Presented is a 1949 Mickey Mantle signed Commerce (Oklahoma) High School senior yearbook. The Hall of Fame New York Yankees centerfielder inscribed “Mick Mantle” in block letters in black ink on page seven of his alma mater’s yearbook, over his portrait in black & white. The headshot of Mantle entering his senior year at Commerce High features the caption “Mickey Mantle They’re great Pals, he and his baseball jacket. Football 3, 4 Basketball 1, 2, 3, 4 Tiger Chat 4, Bengal Tales Baseball”. The yearbook, entitled “Bengal Tales 1949 Published by The Senior Class of Commerce High School Commerce, Oklahoma” is a white leatherette hardcover. The binding is loose in the front flyleaf but otherwise the book is in clean, crisp condition with a protective brown paper jacket. Mantle was born on October 20, 1931, in Spavinaw, Oklahoma. When Mantle was four years old, his family moved to the nearby town of Commerce, Oklahoma, where his father worked in lead and zinc mines. As a teenager, Mantle rooted for the St. Louis Cardinals. In addition to his first love, baseball, Mantle was an all-around athlete at Commerce High School, playing basketball as well as football. He played halfback and Oklahoma offered him a football scholarship. His football playing nearly ended his athletic career. In his sophomore year, he was kicked on the left shin during a practice game, and he developed osteomyelitis, a crippling disease that was incurable just a few years earlier, in his left ankle. Mantle's parents drove him at midnight to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where he was treated at the children's hospital with the newly available penicillin, which reduced the infection and saved his leg from amputation. Mantle began his professional baseball career in Kansas with the semi-professional Baxter Springs Whiz Kids. In 1948 Yankees scout Tom Greenwade came to Baxter Springs to watch Mantle's teammate, third baseman Willard "Billy" Johnson. During the game, Mantle hit three home runs. Greenwade returned in 1949, after Mantle's high school graduation, to sign Mantle to a minor league contract. Mantle signed for $140 per month with a $1,500 signing bonus. This item comes with a LOA from JSA.

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