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CNN Live Today

Interview With Arlan Ettinger

Aired December 08, 2003 - 11:4   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: You could add items such as these to your "mantle" piece. The family of sports legend Mickey Mantle is selling pieces of baseball history as they auction off some of Mantle's keep sakes.
In the lot are two of Mantle's three MVP trophies and other prized items. The auction will be held later today at Madison Square Garden in New York City. To give us a peek for more on the auction, we're joined by Arlan Ettinger, he is president of Guernsey's Auction House. Arlen, good morning.

ARLAN ETTINGER, GUERNSEY'S AUCTION HOUSE: Thank you very much for having me.

KAGAN: Why has the family decided to sell out?

ETTINGER: With the best interests of their grandchildren, Mickey's grandchildren at heart they realized that down the road it would be more prudent to give them solid trust funds for their education and future than beautiful trophies in the case.

It was a very wrenching decision. They cared greatly for these objects. But they think and we agree that they've taken a right course.

KAGAN: Well hopefully they're going to end up in the hands of people that were huge Mickey Mantle fans, and plenty of those out there. So let's take a look at some of the items. First of all, I want to take a look at the -- Mickey Mantle's Rawlings game used baseball glove. Why is this significant and how much do you think it's going to go for?

ETTINGER: A glove is perhaps a baseball player's most personal object. This glove we've been told by Rawlings was made custom for Mickey. Has many features no other glove had them. It was made in late '62 and used in '62 and '63. Another glove of his went for about a quarter of a million dollars. Who knows what this one will bring?

KAGAN: And what are some of the features on this glove? Do you know?

ETTINGER: The extra webbing curled around extra padding in the glove. All kinds of different features.

KAGAN: OK, what about his Batting Champion of the Year award? ETTINGER: We have several champions of the year including his silver bat from 1956 which is quite stunning. And then a crown called the Sultan of Swat crown for winning also the batting championship.

But these are remarkable items. Mickey was the most beloved player. And it doesn't seem to matter if one was an ardent baseball fan or just someone -- I can't say. From seven-years-old to 17 everyone seems to love Mickey.

KAGAN: And here -- well someone who loved him through many difficult times, his wife Marilyn. She's selling off one of her mementos, too. A pendant that he had made for her.

ETTINGER: Marilyn did have this pendant all her life. Mickey made it out of diamonds in his famous No. 7 for her. And she has consigned it.

KAGAN: Some people are going to think that's a very personal thing to give up.

ETTINGER: It is. Trust me, no arms were twisted.

But again, with the best interests of their grandchildren, she thinks it's the right course of action.

KAGAN: Now here is a piece of baseball history that's just fascinating. His rookie year contract.

ETTINGER: The auction contains every contract that Mickey signed to play baseball starting with his Independence, Missouri Yankee farm team contract. And then moving on to the '51 rookie contract we're looking at. And the all subsequent years. He played for 18 years wit the Yankees.

We even have 19th year which was unsigned as the Yankees hoped to enlist him yet another year. But the rookie year contract is really the Holy Grail in many ways. It says it all. It's where the career started. And it's a big deal.

KAGAN: And if you were looking closely you could see he got paid $5,000, which I guess in the time was a lot of money. Compared to baseball salaries today absolutely remarkable.

Want to show you one more thing. The 1962 Yankees World Series ring.

ETTINGER: One thing the family retained or one group of objects were his World Series rings. They've been passed along to Mickey's children and grandchildren save for this one which is a very significant year. In 1962 Mickey won the MVP trophy which of course is in the auction, but he also won this ring. And it's the only one that will ever be sold.

And to realize that this is what he wore on his hand, it's as good as it gets.

KAGAN: How much do you think it's going to go for, the ring?

ETTINGER: Boy, you know, if I were a fortune teller, I'd know that. But we that's what makes auctions so exciting. There's still time to participate. It's right across the street at Madison Square Garden. Go the Guernseys.com to find out how you can do that.

That ring is being sold tonight. It's an afternoon and evening sale. But the ring could bring $100,000, it could bring a multiple of that.

KAGAN: Well we'll have to check in. Thanks for answering the question about how people can participate. Guernseys.com is how people can find out more.

ETTINGER: Or come to the Garden.

KAGAN: Or that. But you know not everyone (UNINTELLIGIBLE) can't be there with you tonight.

ETTINGER: We wish they could though.

