Baseball Jersey
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : Sport Baseball Babe Ruth Lou Gehrig Textiles
See also : Sport Baseball Babe Ruth Lou Gehrig Textiles
Intro
A 1908 Red Sox road grey jersey of Cy Young was sold for $ 660K by Heritage on August 4, 2011, lot 80076.
Walter Johnson was one of the greatest baseball pitchers of all time, succeeding and overcoming Cy Young and in competition with his contemporary Christy Mathewson. The motion of his arm created an exceptional speed to the ball. He was nicknamed The Big Train. He made his career of player with the Washington Senators.
Two jerseys are firmly attributed to Johnson. A 1927 road jersey is on display at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown NY.
The other piece is another road jersey, in the 1918-1923 fashion. It is photo-matched by Resolution Photomatching to a 1920 game at the Polo Grounds where the Senators were playing against the Yankees including the slugger Babe Ruth. 1920 was the final year of the dead ball era. In 1936 Johnson and Ruth will be two of the five inaugural inductees of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
This Spalding grey garment in thick flannel with blue stripes has on each sleeve an embroidered W mark for Washington. It was graded a perfect A10 by MEARS after spending eight decades in the estate of a teammate, and sold for $ 350K on June 24, 2006 by Sotheby's in association with SCP, lot 168. It was sold for $ 2M by Heritage on May 17, 2024, lot 82172.
Walter Johnson was one of the greatest baseball pitchers of all time, succeeding and overcoming Cy Young and in competition with his contemporary Christy Mathewson. The motion of his arm created an exceptional speed to the ball. He was nicknamed The Big Train. He made his career of player with the Washington Senators.
Two jerseys are firmly attributed to Johnson. A 1927 road jersey is on display at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown NY.
The other piece is another road jersey, in the 1918-1923 fashion. It is photo-matched by Resolution Photomatching to a 1920 game at the Polo Grounds where the Senators were playing against the Yankees including the slugger Babe Ruth. 1920 was the final year of the dead ball era. In 1936 Johnson and Ruth will be two of the five inaugural inductees of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
This Spalding grey garment in thick flannel with blue stripes has on each sleeve an embroidered W mark for Washington. It was graded a perfect A10 by MEARS after spending eight decades in the estate of a teammate, and sold for $ 350K on June 24, 2006 by Sotheby's in association with SCP, lot 168. It was sold for $ 2M by Heritage on May 17, 2024, lot 82172.
1920 Babe Ruth Road Jersey
2012 SOLD for $ 4.4M by SCP
The jerseys worn by baseball champions in the 1920s are extremely rare at auction. Some have been kept for many decades by their families as a mere memory.
The players used two jerseys, a home jersey for the games on their field and a road jersey for trips. A jersey could be used throughout one season or more, which further increases their rarity.
Compared to the next period, documents allowing photo-matching are scarce. The experts thus pay the greatest attention to the details of making which allow an identification of the year or a range of years, rather than on the shears in the textile or on misalignments in the inscriptions.
On May 19, 2012, SCP Auctions sold for $ 4.4M a game worn jersey of Babe Ruth. A photo of the champion made in March 1920 shows him with a jersey identical as this example.
This road jersey had been exhibited for many years at the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum in Baltimore. Its New York Yankees front marking is dated circa 1920. The maker was Spalding.
In very good condition, it retains its original identification with the name of Ruth.
The players used two jerseys, a home jersey for the games on their field and a road jersey for trips. A jersey could be used throughout one season or more, which further increases their rarity.
Compared to the next period, documents allowing photo-matching are scarce. The experts thus pay the greatest attention to the details of making which allow an identification of the year or a range of years, rather than on the shears in the textile or on misalignments in the inscriptions.
On May 19, 2012, SCP Auctions sold for $ 4.4M a game worn jersey of Babe Ruth. A photo of the champion made in March 1920 shows him with a jersey identical as this example.
This road jersey had been exhibited for many years at the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum in Baltimore. Its New York Yankees front marking is dated circa 1920. The maker was Spalding.
In very good condition, it retains its original identification with the name of Ruth.
