I know this is not pre-war related but...

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Posted By: Mark t

from time to time i check out 52' topps mickey mantle #311 just to see how crazy people are willing to part with money. Check this out and tell me is you guys think this is fake or reprint, i think is a reprint.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Rookie-card-MICKEY-MANTLE-1952-Topps-311_W0QQitemZ320012705250QQihZ011QQcategoryZ73435Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

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Posted By: peter ullman

fake...reprint...what's the difference...it's crap either way.

pete in mn

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Posted By: Erland Stevens

This is unrelated to the legitimacy of the card, but the bottom line on the back shows Mantle's minor league fielding average as 0.906 with 106 errors. Can this be right? It seems terrible.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Mantle came up as a Short Stop in 1951 and Casey Stengel quickly realized Mick's
"short-comings" playing in the Infield. So, Stengel switched him to LF; and, when
Joe DiMaggio retired that year Mickey took over the CF spot in 1952.

I think this should explain the high # of errors in his Minor Lge. stats.

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Let me see if I understand your explanation for all of the errors, Ted. Mickey the sieve couldn't field the shortstop position worth a darn, that is your explanation!

Well Ted, I think you hit that nail on the head. Please allow me to provide some support for Mantle's ineptness with a glove.

Back when they barely had gloves (in the 19th century) a player named Long was the last man to commit 100 errors in a season. He also holds the one season error record for his inability to field in one of his other seasons - 122 errors. Herman Long's lifetime fielding percentage is .908.

Mickey the Sieve has a minor league fielding percentage of .906.

I hope I helped clarify your position.

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

Fortunately the 19 year old shortstop gained experience and won the the Gold Glove Award as an outfielder in 1962.

Frank

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Mantle was not a bad outfielder, this is true.

Herman Long was not a bad fielder either, imo this is also true. Long had tremendous range at ss, often getting to balls which others would not come near. And he had a fantastic ability to throw effectively from seemingly extremely awkward positions. Frequently though his throws were errant. This combination of capabilities earned him considerable praise and the record for most errors in a season, as well as being the last major leaguerer to have 100 errors in a season.

Now Mantle could not play ss for the Yankees when he came up, because he could not play effectively at that position, and because Rizzuto was established there for a decade (and was coming off his best season with the bat - .324).

So the Ol' Perfesser put him out where he couldn't get hurt or hurt anyone else, under the watchful eye of DiMaggio. Well, that didn't quite work as planned. But you had to put him somewhere.

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

Actually Mickey played 7 games at SS for the Yanks between 1953 and 1955. He handled 14 chances without an error and retired with a 1.000 fielding percentage as a SS!!

Frank

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Posted By: bill

trying to remeber wasn't herman long the first ballplayer to hit 4 home runs in a game

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Posted By: ScottIngold

I thought that was a different Long. But could be wrong.

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Posted By: Bob Pomilla

I believe Bobby Lowe was the first to hit four homers in one game.

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Posted By: b ill

bob you are right just don't have good recall
anymore.

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Posted By: mark t

They must have known this guy was trying to scam people even though he put in the description that someone told him it might be a reprint but his title for sale said 52' topps #311 mickey mantle.

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Frank - I believe that the fourteen fielding chances in a row that Mantle handled without an error, was not his personal best, but Im really not sure about that.