Little Help With a 1961-62 Yankees Ball re: Clubhouse Sig and Roster

[MooseDog]

Hi All -

I got this ball, along with a bunch of others (AL) from 1961-1962, from a former major league player (not a Yankee) now deceased. It wasn't really clear whether he got them himself or how he got them but he was up and down with the ChiSox during that period so he could have got them himself. All had the year and team written in similar fashion.

First, despite the writing on the ball, my research shows most of the players are from the 1962 Yankees, not 1961. (Duke Maas and Deron Johnson are not on the ball but were on the 1961 team and not the 1962 team - Bouton made his debut in 1962). But there are a couple who didn't appear with the Yanks in 1962 either. Do you guys think this is basically a "1961-62 Yankee ball?

I don't have access to spring training rosters from that period.

Secondly, are the Maris and Ford clubhouse sigs?

Before anyone goes ape over the Mantle, it was signed in front of me at a card show in 1991. He was missing from the ball and I didn't have the guts to ask him to sign "1961 style" but at the time I thought it would be reasonable to get him on the ball. I hadn't yet realized it was basically a 1962 ball not the iconic 1961 team.