In the summer of 1961, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris engaged in baseball’s first great arms race, as both sluggers raced to break Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record. Maris emerged with the record, mashing 61 home runs, while Mantle, hampered by injury, finished with a still incredible 54. These Yanks were destined for a World Series title and they did not disappoint, defeating the Cincinnati Reds in five games.
Any game used item from that famous summer of 1961 is often looked upon with reverence and this offered Yankees’ home jersey from pitcher Jim Coates is no exception. What separates this beauty from other gamers is that it has been photo matched by Resolution Photomatching to images from the May 14, 1961 double-header and on September 5, 1961. Coates was a stalwart on the mound, pitching to a 11-5 record with a solid 3.44 ERA. In those three games this jersey was photo matched to, Coates defeated the Tigers on May 14th pitching in both games and earning the victory in the second game. On September 5th, Coates pitched a complete game in the Yankees 6-1 victory over the Washington Senators, allowing only one run and getting his 10th win of the season.
The home white flannel jersey has the famous intertwined “NY” in the left chest in navy felt. The Spalding tag with an adjacent “42” label is sewn in the lower left front tail. The label shows fraying but is still attached and legible. “61’” is chain stitched below in navy. Inside the collar is a white felt strip tag with “Coates” chain stitched in navy. The name “Crowder” is handwritten in faded red marker next to “Coates”. The pitcher’s number “39” is sewn on the back in navy felt. Coates has signed his name in blue marker on the right chest even with the interlocking “NY” on the left and inscribed “#39”. This jersey comes with a LOA from Resolution Photomatching (426151), who have photo matched this jersey to the two dates and three games previously referenced and a LOA from PSA/DNA (AE71410) for the signature.