BABE RUTH BIRTHDAY: Today on January 6 1895 the greatest player to play the game of Baseball was born. Here is the best piece of Ruthian memorabilia sold by @SCPAuctions for $4,415,658 World record for a piece of sports memorabilia #Baberuth @baseballhall @Yankees @MLB #MLB pic.twitter.com/Z5BL5bA2DF
— SCP Auctions (@SCPAuctions) February 6, 2018
1928-1929 Babe Ruth Road Jersey
2019 SOLD for $ 5.6M by Hunt
A Spalding road jersey of size 46 attributed to Babe Ruth has just surfaced. It was sold for $ 5.6M by Hunt Auctions on June 15, 2019, lot 47. The sale is mostly devoted to a personal collection of Babe Ruth, perhaps to be correlated with the very recent death of his second daughter.
The 'Yankees' mark on the front side enables to date the garment between 1927 and 1930. A label inside the collar is marked 'Ruth'. A number 3 has been erased at some point while leaving some traces.
The photos of Babe Ruth in 1927 show another placement of the buttons. The photo-matching orients rather towards 1928 or 1929. It is in 1929 that the Yankees began to sew a number on the jerseys to facilitate the identification of the players by the public. Ruth had received the number 3.
The 'Yankees' mark on the front side enables to date the garment between 1927 and 1930. A label inside the collar is marked 'Ruth'. A number 3 has been erased at some point while leaving some traces.
The photos of Babe Ruth in 1927 show another placement of the buttons. The photo-matching orients rather towards 1928 or 1929. It is in 1929 that the Yankees began to sew a number on the jerseys to facilitate the identification of the players by the public. Ruth had received the number 3.
UPDATE: Babe Ruth NY Yankees Jersey added to Ruth Collection Live Auction at @yankeestadium. Professional model Yankees Road Jersey Worn by the #Bambino dates to the 1928-30 era with Potential to Set World Record Pricing in Excess of $4,000,000! @NewYorkYankees #SultanofSwat @MLB pic.twitter.com/0dx9NChNR4
— Hunt Auctions (@HuntAuctions) April 23, 2019
1932 Babe Ruth's Called Shot Jersey
2024 SOLD for $ 24M by Heritage
The 1932 World Series was opposing the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs. An animosity was growing between both teams since Yankee manager Joe McCarthy had been fired by the Cubs two years earlier despite winning the National League pennant in the previous season.
Game 3 was played in Chicago. On the fifth inning, Babe Ruth hit a home run after making a pointing gesture visible from the whole stadium. The ball traveled to the stands for an easy home run which was decisive for the Yankees to lead the Series. This homer in a mere jogging made laugh the presidential candidate Roosevelt.
What the champion expressed in his emotional gesture has not been correctly disclosed, possibly simply a challenge against the insults from the Cubs. The unprecedented shot beyond the field was interpreted by observers as indissociable from the sporting feat, identified by a journalist as a "called shot", a term used in billiards. Ruth later said that it was the funniest, proudest moment he had ever had in baseball.
A road jersey was identified in 2005 as the possible uniform of the called shot. From a family's memory it had been presented by Ruth to a friend after losing a round of golf on him. The story shared by Grey Flannel also states an auction result by them at $ 1.06M which is not reported in the auction catalogue, on June 30, 2005 lot 1.
This garment is now photo-matched with three events of the same day. SGC assessed a Superior grade. It was sold for $ 24M by Heritage on August 24, 2024, lot 80162. Please watch the videos shared by the auction house, narrated by their executive vice president Joe Orlando.
Game 3 was played in Chicago. On the fifth inning, Babe Ruth hit a home run after making a pointing gesture visible from the whole stadium. The ball traveled to the stands for an easy home run which was decisive for the Yankees to lead the Series. This homer in a mere jogging made laugh the presidential candidate Roosevelt.
What the champion expressed in his emotional gesture has not been correctly disclosed, possibly simply a challenge against the insults from the Cubs. The unprecedented shot beyond the field was interpreted by observers as indissociable from the sporting feat, identified by a journalist as a "called shot", a term used in billiards. Ruth later said that it was the funniest, proudest moment he had ever had in baseball.
A road jersey was identified in 2005 as the possible uniform of the called shot. From a family's memory it had been presented by Ruth to a friend after losing a round of golf on him. The story shared by Grey Flannel also states an auction result by them at $ 1.06M which is not reported in the auction catalogue, on June 30, 2005 lot 1.
This garment is now photo-matched with three events of the same day. SGC assessed a Superior grade. It was sold for $ 24M by Heritage on August 24, 2024, lot 80162. Please watch the videos shared by the auction house, narrated by their executive vice president Joe Orlando.
