This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/16/2023
Offered here is one of the few surviving specimens from the scouting report file of three players on the 1950 Joplin Miners minor league baseball team including none other than the young 18 year old “shortstop” Mickey Mantle. The 8.5 X 11 report made by Craft reports scouting details on three Joplin Miner players, Dave Waters, Carl Lombardi and appearing on the top of the report – Mickey Mantle, playing shortstop and noted as hitting from both sides of the plate. Originally scouted by Tom Greenwade in 1948 playing for the Baxter Springs Whiz Kids, Mantle was signed to a minor league contract with the New York Yankees one year later following high school. After some initial struggles, Mantle left the 1949 Class D Independence Yankees reportedly weighing a scrawny 160 pounds and joined the 1950 Class C Joplin Miners with added muscles and reflexes, weighing in at 190 pounds as noted on this scouting report. Joplin proved to be a turning point in his path to becoming one of the greatest and most revered players in major league baseball history – and certainly one of the most collected. The report provides the following assessment of Mantle’s performance noting that he “Can be a great hitter. Exceptional speed. ” In general remarks, Mantle is described: “He has everything to make a great ball player. I would like to see him shifted to 3B or the O.F.”. Mantle did indeed fulfill these observations as despite leading the entire Western Association in errors while playing shortstop; Mantle won the Western Association batting title with a .383 batting average while hitting 26 homeruns compared to only 7 homeruns at Independence. Further evidence of his hitting strength included his tally of 136 RBIs, 141 runs, 30 doubles and 12 triples. Mantle’s talents did not go unnoticed. Casey Stengel and the New York Yankees invited Mantle to instructional camp before the 1951 season and after an impressive spring training was promoted to the majors to play right field. The rest is history. Leading the Yankees to 7 World Series titles, Mantle’s 18 World Series home runs still stands as a major league record today. This scouting report deserves a place in the finest Mickey Mantle or sports memorabilia collection. Very good condition. Comes with a letter of provenance and a Gotta Have Rock & Roll Certificate of Authenticity.