Babe Ruth 100th Anniversary Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/12/2014
During the May 14, 1967 game against the Baltimore Orioles, Mickey Mantle stepped to the plate against right handed pitcher Stu Miller. Mantle fought off a tough payoff pitch on the first 3-2 count, then drilled the next pitch deep into the right field bleachers for his 500th career home run. Like many of Mantle’s 536 home runs, there was no doubt about this one.
Verified through photo matching, these are the exact pants Mantle wore when he hit that milestone home run. Uniform collectors know very well how pinstriped items allow for definitive photo matching, with the specific intersections of stripes unique to each and every item. Inside the waistband is a long, white strip tag with “Mantle 7 67 36 24 ins” representing the player, number, year, waist and inseam. Attached is a flag tag with “SET 1 1967” and along the right side is the “Spalding” manufacturer’s tag with attached wash tag. Also within the wait are numerous black marker names “Boehmer” and number “18” indicating these pants were likely sent down to the minors after Mantle wore them, a very common occurrence during this time period for various teams, but especially the Yankees. Research indicates a Len Boehmer played for the Yankees after 1967 in the minors and for parts of several seasons in the show. Mr. Boehmer had exactly 536 fewer career major league home runs than Mickey Mantle did. The inner portion of the button area contains a bold, blue sharpie “Mickey Mantle” signature. The pants show extensive wear, with multiple areas of staining, and a repair patch in the sliding area. In addition, as would be expected with a pair or pants wore over many seasons, several buttons appear to have been replaced over the seasons, likely by one of the many team managers who handled this relic. These pants were original part of the famous Barry Halper Collection, were sold in that historic 1999 Sotheby’s auction, and the original Sotheby’s tag is still attached. There is very few pair of game used pants as historic or important as these pinstriped beauties worn by the great Mickey Mantle during his most important milestone home run. Full LOA from MEARS, and full LOA from PSA/DNA, cert number K72005, for the signature.