KAGAN: We appreciate the peek. Thank you, Arlan. Arlan Ettinger giving us a peek at some of Mickey Mantle's memorial and memories that are up for auction tonight in Madison Square Garden.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired December 8, 2003 - 11:4   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: You could add items such as these to your "mantle" piece. The family of sports legend Mickey Mantle is selling pieces of baseball history as they auction off some of Mantle's keep sakes.
In the lot are two of Mantle's three MVP trophies and other prized items. The auction will be held later today at Madison Square Garden in New York City. To give us a peek for more on the auction, we're joined by Arlan Ettinger, he is president of Guernsey's Auction House. Arlen, good morning.

ARLAN ETTINGER, GUERNSEY'S AUCTION HOUSE: Thank you very much for having me.

KAGAN: Why has the family decided to sell out?

ETTINGER: With the best interests of their grandchildren, Mickey's grandchildren at heart they realized that down the road it would be more prudent to give them solid trust funds for their education and future than beautiful trophies in the case.

It was a very wrenching decision. They cared greatly for these objects. But they think and we agree that they've taken a right course.

KAGAN: Well hopefully they're going to end up in the hands of people that were huge Mickey Mantle fans, and plenty of those out there. So let's take a look at some of the items. First of all, I want to take a look at the -- Mickey Mantle's Rawlings game used baseball glove. Why is this significant and how much do you think it's going to go for?

ETTINGER: A glove is perhaps a baseball player's most personal object. This glove we've been told by Rawlings was made custom for Mickey. Has many features no other glove had them. It was made in late '62 and used in '62 and '63. Another glove of his went for about a quarter of a million dollars. Who knows what this one will bring?

KAGAN: And what are some of the features on this glove? Do you know?

ETTINGER: The extra webbing curled around extra padding in the glove. All kinds of different features.

KAGAN: OK, what about his Batting Champion of the Year award? ETTINGER: We have several champions of the year including his silver bat from 1956 which is quite stunning. And then a crown called the Sultan of Swat crown for winning also the batting championship.

But these are remarkable items. Mickey was the most beloved player. And it doesn't seem to matter if one was an ardent baseball fan or just someone -- I can't say. From seven-years-old to 17 everyone seems to love Mickey.

KAGAN: And here -- well someone who loved him through many difficult times, his wife Marilyn. She's selling off one of her mementos, too. A pendant that he had made for her.

ETTINGER: Marilyn did have this pendant all her life. Mickey made it out of diamonds in his famous No. 7 for her. And she has consigned it.

KAGAN: Some people are going to think that's a very personal thing to give up.

ETTINGER: It is. Trust me, no arms were twisted.

But again, with the best interests of their grandchildren, she thinks it's the right course of action.

KAGAN: Now here is a piece of baseball history that's just fascinating. His rookie year contract.

ETTINGER: The auction contains every contract that Mickey signed to play baseball starting with his Independence, Missouri Yankee farm team contract. And then moving on to the '51 rookie contract we're looking at. And the all subsequent years. He played for 18 years wit the Yankees.

We even have 19th year which was unsigned as the Yankees hoped to enlist him yet another year. But the rookie year contract is really the Holy Grail in many ways. It says it all. It's where the career started. And it's a big deal.

KAGAN: And if you were looking closely you could see he got paid $5,000, which I guess in the time was a lot of money. Compared to baseball salaries today absolutely remarkable.

Want to show you one more thing. The 1962 Yankees World Series ring.

ETTINGER: One thing the family retained or one group of objects were his World Series rings. They've been passed along to Mickey's children and grandchildren save for this one which is a very significant year. In 1962 Mickey won the MVP trophy which of course is in the auction, but he also won this ring. And it's the only one that will ever be sold.

And to realize that this is what he wore on his hand, it's as good as it gets.

KAGAN: How much do you think it's going to go for, the ring?

ETTINGER: Boy, you know, if I were a fortune teller, I'd know that. But we that's what makes auctions so exciting. There's still time to participate. It's right across the street at Madison Square Garden. Go the Guernseys.com to find out how you can do that.

That ring is being sold tonight. It's an afternoon and evening sale. But the ring could bring $100,000, it could bring a multiple of that.

KAGAN: Well we'll have to check in. Thanks for answering the question about how people can participate. Guernseys.com is how people can find out more.

ETTINGER: Or come to the Garden.

KAGAN: Or that. But you know not everyone (UNINTELLIGIBLE) can't be there with you tonight.

ETTINGER: We wish they could though.

KAGAN: We appreciate the peek. Thank you, Arlan. Arlan Ettinger giving us a peek at some of Mickey Mantle's memorial and memories that are up for auction tonight in Madison Square Garden.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com