After touring the country, including a return to Wrigley Field, and six plus hours in extended bidding tonight, Babe Ruth’s ‘Called Shot’ Jersey closes at $24.12 Million to become the world’s most valuable piece of sports memorabilia pic.twitter.com/EuHKB3KicP
— Heritage Auctions Sports (@Heritage_Sport) August 25, 2024
1937 Lou Gehrig Road Jersey
2019 SOLD for $ 2.6M by Heritage
Nicknamed the Iron Horse for his endurance, Lou Gehrig spent his entire career with the New York Yankees. He did not miss a single game from June 1925 to April 1939. Alongside his exuberant teammate Babe Ruth, the quiet strong man embodies the enthusiasm of the play.
In the 1920s, no one imagined that the uniforms of baseball champions would ever become collectibles. After the season, the jerseys were given to Minor League clubs which made an intensive use of them.
The New York Yankees players generally had two home jerseys and two road jerseys available for the entire season. The player's name was sewn in round letters on the inside of the collar next to the Spalding tag. The tight pattern of vertical blue stripes on the front of home jerseys makes photo-matching easier than on road jerseys.
On December 16, 2020, Christie's and Hunt sold as lot 46 for $ 1.44M a home jersey from Gehrig, photo-matched in April and September 1931.
This thick woolen flannel garment had been roughly handled, starting with the shortening of the sleeves in the summer of 1931. The thinning of the flannel at the shoulders was reworked. On the back, a vintage number 4 has been sewn back in place of the original 4 which had early disappeared. Reversely the absence of inscription on the front is in conformity with the original state. It was graded A6 by MEARS.
A few years later, more attention was paid to the conservation of such relics.
The retirement of Babe Ruth in 1935 increases the attention of the supporters to Lou Gehrig. In 1936 Lou even participates in a casting to replace Johnny Weissmuller in the role of Tarzan the Ape Man. On the field, 1936 and 1937 are great years with two consecutive victories of the Yankees in the World Series.
Around that time, players usually wore two home jerseys and two road jerseys per year. After the season it was customary to give the uniforms to a training club for young players where it was modified as needed.
A jersey game used by Lou Gehrig in 1937 and afterwards modified in a farm club was sold for $ 870K by Heritage on August 19, 2017. Its lower grade A6.5 by MEARS was outweighed by a historical appeal : it was matched with the photo used as a model for the Gehrig Monument at the Yankee Stadium Monument Park.
In June 2018 SCP reported that they had achieved the private sale of a road jersey of Lou Gehrig, photo-matched with two games from August 1937. Escaping the nursery clubs, it had been presented to a friend by George Weiss, general manager of the Yankees, and had been kept by the family. The 2018 price has not been disclosed.
The matching had been done by Resolution Photomatching, considering that the alignment to the seam and buttons of the stitched Y beginning the word YORK is different for each jersey.
The same jersey was sold for $ 2.6M by Heritage on August 17, 2019, lot 56059. A document demonstrating the photo-matching in the press release prepared in 2018 by Resolution Photomatching is included in the catalog of Heritage and the original provenance is also with George Weiss. It is graded A9 by MEARS and Excellent by SGC, meaning that the only changes from the Spalding model are consistent with the known habits of the player.
In the 1920s, no one imagined that the uniforms of baseball champions would ever become collectibles. After the season, the jerseys were given to Minor League clubs which made an intensive use of them.
The New York Yankees players generally had two home jerseys and two road jerseys available for the entire season. The player's name was sewn in round letters on the inside of the collar next to the Spalding tag. The tight pattern of vertical blue stripes on the front of home jerseys makes photo-matching easier than on road jerseys.
On December 16, 2020, Christie's and Hunt sold as lot 46 for $ 1.44M a home jersey from Gehrig, photo-matched in April and September 1931.
This thick woolen flannel garment had been roughly handled, starting with the shortening of the sleeves in the summer of 1931. The thinning of the flannel at the shoulders was reworked. On the back, a vintage number 4 has been sewn back in place of the original 4 which had early disappeared. Reversely the absence of inscription on the front is in conformity with the original state. It was graded A6 by MEARS.
A few years later, more attention was paid to the conservation of such relics.
The retirement of Babe Ruth in 1935 increases the attention of the supporters to Lou Gehrig. In 1936 Lou even participates in a casting to replace Johnny Weissmuller in the role of Tarzan the Ape Man. On the field, 1936 and 1937 are great years with two consecutive victories of the Yankees in the World Series.
