'56 or '57 Yankees Team signed by 23 including Mantle

[3and2]

I've been curious of this Spring Training item I purchased from one of the major auction houses a few years ago. It was listed 50's Yankees team signed w/ a psa auction loa. Anyway, after researching each player who signed the stationary I noticed all of them played for the Yankees in '56 & '57 except for Maurice "Mickey" McDermott who was traded to the Yankees on 2/08/56 and traded away on 2/19/57. Does anyone know when spring training starting back then? Obviously, I would prefer this to be a '56 Mantle signature. If spring training started in Feb. perhaps Maurice signed this before he was traded in '57. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Kawika]

I looked up Mickey McDermott in the New York Times archives. One article discussing the trade with Washington mentioned that McDermott would report to St Petersburg on February 26, 1956. In '57 another article indicated that the first battery drills were on February 23rd so the pitchers would have reported a day or so before. The inference would be that McDermott wasn't at Yankee spring training in 1957 hence your autographs are from 1956. QED.

[3and2]

David, your awesome! thanks for the detailed information, I'm smiling from ear-to-ear for having a '56 Mantle sig.

[Kawika]

Anthony-
A closer reading of the February 24, 1957 article revealed that Don Larsen, Tommy Byrne and Bill Skowron were holdouts, and as of that date had not reported to camp, furthering the likelihood that your item was signed the previous year. Actually, there's at least couple of signees who weren't on the roster in 1957 such as Rizzuto and Silvera, although Scooter was Mel Allen's broadcasting sidekick in '57 and might have been in St Petersburg that year. Anyway, that is an awesome collection of signatures you have there.

[3and2]

David,

Your right Charlie Silvera and Phil Rizzuto weren't on the '57 roster. You know if the auction house had done some research like you, this piece could have been listed properly and fetched a little bit more $$$. Well, they didn't and it fell into my lap.

[vintagechris]

Also, Jerry Staley was on the '56 team early in the season and later went to the White Sox. Not sure of the date though.