(LOT 4)
1951 NY Yankees April 17th Ticket Stub Yankees-5, Red Sox-0 - Opening Day & Mickey Mantle's MLB Debut PSA 1 PR
If not for Mutt Mantle, Mickey's father, who knows whether The Mick might have ever been discovered, let alone become a ballplayer at all, especially one bound for the hallowed halls of Cooperstown. After spending his days tirelessly toiling away in the zinc and lead mines of Oklahoma, Mutt not only taught Mickey the game of baseball but also insisted that his boy learn to hit from both sides of the plate, turning him into the rare switch hitter. In 1948, as Yankees scout Tom Greenwade stopped in Oklahoma to evaluate Mickey's teammate on his semipro Baxter Springs Whiz Kids team, 16-year-old Mantle caught the scout's eye when he hit two home runs, one from either side of the plate. A year later Greenwade returned and signed the Commerce Comet upon graduation and Mickey spent September riding the Yankees bench, getting his first taste of the big leagues. Expectations were high when The Mick arrived at training camp in 1951, as Mickey was assigned the #6 uniform number, implying that he was the Yankees "NEXT" great player to follow in the footsteps of #3 Ruth, #4 Gehrig and #5 DiMaggio. Adding insult to injury, as they say, the Yankee Clipper and beloved outfielder for 13 seasons, Joe DiMaggio, announced his retirement at season's end, only adding to the pressure shouldered by Mantle. When Mickey made his Major League debut on April 17, 1951, there was a buzz at Yankees Stadium as they faced the rival Boston Red Sox.

In his first big league start, playing right field, Mickey Mantle went 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. An historic April 17, 1951 ticket stub is offered here in a PR 1 holder from PSA. This Lower Stand Game No. 1 admission ticket not only presents evidence of same-game storage in a pants pocket or blazer but also 74 years of Yankee pride display wear. With a fairly clean face and some soiling on the back, this characteristically torn stub remains in great condition considering so many of these were discarded in waste cans or lost in the street. This incredible Yankees and Mickey Mantle relic is a true rarity, as only 25 examples have ever been encapsulated by PSA. So regardless of the grade, this is a chance to own a piece of history of one of the greatest hitters ever. As for Mutt, The Mick suffered through a difficult slump midseason in 1951 and was sent to Kansas City for seasoning. Determined to quit, he called Mutt to tell him his plans, to which his father drove from Commerce, OK to KC to bring his "coward" son home. But his tough love and Mickey feeling as though Mutt "leveled a double-barreled shotgun at my head", the kid relented and ended up going on a tear, returning to the Yankees lineup and finishing the season with 91 hits including 13 homers and 65 RBIs with a .267 batting average. Mutt died only a year later due to cancer.

MIN BID $10,000
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