Around that time, players usually wore two home jerseys and two road jerseys per year. After the season it was customary to give the uniforms to a training club for young players where it was modified as needed.
A jersey game used by Lou Gehrig in 1937 and afterwards modified in a farm club was sold for $ 870K by Heritage on August 19, 2017. Its lower grade A6.5 by MEARS was outweighed by a historical appeal : it was matched with the photo used as a model for the Gehrig Monument at the Yankee Stadium Monument Park.
In June 2018 SCP reported that they had achieved the private sale of a road jersey of Lou Gehrig, photo-matched with two games from August 1937. Escaping the nursery clubs, it had been presented to a friend by George Weiss, general manager of the Yankees, and had been kept by the family. The 2018 price has not been disclosed.
The matching had been done by Resolution Photomatching, considering that the alignment to the seam and buttons of the stitched Y beginning the word YORK is different for each jersey.
The same jersey was sold for $ 2.6M by Heritage on August 17, 2019, lot 56059. A document demonstrating the photo-matching in the press release prepared in 2018 by Resolution Photomatching is included in the catalog of Heritage and the original provenance is also with George Weiss. It is graded A9 by MEARS and Excellent by SGC, meaning that the only changes from the Spalding model are consistent with the known habits of the player.
1947 Jackie Robinson Home Jersey
2017 SOLD for $ 2.05M by Heritage
The Brooklyn Dodgers were among the best baseball teams. In 1947 for the 7th time in their history they were champions of the National League. On that year their success had a historical dimension : for the first time, thanks to the obstinacy of their general manager Branch Rickey and to the courage of Jackie Robinson, the race barrier fell in one of its most protected strongholds, the Major League Baseball.
At the closing ceremony of the championship on September 23, 1947, a photo shows Jackie in a baseball uniform alongside his wife and a friend.
That game worn home jersey was treasured for half a century at first by Jackie and then by his widow. A great symbol of the movement that will lead to racial equality in the United States, it was sold for $ 2.05M by Heritage on November 19, 2017, lot 50001. Please watch the video shared by Heritage. It bears the number 42 which will be withdrawn by the MLB 50 years later as a reminder of Robinson's break of the race barrier.
The 1947 season ends from September 30 to October 6 with the World Series where the Dodgers are defeated by the Yankees in the seventh match. Rickey's choice had been relevant : Jackie Robinson was able to resist all insults up to and including the MLB's most prestigious event and his sporting qualities made him named Rookie of the Year.
Heritage reported in April 2018 the resale of this lot for $ 2.6M through their "Make offer to owner" program.
At the closing ceremony of the championship on September 23, 1947, a photo shows Jackie in a baseball uniform alongside his wife and a friend.
That game worn home jersey was treasured for half a century at first by Jackie and then by his widow. A great symbol of the movement that will lead to racial equality in the United States, it was sold for $ 2.05M by Heritage on November 19, 2017, lot 50001. Please watch the video shared by Heritage. It bears the number 42 which will be withdrawn by the MLB 50 years later as a reminder of Robinson's break of the race barrier.
The 1947 season ends from September 30 to October 6 with the World Series where the Dodgers are defeated by the Yankees in the seventh match. Rickey's choice had been relevant : Jackie Robinson was able to resist all insults up to and including the MLB's most prestigious event and his sporting qualities made him named Rookie of the Year.
Heritage reported in April 2018 the resale of this lot for $ 2.6M through their "Make offer to owner" program.
1951 Jackie Robinson Home Jersey
2024 SOLD for $ 5.5M by Heritage
Jackie Robinson made his whole MLB career as a player for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He retired in October 1956, having been one of the top baseball champions of his time beyond being the first one to break the MLB race barrier.
In an undated post not referenced in the 2022 auction below, Hunt reported that they had sold by private treaty for $ 4.2M a home jersey game worn by Robinson, photo matched by Resolution Photomatching and Photo-Match.com to several photos from the 1950 season. It is graded Excellent/Superior by SGC.
A home jersey of Robinson made by Rawlings St. Louis with a size 44 tag at the date of 1951 passed at Goldin on April 30, 2022, lot 1. It is graded A8 by MEARS. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
From the same player, year and maker, a home jersey with a size 42 tag was sold for $ 5.5M by Heritage on August 23, 2024, lot 80066. 100% original in unaltered condition and strong game wear, it is graded MEARS A10 and SGC Superior. Robinson's pants from the previous season are joined to the lot.
In 1952 the Dodgers changed the uniform design for a red obverse.
