Lot # 454: Ultra-Rare Mickey Mantle “Oklahoma Kid” Signed Official Bobby Brown A.L. Baseball – One of Only a Few Known Existing Examples – PSA LOA w/an "8 AUTO" Grade/JSA LOA

Category: Signed Balls

Starting Bid: $3,000.00

Bids: 17 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Spring Rarities 2022",
which ran from 4/29/2022 4:00 PM to
5/21/2022 7:00 PM




(LOT 454)
Ultra-Rare Mickey Mantle "Oklahoma Kid" Signed Official Bobby Brown A.L. Baseball – One of Only a Few Known Existing Examples – PSA LOA w/an "8 AUTO" Grade/JSA LOA

Mickey Mantle's roots can be traced back to Spavinaw, Oklahoma where he was born on October 20, 1931, the son of "Mutt" and Lovell Mantle. From the moment of his birth, his father dreamed of raising Mickey to be an MLB player, justifying why he named him directly after his own idol, Tigers HOF catcher Mickey Cochrane. At the early age of three, Mutt began teaching him to be a switch hitter, feeling that would give his son an immense advantage at the plate and a fast track to the big leagues. An extremely hard earner, Mutt worked in the lead and zinc mines, moving his family to Commerce, OK. when Mickey was only four years old. Mickey went to Commerce High School, and his unfathomable power led him to be drafted by the Yankees scout Tom Greenwade in 1949, ultimately making his MLB debut on April 17,1951 in a 5-0 win against the Bo-Sox. Mickey would now embark on a spectacular MLB career, yet for all of his popularity in the 'Big Apple", his Oklahoma based lineage was always near and dear to his heart. Nicknamed the "Commerce Comet" due to his Secretariat-like blinding speed, Mantle lived in Commerce, OK. during the off-season with his wife Merilyn and four sons for most of his career, and it was the Mick's beloved lineage that stood near and dear to his heart.

It is no secret that the patrons of Oklahoma worshiped Mantle as well, with two imposing bronze statues of him still residing in front of Oklahoma City's Chickasaw Bricktown Stadium (batting left-handed), and beyond the centerfield fence of his Commerce hometown's high school field (batting right-handed). It was his Oklahoma origin that spurred the seldom used "Oklahoma Kid" nickname, a name more commonly utilized by his home-town citizens, and a nickname seldom acknowledge by Mantle. For that reason alone, while various anomalies for scripted Mantle baseballs typically include "Mickey Charles Mantle" and "Commerce Comet"', virtually never does a horsehide sphere appear with the near-impossible "Oklahoma Kid" scripted beneath his hallowed name. To the best of our knowledge, there are only a few known specimens, with this ultra-rare offering being one of those Cooperstown worthy heirlooms. Mantle has signed his legendary "Mickey Mantle" name in bold blue ball-point pen on the side panel of an Official A.L. Bobby Brown baseball, with the near-impossible "Oklahoma Kid" inscription placed directly beneath his hallowed name. Both the red-stitched ball and blue ink signatures reveal outstanding eye pleasing quality. Unlike another "Oklahoma Kid" Mantle autographed baseball that recently sold for $14,400 with several toning spots and no PSA LOA, this breathtaking offering's white horsehide leather is relatively clean and includes a full PSA LOA reflecting a highly-coveted "8 NM-MT" autograph grade.

Indeed, of the handful of known "Oklahoma Kid" scripted baseballs, we have never seen a finer example, with the accompanying PSA "8 AUTO" and JSA/James Spence LOAs cementing its ironclad authenticity. The iconic legacy of Mickey Charles Mantle and his solidified place in our National Pastime's glorious history cannot be overstated, for "The Mick" electrified his fan base 18 years via his Goliath-like power. Mantle walloped a baseball further than any player who ever graced an MLB batter's box, substantiated by his ten documented 500+ foot round-trippers, one of which traveled a record-setting 565 feet clear out of Griffith's Stadium in 1953. Two additional Mantle long balls struck the Yankee Stadium right-field façade, with mathematicians actually estimating each of those mammoth dingers would have exceeded 600 feet had they exited Yankee Stadium. While Mantle's seven world-championships, 1956 Triple Crown, 536 homers, and .977 OPS are certainly formidable achievements, it was his supernatural-like power that captivated an adoring Nation, adding to his unparalleled mystique and justifying why hobbyists seek his rarest collectibles. That said, this Cooperstown worthy offering is an irrefutable "must have" for the most sophisticated Mickey Mantle enthusiast, with its awe-inspiring aesthetics, extremely rare "Oklahoma Kid" inscription, and unlimited investment potential combining to place it as a world-class Mantle keepsake!

MIN BID $3,000
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