Mantle, Chilton, and The Letter

[JackR]

I remember reading years ago that Alex Chilton, lead singer on the Boxtops’ 1967 mega hit “The Letter” (“gimme a ticket to an aeroplane, ain’t got time to take a fast train”) had bought a PSA 10 1951 Bowman Mantle Rookie card for $25,000. The article discussed how Chilton’s wife was skeptical at first but finally approved the purchase because she knew how much the card meant to him.

Chilton died in 2010.

Now, after spending too much time looking for it, I can’t find anything about Chilton and the card.

Does anyone else remember this story, or am I losing it?

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

I've never heard this story, but knowing that Chilton spent the majority of his later life in near-poverty, I'm not putting any faith in its validity.

[theuclakid]

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Chilton at the East Coast National in the early 1990's (1992-1994 when I did the show, forget which year)....he had the 1951B Mantle in hand and showed it to me...he was so proud of it...I wont forget that short moment

Bruce Perry

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Wow, if that's indeed the case, then this just makes Chilton that much more fascinating. I have never heard he was a collector. He definitely didn't seem to have $25K to blow on anything, let alone a "frivolous" purchase of a baseball card. He was fairly destitute for a long time from what I have watched and read over the years.

You have to wonder how that thing would grade by today's standards.

[John1941]

I really hope that's true. I'm a HUGE Big Star fan - their first two albums are some of my favorite albums of all-time.

[theuclakid]

it most certainly is true, at least I saw the card in his hand...I set up 3 times at the east coast national, once upstairs, twice downstairs...this occurred the one time upstairs...I still have a very good memory of it even after these years....I dont know anything about his personal life except of his talent as the lead singer of the BOX TOPS...I just recall he was proud of his card, and had asked if I wanted to see it...nothing more...

those of us fortunate to do the East Coast National, and especially the National (I set up all the years from 1987-2018) got to see and meet a lot of well known people

Bruce Perry

[byrone]

Originally Posted by theuclakid

it most certainly is true, at least I saw the card in his hand...I set up 3 times at the east coast national, once upstairs, twice downstairs...this occurred the one time upstairs...I still have a very good memory of it even after these years....I dont know anything about his personal life except of his talent as the lead singer of the BOX TOPS...I just recall he was proud of his card, and had asked if I wanted to see it...nothing more...

those of us fortunate to do the East Coast National, and especially the National (I set up all the years from 1987-2018) got to see and meet a lot of well known people

Bruce Perry

Can you tell us about any other celebrity collectors from the card shows?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Outstanding song. To use a term probably politically incorrect now, it epitomized what was then a style called "blue eyed soul."

[theuclakid]

let me give that some thought....I remember meeting Sonny Geraci, the least singer of The Outsiders and Climax at a National in Cleveland...as I recall he was just looking around...he had performed or was performing at the show on set up day....many former major leaguers collectors such as Gary Carter would walk around...many others came by my tables...Ernie Banks, Reggie Jackson, Harmon Killebrew, Eddie Mathews, Don Drysdale also....I met Bart Starr at breakfast one time..the National always had many people signing

Bruce Perry

[JackR]

Thanks, all, for your thoughts… particularly Bruce, whose story made me feel I haven’t completely lost it. Chilton’s passion for the card is touching, especially since he apparently didn’t have a ton of money at the time. Plus, he was only 16 when he sang one of the greatest rock tunes of all time. Rock on, Alex!

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by JackR

Thanks, all, for your thoughts… particularly Bruce, whose story made me feel I haven’t completely lost it. Chilton’s passion for the card is touching, especially since he apparently didn’t have a ton of money at the time. Plus, he was only 16 when he sang one of the greatest rock tunes of all time. Rock on, Alex!

Hard to believe a skinny white boy sang lead on that one, huh?

Like most people, I spent the majority of my life only knowing "The Letter" and "Cry Like A Baby", and that the lead singer was just a kid when he sang those songs. His story, and the projects that he touched, are really worth learning more about if you're still mostly in the dark as I was until about 15 years ago.

Chilton is truly fascinating, and the band he started in the 70's, Big Star, was very storied. Great music, too! Chliton was big on quickly changing musical directions when he lost interest. Because he was so young when he achieved his first and greatest commercial success, he was still only in his 20's when punk came along and able to transition into that genre in a way that his older 1960's contemporaries could and would not. It didn't work out from a standpoint of financial achievement, but Chilton was definitely the embodiment of an artist.

Although he apparently came from money, it meant little to him. After a period of musical decline, he was working at a restaurant--not as a musician, but a restaurant worker. Thankfully, a rediscovery of Big Star helped him make a bit more money towards the end of his life. He hated playing those songs, as the bigger brainchild of the band was Chris Bell, who died tragically in a car accident (another member of the 27 Club). He made New Orleans his home, and lost a lot of the little he had in the wake of Katrina.

There are some wonderful documentaries on Chiton, Bell and Big Star available online. Highly recommended, especially if you love 60's & 70's music and are hoping to find something fresh, yet vintage!

[commishbob]

First concert I ever attended was one of those A.M. radio sponsored multi act shows. Late 1967 or early '68. The Box Tops were on of the headline acts. A fun memory.

[matthew]

Originally Posted by BillyCox3

Hard to believe a skinny white boy sang lead on that one, huh?

Like most people, I spent the majority of my life only knowing "The Letter" and "Cry Like A Baby", and that the lead singer was just a kid when he sang those songs. His story, and the projects that he touched, are really worth learning more about if you're still mostly in the dark as I was until about 15 years ago.

Chilton is truly fascinating, and the band he started in the 70's, Big Star, was very storied. Great music, too! Chilton was big on quickly changing musical directions when he lost interest. Because he was so young when he achieved his first and greatest commercial success, he was still only in his 20's when punk came along and able to transition into that genre in a way that his older 1960's contemporaries could and would not. It didn't work out from a standpoint of financial achievement, but Chilton was definitely the embodiment of an artist.

Although he apparently came from money, it meant little to him. After a period of musical decline, he was working at a restaurant--not as a musician, but a restaurant worker. Thankfully, a rediscovery of Big Star helped him make a bit more money towards the end of his life. He hated playing those songs, as the bigger brainchild of the band was Chris Bell, who died tragically in a car accident (another member of the 27 Club). He made New Orleans his home, and lost a lot of the little he had in the wake of Katrina.

There are some wonderful documentaries on Chilton, Bell and Big Star available online. Highly recommended, especially if you love 60's & 70's music and are hoping to find something fresh, yet vintage!

There is an OOP Big Star box set called "Keep An Eye On The Sky" that is amazing and the documentary "Nothing Can Hurt Me" is just as amazing. I often wonder what better a record label/management could have done for them. I've been lucky enough to see Jody Stephens perform a few times. If anyone is interested, there is a power-pop festival in Memphis this fall and you know there will be some Big Star being played!

[swarmee]

Not sure if anyone has checked, but there is only 1 PSA 10 1951 Bowman RC Mantle in the Pop Report.
Therefore, it must have been this one:
https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.co...sold-for-600k/
So it must have been Chilton ($25,000) > Candiotti (?) > Undisclosed Buyer ($600,000) > Ken Kendrick (Diamondbacks Collection).


https://www.psacard.com/cert/02006022

[Vintagedeputy]

Originally Posted by byrone

Can you tell us about any other celebrity collectors from the card shows?

Growing up in NJ and going to card shows, I used to see Johnny Ramone regularly walking the aisles buying cards.

We all just said hi and let him collect and buy. No one really bothered him.