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CNN Live Saturday
Mickey Mantle's Personal Teasure To Be Auctioned
Aired November 29, 2003 - 14:44 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.
WALLACE: And the artifacts of a baseball immortal are about to go to the highest bidders. Some of Mickey Mantle's personal treasures can be yours if the price is right. The auction, which takes place a week from Monday, will include of the New York Yankee greats three MVP trophies. Arlan Ettinger from Guernsey's Auction House in New York can tell us more. He joins us today from New York. Thank you so much for coming in today.
ARLAN ETTINGER, GUERNSEYS AUCTION HOUSE: My pleasure.
WALLACE: Well, first how'd you get your hands on these items for this auction?
ETTINGER: For the last several years Guernsey's has become friends and honored to be so with the Mantle family, and these are treasures that have adorned their showcases for many many years. It's with great emotion and great caring that they're being offered to the public for the very first time.
WALLACE: And besides these three MVP trophies, what are some of the most amazing items that will be up for auction?
ETTINGER: Well among the 300 lots are all of Mickey's contracts to play baseball with minor league clubs, and then the Yankees. Four of his baseball gloves, his Sultan of Swat trophy crown. The sterling silver bat he was awarded in 1956 for winning the batting championship, and it goes on and on.
WALLACE: I saw also his cowboy boots?
ETTINGER: There are many personal items that the Mantle family wanted to share with Mickey's millions and millions of fans, like his cowboy boots and his early passport when he was a young player, coming out of the Midwest, and was the pride of our country and sent abroad. A fellow who had never traveled more than 100 miles was given a passport to play ball abroad, and things like that are in the auction.
WALLACE: What it about Mickey Mantle, that he is loved by baseball fans, but even non-baseball fans as well?
ETTINGER: You're exactly right, and I don't know that we know the answer. It could have been a fellow from the heartland coming to the big city, or his boy next-door good looks. But it doesn't seem to matter whether you were a great baseball fan or not, or if you were 70 years old or 17 years old, he's the man that more people admire and think fondly of, just love, and we're honored to be doing the sale. WALLACE: And what place do you really think he holds in baseball history, even in U.S. history, when you think of Mickey Mantle and the legend of Mickey Mantle?
ETTINGER: Guernsey's has been thrilled to do the John F. Kennedy and Elvis Presley auctions. And I would certainly think it fair to say that Mickey Mantle ranks with those two legends as one of the most important, admired names of the 20th century. It really transcends baseball.
WALLACE: Let me get some specifics for our viewers, how can people participate? Do they have to be in New York at Guernsey's for this?
ETTINGER: The auction's is at Madison Square Garden, in two sessions on Monday the 8th, it is previewing all day Saturday and Sunday, also at the Garden. But -- certainly everyone's welcome, you don't need to be there, however, we have a very handsome catalog which contains pictures of all of the items, extensive descriptions, and you can get that by contacting Guernsey's or going to our Web site.
Even -- not being there, you can bid by phone, by mail, by fax or on eBay many of the items will also be offered. So if there's an interest, there's a way.
WALLACE: How, to very quickly, what's been the response so far?
ETTINGER: A bit overwhelming from all sectors from both collectors who have hundreds of items in their homes to the person who has nothing but says I just want one thing to remember "the Mick" by and maybe pass along to my children.
WALLACE: Arlen Ettinger of Guernsey's Auction House, thank you so much for a fascinating story, and good luck with the auction.
ETTINGER: You're most welcome.
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 November 29, 2003 - 14:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WALLACE: And the artifacts of a baseball immortal are about to go to the highest bidders. Some of Mickey Mantle's personal treasures can be yours if the price is right. The auction, which takes place a week from Monday, will include of the New York Yankee greats three MVP trophies. Arlan Ettinger from Guernsey's Auction House in New York can tell us more. He joins us today from New York. Thank you so much for coming in today.
ARLAN ETTINGER, GUERNSEYS AUCTION HOUSE: My pleasure.
WALLACE: Well, first how'd you get your hands on these items for this auction?
ETTINGER: For the last several years Guernsey's has become friends and honored to be so with the Mantle family, and these are treasures that have adorned their showcases for many many years. It's with great emotion and great caring that they're being offered to the public for the very first time.
WALLACE: And besides these three MVP trophies, what are some of the most amazing items that will be up for auction?
ETTINGER: Well among the 300 lots are all of Mickey's contracts to play baseball with minor league clubs, and then the Yankees. Four of his baseball gloves, his Sultan of Swat trophy crown. The sterling silver bat he was awarded in 1956 for winning the batting championship, and it goes on and on.
WALLACE: I saw also his cowboy boots?
ETTINGER: There are many personal items that the Mantle family wanted to share with Mickey's millions and millions of fans, like his cowboy boots and his early passport when he was a young player, coming out of the Midwest, and was the pride of our country and sent abroad. A fellow who had never traveled more than 100 miles was given a passport to play ball abroad, and things like that are in the auction.
WALLACE: What it about Mickey Mantle, that he is loved by baseball fans, but even non-baseball fans as well?
ETTINGER: You're exactly right, and I don't know that we know the answer. It could have been a fellow from the heartland coming to the big city, or his boy next-door good looks. But it doesn't seem to matter whether you were a great baseball fan or not, or if you were 70 years old or 17 years old, he's the man that more people admire and think fondly of, just love, and we're honored to be doing the sale. WALLACE: And what place do you really think he holds in baseball history, even in U.S. history, when you think of Mickey Mantle and the legend of Mickey Mantle?
ETTINGER: Guernsey's has been thrilled to do the John F. Kennedy and Elvis Presley auctions. And I would certainly think it fair to say that Mickey Mantle ranks with those two legends as one of the most important, admired names of the 20th century. It really transcends baseball.
WALLACE: Let me get some specifics for our viewers, how can people participate? Do they have to be in New York at Guernsey's for this?
ETTINGER: The auction's is at Madison Square Garden, in two sessions on Monday the 8th, it is previewing all day Saturday and Sunday, also at the Garden. But -- certainly everyone's welcome, you don't need to be there, however, we have a very handsome catalog which contains pictures of all of the items, extensive descriptions, and you can get that by contacting Guernsey's or going to our Web site.
Even -- not being there, you can bid by phone, by mail, by fax or on eBay many of the items will also be offered. So if there's an interest, there's a way.
WALLACE: How, to very quickly, what's been the response so far?
ETTINGER: A bit overwhelming from all sectors from both collectors who have hundreds of items in their homes to the person who has nothing but says I just want one thing to remember "the Mick" by and maybe pass along to my children.
WALLACE: Arlen Ettinger of Guernsey's Auction House, thank you so much for a fascinating story, and good luck with the auction.
ETTINGER: You're most welcome.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