In an undated post not referenced in the 2022 auction below, Hunt reported that they had sold by private treaty for $ 4.2M a home jersey game worn by Robinson, photo matched by Resolution Photomatching and Photo-Match.com to several photos from the 1950 season. It is graded Excellent/Superior by SGC.
A home jersey of Robinson made by Rawlings St. Louis with a size 44 tag at the date of 1951 passed at Goldin on April 30, 2022, lot 1. It is graded A8 by MEARS. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
From the same player, year and maker, a home jersey with a size 42 tag was sold for $ 5.5M by Heritage on August 23, 2024, lot 80066. 100% original in unaltered condition and strong game wear, it is graded MEARS A10 and SGC Superior. Robinson's pants from the previous season are joined to the lot.
In 1952 the Dodgers changed the uniform design for a red obverse.
1952 Mickey Mantle Road Jersey
2024 SOLD for $ 3M by Heritage
Mickey Mantle is that young handsome player who was iconic of the postwar American dream.
1952 had begun quite bad for him. The New York Yankees' great prospect, designated in early 1951 as Joe DiMaggio's successor, had finally made a dull season. After being downgraded to the Minor League, he returned to the Major League but suffered a severe injury to his right knee in an action with DiMaggio.
His father who was also his mentor dies on May 7, 1952 at the age of 40 of a blood disease. It was not known at the time that his illness was lead poisoning developed when mining. The 21 year old Mickey who was psychologically fragile believed in a hereditary curse. On July 8 he is selected for the All-Star Game as an outfielder but left in reserve.
An excellent participation at the beginning of October in the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers launches the career of Mickey Mantle in a sustainable way. He scored a home run at the 8th inning of Game 6 played at Ebbets Fields. The Yankees won the Series 4-3 after Game 7.
A Spalding road gray flannel jersey dated 52 game worn by Mantle has been photo-matched by MeiGray with the celebration of the 1952 Series win. The jersey was re-used in the next season and photo-matched by MeiGray with the celebration of the 1953 World Series won 4-2 by the Yankees also against the Dodgers. In the locker room at Ebbets Field a jubilant Mantle marks by four fingers raised his victory that had included a grand slam in Game 5. Another matching was made with a spring training in 1954.
The garment was not provided to a farm club. It was paid for $ 2.50 through a double monthly allowance in a 1955 charity event by a boy in an orphanage. It is still in an excellent overall condition with moderate to heavy game wear. All original buttons are present. It was sold for $ 3M by Heritage on August 23, 2024, lot 80067. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
1952 had begun quite bad for him. The New York Yankees' great prospect, designated in early 1951 as Joe DiMaggio's successor, had finally made a dull season. After being downgraded to the Minor League, he returned to the Major League but suffered a severe injury to his right knee in an action with DiMaggio.
His father who was also his mentor dies on May 7, 1952 at the age of 40 of a blood disease. It was not known at the time that his illness was lead poisoning developed when mining. The 21 year old Mickey who was psychologically fragile believed in a hereditary curse. On July 8 he is selected for the All-Star Game as an outfielder but left in reserve.
An excellent participation at the beginning of October in the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers launches the career of Mickey Mantle in a sustainable way. He scored a home run at the 8th inning of Game 6 played at Ebbets Fields. The Yankees won the Series 4-3 after Game 7.
A Spalding road gray flannel jersey dated 52 game worn by Mantle has been photo-matched by MeiGray with the celebration of the 1952 Series win. The jersey was re-used in the next season and photo-matched by MeiGray with the celebration of the 1953 World Series won 4-2 by the Yankees also against the Dodgers. In the locker room at Ebbets Field a jubilant Mantle marks by four fingers raised his victory that had included a grand slam in Game 5. Another matching was made with a spring training in 1954.
The garment was not provided to a farm club. It was paid for $ 2.50 through a double monthly allowance in a 1955 charity event by a boy in an orphanage. It is still in an excellent overall condition with moderate to heavy game wear. All original buttons are present. It was sold for $ 3M by Heritage on August 23, 2024, lot 80067. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
1954 Hank Aaron Rookie Road Jersey
2024 SLD for $ 2.1M by Heritage
Henry Aaron nicknamed Hank was one of the best baseball players, with a great record and a remarkable longevity in his career. He was one of the African-American athletes who were admired by Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Despite the famous breakthrough of Jackie Robinson in Major League in 1947, the beginnings of this quiet athlete born in Alabama are marred by racism and segregation. Playing as outfielder, his results in Negro League in 1952 and 1953 with the Indianapolis Clowns are already outstanding.
