This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/26/2022
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 E.H. Zwilling reports scouting details on three Joplin Miner players, Bob Wiesler, Al Billingsley and appearing on the bottom 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 is a “Great hitter – very fast,” “Fair fielder – good arm,” with a “good” attitude and disposition. In general remarks, Mantle is described: “Is not now a good shortstop – good enough as hitter to enter AAA. Don’t believe he is capable of playing short in AAA. If must play shortstop would recommend Class B – possibly A.” 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 with two small pieces of tape on verso along the top border and staple marks in the upper left corner.