You had to be there to realize how particularly tough it was in the late 60's to get Mantle to sign an autograph.
They played day baseball then and the Yankees were in last place , Mantle had been moved from the outfield to first base. A bunch of us kids would cut school and take the bus from Jersey to Yankee Stadium
We'd get there three hours before the game wait outside where the players came in ....no Mantle. Before the game during infield practice we'd be hanging close to the 1st base dugout yelling for "The Mick" to just turn around and wave at us , remember there was almost NO ONE in the stadium and he would just smirk and ignore us.
Some of the other players were great , Mel Stottlemyre would actually REMEMBER us and pull up a chair and talk , as kids we must have asked him the most stupid questions in the World but he didn't seem to mind.
After awhile before and after the games we would spread out and stake out the various entrances and exits in an effort to find out where Mantle came in and left from but we never once found out.
There was NEVER more than a handful of autograph seekers and most were kids and he still went out of his way to avoid us
__________________________
jim@stinsonsports.com
Vintage autographs for Sale on my Web site
stinsonsports.com