I know I am gonna get bashed for saying this but here goes. If I was thinking about a Mantle gamer I would not consider one without PSA as one of the tpg. I have maybe 15 game used bats most from 500 HR Hitters and all have multiple authentication. The key reason I am far from an expert on game used bats and they are expensive. I like when they are sourced direct from athlete and authenticated by PSA. That gives me warm and fuzzy.
In the very early 1980's my Dad bought a Johnny Bench "gamer" from a guy who represented Bench Rose Carlton etc. Whitey something if I recall. A couple years later Mr. Bench is at a show I get it signed he asks where I got it I say Whitey ..he says it's a gamer, and signs it. 20 years later, I get interested in bats start learning a bit. I look at my Bench bat and it has no ball marks no cleat masrks it is clean as a whistle. I find a couple guys at Philly show and ask them and both say based on numbers it was ordered by Bench as a gift bat. So I learned a lesson now I look carefully at a bat to make sure I agree with documentation.( I learned heavy moderate and light ball marks do not mean the same thing to any 2 people) and I look to a tpg to catch the things I still don't know.
If I was new owner of that Mantle bat I would submit it asap to a tpg maybe 2. Because the value of a maybe gamer vs a definite stock bat is considerable.
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