Henry enters the Major League in 1954 with the Milwaukee Braves. Topps publishes his rookie card under number 128, with a highly effective portrait. He is a good guy. The back of the card reinforces this feature by showing the player presenting to his friends his Minor League trophy watches. It may be noted from this example that Topps remains impartial with respect to racial issues.
Hank changed his number from 5 to 44 after he broke an ankle in the fall of 1954. A rookie road grey jersey of the Braves with the 44 has been photo-matched by Resolution Photomatching with a photo with the 5 taken in August 1954 and with several photos of the next year with the 44. MEARS authenticated that the outline of the 5 is still visible on that jersey between the two 4. The attributed impressions of the Braves on their jerseys are picturesque.
The garment wears an autograph salutation. It is graded A8.5 by MEARS. It was sold for $ 2.1M from a lower estimate of $ 1.5M by Heritage on August 23, 2024, lot 80068. Please watch the video narrated by Joe Orlando, shared by the auction house.
Despite the famous breakthrough of Jackie Robinson in Major League in 1947, the beginnings of this quiet athlete born in Alabama are marred by racism and segregation. Playing as outfielder, his results in Negro League in 1952 and 1953 with the Indianapolis Clowns are already outstanding.
Henry enters the Major League in 1954 with the Milwaukee Braves. Topps publishes his rookie card under number 128, with a highly effective portrait. He is a good guy. The back of the card reinforces this feature by showing the player presenting to his friends his Minor League trophy watches. It may be noted from this example that Topps remains impartial with respect to racial issues.
Hank changed his number from 5 to 44 after he broke an ankle in the fall of 1954. A rookie road grey jersey of the Braves with the 44 has been photo-matched by Resolution Photomatching with a photo with the 5 taken in August 1954 and with several photos of the next year with the 44. MEARS authenticated that the outline of the 5 is still visible on that jersey between the two 4. The attributed impressions of the Braves on their jerseys are picturesque.
The garment wears an autograph salutation. It is graded A8.5 by MEARS. It was sold for $ 2.1M from a lower estimate of $ 1.5M by Heritage on August 23, 2024, lot 80068. Please watch the video narrated by Joe Orlando, shared by the auction house.
1958 Mickey Mantle Home Jersey
2023 SOLD for $ 4.7M by Heritage
Mickey Mantle's feats feed the chronicle. During his first full MLB season in 1952, he had achieved 23 home runs with a batting average of .311. In 1953 he had hit a ball so hard that it flew out of the stadium.
In 1956 he was the Most Valuable Player with 52 home runs and an average of .353. He became the 12th batter in history to win the Major League Triple Crown, meaning that he was the best in the three categories : batting average, home runs and runs batted in. He was recognized by the Associated Press as the Athlete of the Year for all sports combined. He was again rewarded as American League MVP in 1957.
For that period, the photo-matching of New York Yankees jerseys is easy. The logo on the chest is composed of an N and a Y with curved branches, individually sewn by hand. Each piece is easily recognizable in the photos by the respective position of the two letters and by their positioning over the vertical stripes of the garment.
On January 23, 2020, Mile High Card sold as lot 1 for $ 650K a Spalding flannel home jersey dated 1955, on which the central bar of the N forms a narrow angle with the upper left bar of the Y. It is narrated in the pre sale article shared on January 1 by Sports Collector Daily.
This garment is matched with all of Mantle's photos in the Yankees Stadium from March 1956 to July 1956, with no prior use. The auction house estimates that Mantle achieved 17 homers with this jersey.
It is completely authentic except the large number 7 on the back which is not original. Such an alteration was a standard practice when a jersey obsoleted by a player was offered to a lower league club. It is graded A7 by MEARS.
A pinstriped home jersey got seven photo-matchings in 1958-1959 by Resolution Photomatching, starting with an award ceremony at the Yankee Stadium on April 18, 1958. Having never been modified for lower league action, this garment is fully original excepted one button. It is graded Superior/Superior-Excellent by SGC equivalent to 9.5 in numerical grading. The dark navy felt logo on the chest and the number 7 on the back are in the original position.
This piece of uniform was sold for $ 4.7M from a lower estimate of $ 4M by Heritage on August 19, 2023, lot 80094. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
The NY Yankees were World Champions in 1958 but Mickey Mantle finished only on fifth position for the 1958 American League MVP award.
