Mickey Mantle corked bat being sold in auction

A Mickey Mantle corked bat is being sold at an auction by Grey Flannel Auctions, presenting a chance for someone to get a hold of a one-of-a-kind collectible. And this item is special for a few reasons. There are plenty of Mickey Mantle fans out there who would love to get a hold of any item associated with the former New York Yankees legend. But who knew that the Mick corked his bat?

According to Grey Flannel Auctions, Minnesota Twins equipment manager Ray Crump admitted in his autobiography that he had corked some bats for Mantle. This auction would indicate the bat is one of them.

As noticed and documented by John Taube of PSA/DNA, “during our examination of the bat, we noticed a circular area .75 inches wide in the center of the top barrel. The finish in the area has also been touched up to mask the circular area. Alterations of this nature indicate the barrel has been drilled and filled with cork….we had the barrel x-rayed and (it) confirms that the barrel has been drilled and filled with cork…this is the first corked bat of Mantle that we have seen or heard of.”

Here are the specs on the bat, per Grey Flannel Auctions:

Manuf: H&B. Model Number: M110 Length: 35 in Weight: 32.6 oz Labeling Period: 1964 Wood: Ash Finish: Standard. Condition: Uncracked.

The photo at the top shows an X-ray showing that the bat appeared to be corked. This photo of the end of the barrel seems to show the same thing:

Looks like Mantle had much more in common with Sammy Sosa than we ever realized. And while we’re on the subject of Mantle memories, I must direct your attention to this amazing story about the Mick.

Bidding for the item opens on May 20 at Grey Flannel Auctions. The minimum bid is $5,000.