Auction Item Details
Lot 19
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Lot Number: 19
Description: Official American League baseball with attribution to June 18, 1956 Mickey Mantle Home Run Hit Out of Briggs Stadium in Detroit. Official William Harridge American League baseball (1954-59 stampings) with displays apparent game use including a pronounced darkened impact mark on side panel. The ball features period ink inscription on side panel, "June 18, 1956 Mickey Mantel (sp) Hit Out of Det Stadium". The New York Yankees were visiting Detroit to play the Tigers and entered the 8th inning of a tie game. Mickey Mantle stepped up to bat with two men on and proceeded to obliterate a high fastball offering from Tigers pitcher Paul Foytack. The ball travelled over the right field pavilion and out of Briggs Stadium accomplishing a prodigious feat only equaled by Ted Williams in the history of the stadium. Based on accompanying family provenance and period newspaper accounts, the ball landed on Trumbell Avenue. Charles Varisto worked as a waiter at the Statler Hotel in downtown Detroit about one mile away from Briggs Stadium. Varisto was at work on June 18th when his co-worker arrived at the Statler with a wonderfully timed Suprise. The man had been walking to work when Mantle's home run landed on Trumbell Avenue at which point he picked it up. The employee wished to offer it to Mantle in exchange for a pair of tickets to the game the next day. Mantle and the team were staying at the Statler Hotel that evening at which point he attempted to exchange the ball. The efforts were unsuccessful and actually angered Mantle in the process. who was apparently rooming with Phil Rizzuto at the time. Varisto elected to reward his co-worker with the same trade materials and provided two tickets to the game in exchange for the offered baseball. Varisto maintained possession of the ball until its sale at auction in 2014. Although specific corroboration of the events surrounding the baseball is challenging the accompanying account, ball dating period, and period ink inscription all provide a substantial circumstantial docier. Includes copy of letter written by Varisto family to Phil Rizzuto, copy of the VSC scan confirming Harridge AL ball dating, and certificate of provenance from Geddy Lee: VG-EXEstimated Price Range: ($15,000-$25,000)
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