For more than one hundred years the World Series ends the season by opposing the champion of the National League and the champion of the American League.
The home run scored by Babe Ruth in the Third Game of 1932 is unforgettable, first by Ruth's defiance or victory gesture even before holding his bat, and then because this fifteenth and last homer scored by Ruth in World Series was a record.
To equal and then exceed a record set by Ruth is an enviable feat. Mickey Mantle ran his 15th World Series homer in 1963.
In 1964 the World Series was won in 7 games by the St. Louis Cardinals against the New York Yankees. The three homers scored by Mantle were not enough to defeat the Cardinals but they set his record at 18 homers. This was Mantle's last World Series performance because the Yankees failed to qualify until his retirement as a player in 1968.
Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 were played in St. Louis and games 3 to 5 in New York. Mantle's homers were split between both sites, in games 3, 6 and 7. On August 18, 2018, Heritage sold for $ 1.32M a jersey worn by Mickey Mantle, photo-matched with games 6 and 7, lot 80055. It is graded A9 by MEARS.
It was a common practice for the Yankees to wear new uniforms for the World Series. This jersey is therefore not photo-matched with previous games. A laundry mark indicates that it has also been prepared for the following season.
In an interview with Sports Collectors Daily during the National Sports Collectors Convention, the Heritage Auctions specialist underlines the extreme rarity of this type of piece. Please watch this video.
In 1956 he was the Most Valuable Player with 52 home runs and an average of .353. He became the 12th batter in history to win the Major League Triple Crown, meaning that he was the best in the three categories : batting average, home runs and runs batted in. He was recognized by the Associated Press as the Athlete of the Year for all sports combined. He was again rewarded as American League MVP in 1957.
For that period, the photo-matching of New York Yankees jerseys is easy. The logo on the chest is composed of an N and a Y with curved branches, individually sewn by hand. Each piece is easily recognizable in the photos by the respective position of the two letters and by their positioning over the vertical stripes of the garment.
On January 23, 2020, Mile High Card sold as lot 1 for $ 650K a Spalding flannel home jersey dated 1955, on which the central bar of the N forms a narrow angle with the upper left bar of the Y. It is narrated in the pre sale article shared on January 1 by Sports Collector Daily.
This garment is matched with all of Mantle's photos in the Yankees Stadium from March 1956 to July 1956, with no prior use. The auction house estimates that Mantle achieved 17 homers with this jersey.
It is completely authentic except the large number 7 on the back which is not original. Such an alteration was a standard practice when a jersey obsoleted by a player was offered to a lower league club. It is graded A7 by MEARS.
A pinstriped home jersey got seven photo-matchings in 1958-1959 by Resolution Photomatching, starting with an award ceremony at the Yankee Stadium on April 18, 1958. Having never been modified for lower league action, this garment is fully original excepted one button. It is graded Superior/Superior-Excellent by SGC equivalent to 9.5 in numerical grading. The dark navy felt logo on the chest and the number 7 on the back are in the original position.
This piece of uniform was sold for $ 4.7M from a lower estimate of $ 4M by Heritage on August 19, 2023, lot 80094. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
The NY Yankees were World Champions in 1958 but Mickey Mantle finished only on fifth position for the 1958 American League MVP award.
For more than one hundred years the World Series ends the season by opposing the champion of the National League and the champion of the American League.
The home run scored by Babe Ruth in the Third Game of 1932 is unforgettable, first by Ruth's defiance or victory gesture even before holding his bat, and then because this fifteenth and last homer scored by Ruth in World Series was a record.
To equal and then exceed a record set by Ruth is an enviable feat. Mickey Mantle ran his 15th World Series homer in 1963.
In 1964 the World Series was won in 7 games by the St. Louis Cardinals against the New York Yankees. The three homers scored by Mantle were not enough to defeat the Cardinals but they set his record at 18 homers. This was Mantle's last World Series performance because the Yankees failed to qualify until his retirement as a player in 1968.
Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 were played in St. Louis and games 3 to 5 in New York. Mantle's homers were split between both sites, in games 3, 6 and 7. On August 18, 2018, Heritage sold for $ 1.32M a jersey worn by Mickey Mantle, photo-matched with games 6 and 7, lot 80055. It is graded A9 by MEARS.
It was a common practice for the Yankees to wear new uniforms for the World Series. This jersey is therefore not photo-matched with previous games. A laundry mark indicates that it has also been prepared for the following season.
