1951 New York Yankees World Champions Team Signed OAL (Harridge) Baseball Incl. Rookie Mantle & DiMaggio (PSA/DNA 7.5)
1951 will forever stand as a definitive year in the history of the New York Yankees franchise. Not only does it represent the hub of the Yankees record run of five consecutive titles, but it also signifies the lone convergence of two of the team’s most iconic figures. It has often been reported that Joe DiMaggio wanted to retire before he became an "ordinary" player. Hastened by bone spurs in his heel, the 1951 season would be the curtain call of the "Yankee Clipper". However, it also marked the arrival of the "Oklahoma Kid", Mickey Mantle, who bore the weight of unbridled expectations to fill the gap in centerfield. Word had spread that this young phenom’s monumental power and blazing speed might actually make him a viable replacement to the irreplaceable DiMaggio as the “new” Yankee idol. So convinced of this were the Yankees that they assigned their young prodigy uniform number “6," the next in a sequence that included Ruth (#3), Gehrig (#4), and Joltin’ Joe (#5). Though some referred to 1951 as a season of change for the Yankees, the end result was more of the same, another championship title. The Yankees dispatched their cross-town rival New York Giants in a six-game Fall Classic subway series, ending their Cinderella season ("The Giants Win the Pennant!"). It was a sweet ending for some and a new beginning for others; Game 6 marked the final Major League game for DiMaggio, while Mantle would appear in eleven more World Series. The 1951 title brought the Yankees to 14-4 in World Series appearances and the historic season marked the solidification of the third chapter of baseball’s greatest dynasty.
In the realm of New York Yankees team balls few are more highly prized by collectors today than those from the landmark season of 1951. The offered example certainly ranks among the finest examples seen in the marketplace. In addition to its awe-inspiring aesthetics, it comes with superb provenance, its origin tracing back to Johnny Hopp, the formidable hitter who actually finished second to Stan Musial in the 1946 N.L. batting title race before going on to win two consecutive World Championships with the Yankees in 1950 and 1951. According to our source, in 1989 Hopp befriended a young boy named Colby who was a neighbor of his in Brooklyn, New York. Colby was a "die-hard" Yankee fan and stood "star-struck" as the 73-year old Hopp filled his head with magnificent stories about Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle and the seemingly infinite number of baseball tales he had to offer as they sipped cold lemonade on hot summer afternoons. Eventually, Colby's dad would agree to purchase some of Hopps' remarkable memorabilia that included a vast array of signed baseballs, among them scripted horsehide spheres of Ruth and Gehrig. One of the balls that caught their eye was the brilliant 1951 Yankees team championship autographed baseball, and it was this ball they ultimately purchased, narrowly beating out none other than collecting icon Barry Halper who was likewise in the process of purchasing many of Hopp's treasured artifacts. For the last 30-years, the 1951 signed ball would be a carefully preserved heirloom in the family of the father and son who acquired it from Hopp.
Graded an incredible PSA/DNA 7.5, this OAL (Harridge) ball appears like new, hosting 26 authentic signatures boldly and uniformly inscribed in black ink. Four legendary Hall of Famers are present including Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and Johnny Mize, as well as the highly coveted script of Billy Martin. Stengel is absent, which is typical, and not a single clubhouse signature corrupts its purity. Johnny Hopp penned '51' Yanks in his own hand over the Official American League stamp and his own signature is reflected on the East Panel. A complete list of signatures includes the following; Sweet Spot: Joe DiMaggio; East Panel: Frank Shea, Tom Morgan, Ralph Houk, Billy Martin Allie Reynolds, Johnny Hopp; West Panel: Hank Bauer, Yogi Berra, Joe Collins, Ed Lopat, Johnny Mize, Jackie Jensen, Tom Ferrick; North Panel: Gene Woodling, Jerry Coleman, Tommy Byrne, Gil McDougald, Bobby Brown, Mickey Mantle (Rookie), Vic Raschi; South Panel: Fred Sanford, Frank Crosetti, Charlie Silvera, Joe Ostrowski, Cliff Mapes. The baseball itself has managed to elude any conspicuous flaws, retaining a majority of its original factory issued qualities including tight red stitching and shows only a touch of faint toning evident on its light cream-like horsehide surface.
All told, this ball far exceeds most hobbyist's ultimate vision when contemplating a '51 Yankee team signed baseball. It will serve as a centerpiece in any great Yankees collection symbolizing that storied championship season that witnessed the passing of the torch from the fading legend DiMaggio to the heir apparent, Mantle. Full LOA from PSA/DNA (Overall Grade NM+ 7.5).
