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Antiques Roadshow appraiser is stunned by historic baseball bat used by Yankees legend: 'One of the best pieces I've seen on this show'
The Antiques Roadshow appraiser was left stunned by a historic baseball bat used by none other than Yankees legend Mickey Mantle.
The appraiser called the 1963 Mickey Mantle bat 'one of the best things' he's ever seen in the Antiques Roadshow - and estimated its auction value at a whopping $75,000. In 2009, it was worth $35,000.
The bat came along with an autographed photo, news clips, and documentation highlighting the heartwarming story.
Nancy, the owner of the bat, said it all started when she was just eight years old and tried out for the Little League team pretending to be a boy - as girls weren't allowed at the time.
'I went to try out for the Little League, and they had a Yankee bat boy contest. Well, girls couldn't participate, so I made up a name, I put Jimmy Lotze,' she said to the appraiser.
The appraiser (left) was left stunned and said it was one of the best items he's ever seen in the show
The appraiser called the 1963 Mickey Mantle bat 'one of the best things' he's ever seen in the Antiques Roadshow and estimated its auction value at a whopping $75,000
'So when they called my house, my mother answered the phone. They said, 'Oh, your son Jimmy just won the Yankee bat boy contest,' and my mother started to laugh. She said, 'Well, I don't have a son, Jimmy, but it's my daughter, Nancy.'
But upon learning of the mix-up, the organizers were charmed by Nancy's enthusiasm and dubbed her the honorary 'bat girl.'
When asked her favorite Yankee, she was quick to name Mickey Mantle, which set the stage for the sweet friendship to unfold.
'So when they found out, they were like, 'Wow, we've got to do this. You know, make her the honorary bat girl.' So they said to me, 'Who's your favorite Yankee?' And I said, 'Oh, Mickey Mantle.' And it just so happened that Mickey Mantle came to speak to me.'
She recounted how Mantle himself gave her the prized bat after hitting a home run in her honor.
'I had asked him, 'Oh, Mickey, can you hit a run, a home run for me?' Nancy said.
The appraiser was left stunned.
Nancy still has the bat along with an autographed photo, news clips, and documentation highlighting the heartwarming story
Nancy, the owner of the bat, said it all stared when she was just eight years old and tried out for the Little League team pretending to be a boy - as girls weren't allowed at the time (She's pictured left next to Yankee legend Mickey Mantle)
Mantle went above and beyond and sent her an autographed photo addressed 'To Nancy, the cutest bat boy we have ever had. Your pal, Mickey Mantle,' which arrived in her mailbox weeks later
'He said, 'Well, I can't promise you anything.' I said, 'That's okay!' And he hit a home run, and he came over to me. He said, 'Here, Nancy, here's my bat.'
Soon after, Mantle went above and beyond and sent her an autographed photo addressed 'To Nancy, the cutest bat boy we have ever had. Your pal, Mickey Mantle,' which arrived in her mailbox weeks later.
There's even a photo of Nancy giving Mantle a peck on the cheek in the papers. Life magazine also did a story on her at the time.
The appraiser, who was gobsmacked at the story, said: 'It's incredible. I was so excited to see this, this is such a wonderful story. This happened in 1963.'
'You really can't get a better bat than this. A home run bat, this kind of documentation,' he said.