In an interview with Sports Collectors Daily during the National Sports Collectors Convention, the Heritage Auctions specialist underlines the extreme rarity of this type of piece. Please watch this video.
1968 Mickey Mantle Road Jersey
2022 SOLD for $ 2.2M by Heritage
The number of successful home runs (homers) in Major League baseball is the metrics that makes it possible to compare the best hitters of all time throughout their career. Babe Ruth was the first player to record his 500th homer in 1929, followed by Jimmie Foxx in 1940.
On September 19, 1968, the New York Yankees meet the Detroit Tigers. The absolute classification on that date is led by Ruth and Willie Mays with Foxx and Mickey Mantle sharing the third position with 534 homers each.
Since his rookie year in 1951, The Mick is a very popular player but at 37 years old in 1968 he has lost much of his effectiveness. During the game with Detroit, he holds the bat while the pitcher is one of his fervent admirers, Denny McLain, a strong personality who is not afraid of controversy. McLain launches an easy ball to Mantle and The Mick achieves his 535th homer with which he can finally overtake Foxx.
There was nothing illegal in this complacent pitch despite a wink by the Tiger when The Mick reached the third base. McLain will be reprimanded by the Major League Baseball Commissioner. Mantle will achieve before the end of that year his 536th and final homer.
These records have been exceeded many times : Mickey Mantle is currently in 13th position for the number of homers in Major League. His difficult end of life is forgotten and he has become again the symbol of the post-war American dream.
The road grey jersey worn by Mantle against the Tigers was autographed by him on the upper chest to a friend and signed "The Mick". This fully unaltered uniform with moderate game wear is graded A10 by MEARS. It was sold by Heritage for $ 490K on February 25, 2017, lot 80014, and for $ 850K on August 29, 2020, lot 80050.
Tentatively associated also with Mantle's final MLB game with the Yankees on September 20 in Boston, it was sold for $ 2.2M by Heritage on February 26, 2022, lot 80087. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Another road grey Yankees flannel jersey of Mickey Mantle was used in his final MLB season. It is signed and dedicated by him to a bat boy. Its size is 44 and its labels reads Wilson 1968 Set 2. It is graded A 9.5 by MEARS which characterize the game worn as heavy. MEARS deducted a half point from perfect for a glue staining at interior collar. It passed at Heritage on May 17, 2024, lot 82201.
It is estimated that less than 10 original MLB game worn jerseys of Mickey Mantle are in existence.
On September 19, 1968, the New York Yankees meet the Detroit Tigers. The absolute classification on that date is led by Ruth and Willie Mays with Foxx and Mickey Mantle sharing the third position with 534 homers each.
Since his rookie year in 1951, The Mick is a very popular player but at 37 years old in 1968 he has lost much of his effectiveness. During the game with Detroit, he holds the bat while the pitcher is one of his fervent admirers, Denny McLain, a strong personality who is not afraid of controversy. McLain launches an easy ball to Mantle and The Mick achieves his 535th homer with which he can finally overtake Foxx.
There was nothing illegal in this complacent pitch despite a wink by the Tiger when The Mick reached the third base. McLain will be reprimanded by the Major League Baseball Commissioner. Mantle will achieve before the end of that year his 536th and final homer.
These records have been exceeded many times : Mickey Mantle is currently in 13th position for the number of homers in Major League. His difficult end of life is forgotten and he has become again the symbol of the post-war American dream.
The road grey jersey worn by Mantle against the Tigers was autographed by him on the upper chest to a friend and signed "The Mick". This fully unaltered uniform with moderate game wear is graded A10 by MEARS. It was sold by Heritage for $ 490K on February 25, 2017, lot 80014, and for $ 850K on August 29, 2020, lot 80050.
Tentatively associated also with Mantle's final MLB game with the Yankees on September 20 in Boston, it was sold for $ 2.2M by Heritage on February 26, 2022, lot 80087. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Another road grey Yankees flannel jersey of Mickey Mantle was used in his final MLB season. It is signed and dedicated by him to a bat boy. Its size is 44 and its labels reads Wilson 1968 Set 2. It is graded A 9.5 by MEARS which characterize the game worn as heavy. MEARS deducted a half point from perfect for a glue staining at interior collar. It passed at Heritage on May 17, 2024, lot 82201.
It is estimated that less than 10 original MLB game worn jerseys of Mickey Mantle are in existence.
