Mantle's contracts, HR balls among 300 items in auction

NEW YORK -- Three hundred pieces of Mickey Mantle memorabilia will be auctioned by Guernsey's at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 8.

The items are from Mantle's widow, Merlyn, and the Hall of Famer's surviving sons, Danny and David.

Included in the sale are every professional contract signed by Mantle, from the first one that paid him a $1,150 bonus and $140 a month to play for the Independence (Mo.) Yankees in 1949 to his last one with the New York Yankees in 1968 for $100,000.

Two of Mantle's three MVP trophies are in the auction along with a number of his landmark home run balls. The catalogue includes articles written about Mantle by longtime teammates Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra.

"This is as big or bigger than any of our other sports auctions because of the love people had for Mickey," Arlan Ettinger of Guernsey's said. "He was a beloved guy."

Ettinger talked with the Mantle family since Guernsey's auctioned Mark McGwire's 70th home run ball for $3 million in 1999.

"Do I think there are things as important? Absolutely," Ettinger said. "Will it bring that amount? Who knows?

"The McGwire ball was a hot item. Then it diminished when Barry Bonds passed 70. Mickey Mantle will always be Mickey Mantle. Future great players won't diminish his accomplishments."

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