October Legends Closing November 1
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/2/2014
After the New York Yankees failed to make the World Series in 1959 for the first time since 1954, Mickey Mantle’s salary for the 1960 season was slashed by $10,000.
This contract calls for Mantle to receive $60,000, a small decrease from the $70,000 he earned a season earlier, and the first time his salary was ever dropped.
The contract derives from the personal collection of the Mantle family, and was originally sold last year to raise money for Superstorm Sandy relief. The consignors to that charity auction was the Mantle family. Listing his home as "Dallas, Texas," the “March 12, 1960” dated standard four-page “Uniform Players Contract American League of Professional Baseball Clubs” document designates a salary of $60,000, and is signed on page three “Mickey Mantle” and Yankees general manager “H. Roy Hamey.” This Mantle signature is a bold, blue ink highly desirable early career signature.
It is interesting to see the changes Mantle made to his signature from the early playing days up to the final show signing he attended. The Mick won regenerated the Yankee dominance in the American League, helloing the potent 1960 squad to the first of five straight World Series appearances. In 1960, Mantle slammed 40 home runs, and was second in the AL MVP race to new teammate Roger Maris. All the blue ink is (“9/10”) and the contract exhibits original and usual storage folds but no other significant qualifications, and remains in Near Mint condition. This was Mickey Mantle’s own personal copy of the 1960 contract, and was housed in their file cabinets for over 50 years before being auctioned last year. It is now available again. Full LOA from PSA/DNA, cert number U06427.