Mickey Mantle was the next big thing for the New York Yankees even before his debut in 1951. Signed by legendary scout Tom Greenwade moments after his high school graduation in 1949, Mantle ripped through minor league pitching and began the 1951 season with the big league club after impressing in Spring Training. Although he spent a portion of the season in the minor leagues, Mantle managed to hit the first 13 home runs of his career in only 96 games in 1951. The 19 year old Mantle proved himself worthy of replacing the mighty Joe DiMaggio in center field at Yankee Stadium with his strong rookie season performance.

     This off-white, flannel, pinstriped home jersey is a reproduction of the Yankees’ jerseys from the 1951 season. This jersey has the number “7” sewn on the back in navy blue felt, indicating that it is from the second half of the 1951 season, as Mantle wore number “6” before his brief demotion to AAA and “7” in during the season’s home stretch. The interlocking “NY” Yankee logo is sewn on the left breast of this jersey. An American League 50th anniversary patch is affixed to the left sleeve. A “mantle set 1” tag is sewn on the inside back collar of the jersey, while Wilson size “42” and “51 – 42 – 7” tags are sewn on the front left tail of the jersey. Mantle signed the jersey in blue marker beneath the “NY” logo. This item is accompanied by a LOA from Steve Grad of Beckett Authentication (A81815).

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