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Originally Posted by Merkle923
The absence of the 1951 American League 50th Anniversary emblem that is on the Getty shot of Mantle but not on the supposed home run image got me thinking.
How would that have been possible? It's only a theory, but Mantle went through the 1951 exhibition campaign, right up to the annual pre-season series against the Dodgers, on the Kansas City roster. While newspaper shots of game action from Ebbets Field on April 14 and April 15, 1951 show the A.L. Anniversary emblem, it's possible Mantle's had not been sewn on yet.
That possible clue led me to the box score for the Dodger-Yankee exhibition of April 15, in which Mantle homered in the 8th inning and the next Yankee batter would've been Joe DiMaggio's defensive replacement in center...Number 7, Cliff Mapes.
So the photo is of Mantle's first homer in a major league park, but not his first major league homer. The New York Times box score is below and as an aside, that Yankees-Dodgers series was broadcast on television and radio by the Dodgers. So, one of the announcers who covered Mantle's a) first game in a major league stadium, b) first game in New York, c) first home run in a major league stadium, was a second-year Dodger broadcaster named Vin Scully.
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This is GREAT! Thanks for a super look back in history. I find it amazing Jackie Jensen and Mickey Mantle, both future MVP's, hit HRs in this game. Both were considered top prospects at this time, rivals for a roster spot. A few years ago I was eating in a Miami pizza place where the walls were full of Yankee pics. I saw one of Jackie Jensen and thought how unique since he was only with the Yanks in his early days. THEN I saw the truth. The person who placed this pic on the wall THOUGHT it was Mantle! (It was with other Mantles.) In those young days of both players they did look a bit alike, given the picture. This one did look a lot like Mantle, but I KNOW it was Jackie Jensen. Strange, very strange..Thanks again for the classic box score!