major-league debut and was briefly sent back to the minors. The bright lights and high expectations of the Bronx faithful, not to mention the burden of "being next in line" with jersey #6, proved to be too much for the fresh-faced teen from Oklahoma. But "The Mick" regained his confidence, and once he started flashing the extraordinary talent that all knew he was capable of, the New York Yankees continued the dynasty humming along, making a post-season run virtually every year, as they had done in the past. One of those rare misses came in 1959, just the second time that "The Mick" was left on the outside looking in as the Yankees had to endure another Dodgers championship, this time over the Chicago White Sox from their new confines in Los Angeles. Mantle was hungry to get back into the World Series, and while his 1960 regular season wasn't his best with a .275 batting average representing a low-water mark of his career to that point, he did lead the American League with 40 homers and 119 runs scored while finishing 2nd in the AL MVP voting to teammate Roger Maris. Behind the batting of the "M&M boys," the Yankees ran away with the American League pennant, finishing eight games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles. And so Mantle was once again the centerpiece of an American League champion vying for the title. The 1960 post-season saw the New York Yankees making it to the championship contest for the 8th time in 10 seasons, having won five of them. And in the 1960 contest, Mantle was again the star of the series, blasting 3 homers and driving in 11 runs with a .400 batting average; numbers that all but assured him a World Series MVP title. But it wasn't just the numbers that were setting Mantle up for the World Series MVP trophy, it was a moment in Game 2 when Mantle hit a home run that became, according to The New York Times, the first right-handed round-tripper in the 51-year existence of Forbes Field to clear the 436-foot centerfield fence. That MVP trophy was practically in Mantle's hands but it was not to be as Bill Mazeroski, a player known more for his glove than his bat, pulled off his World Series walk-off homer to take the title for the Pirates. One of the greatest disappointments in his career, Mantle described the scene, "I couldn't stop crying.'' Merlyn (his wife) finally said, 'Mickey, it's only a game.' Maybe so, but just then I felt as bad as I've felt in my whole life.'' The featured Adirondack 302 bat was used by Mickey Mantle during the 1960 World Series, a contest that went from his greatest post-season triumph to his most disappointing defeat with one swing of the bat. Carrying a weight of 31.6 ounces and a length of 35.5 inches, it's right within the range of Mantle's lumber preferences with the model number 113A appearing on the knob and the block-lettered "MANTLE" imprinted to the right of "1960 World Series", which appears to the right of the Adirondack center brand, all delivered in a rare white letter style. Significant game-use is evident with heavy ball marks, deeply embedded stitch marks, and scattered cleat marks, though the piece is uncracked with no dead wood or alterations present. The always familiar "Mickey Mantle No. 7" signature and inscription appears below the barrel stamping in bold blue marker. The bat has been examined by Troy Kinunen/MEARS and has been awarded a perfect score of A10, rock-solid authentication to be sure! An amazing game-used bat from the most celebrated player of the post-war era, used during one of the most memorable championship matchups in baseball history! LOA from MEARS.